Mark Harmon Disagreed With Leon Vance's Shocking NCIS Demise

The 500th episode of NCIS, which aired a little over a week ago in 2026, featured the surprising death of Leon Vance, portrayed by Rocky Carroll. This significant plot development has reportedly drawn disapproval from former NCIS star Mark Harmon, who led the series for nearly two decades as Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Carroll shared Harmon's sentiments during a post-screening event hosted by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, explaining that Harmon, despite having left the show about four and a half years ago, still holds the franchise in high regard.

Harmon and Carroll share a long history, having previously co-starred in "Chicago Hope" before their extensive time together on NCIS. This established rapport allows for candid conversations between them. While Vance's death was a creative choice by showrunner Steven Binder to emphasize "real stakes," Harmon's strong attachment to the character and the show likely contributed to his disagreement with the narrative decision. Carroll, however, has since come to appreciate the impact of Vance's story arc and the quality of the episode.

Despite Vance's on-screen death, Rocky Carroll continues to contribute to NCIS as a director. The show's narrative landscape offers possibilities for deceased characters to reappear through flashbacks or hallucinations, leaving open the potential for Carroll to reprise his role. Meanwhile, the search for Vance's permanent replacement as director is expected to continue.