NCIS: The Future Depends on Mark Harmon. But Will He Stay Put?

The door could be about to close on NCIS.The hit series, which stars Mark Harmon, and has birthed multiple spinoffs, is reportedly closing in on an end date.According to The Hollywood Reporter, Harmon’s contract is up after NCIS Season 18, and there’s word that CBS does not want to continue the show without him.

Harmon initially played the role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs on JAG before landing the spinoff, and has been the lead star ever since.While nothing is set in stone, the outlet reports that Harmon could be open to returning for a handful of episodes should CBS opt to renew it.It’s unclear whether this handful of episodes would be with the aim of saying goodbye to Gibbs and finding someone else to take his place in the team.NCIS is the most expensive show on CBS, but it’s also the most-watched series in total viewers in the U.S., commanding an average audience of 15 million viewers.