{"id":2226,"date":"2025-03-21T18:07:29","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T18:07:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/?p=2226"},"modified":"2025-03-21T18:07:29","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T18:07:29","slug":"gibbs-exit-was-controversial-but-these-8-ncis-character-exits-were-so-much-worse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/?p=2226","title":{"rendered":"Gibbs\u2019 Exit Was Controversial, But These 8 NCIS Character Exits Were So Much Worse"},"content":{"rendered":"

When\u00a0Mark Harmon\u2019s Leroy Jethro Gibbs<\/strong>\u00a0left\u00a0NCIS<\/em> in Season 19, it was one of the most controversial moments in the show\u2019s history. After leading the series for nearly two decades, his quiet departure left fans with mixed feelings. However, as shocking as Gibbs\u2019 exit was, it wasn\u2019t the most brutal goodbye in the show\u2019s long history.<\/p>\n

Over the years,\u00a0NCIS<\/em>\u00a0has seen several beloved characters leave in ways that left fans devastated, frustrated, or downright furious. Whether due to behind-the-scenes drama, unexpected deaths, or creative decisions gone wrong, these eight character exits were even worse than Gibbs\u2019 controversial farewell.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dive into the\u00a0NCIS<\/em> exits that hurt the most.<\/p>\n

\n

1. Caitlin \u201cKate\u201d Todd\u2019s Shocking Assassination (Season 2)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

How she left:<\/em>\u00a0Shot in the head by Ari Haswari in a sudden and brutal execution.<\/p>\n

Kate Todd (Sasha Alexander) was a fan favorite from the start. Her chemistry with Tony and Gibbs made for some of the best moments in the early seasons. But just when fans thought she had survived a life-threatening situation, a sniper\u2019s bullet took her out\u2014instantly and without warning.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Why was it worse than Gibbs? Because it was\u00a0brutal, sudden, and completely unexpected.<\/strong>\u00a0Unlike Gibbs, who got a peaceful sendoff, Kate was ripped away from fans in an instant, leaving viewers in shock.<\/p>\n

\n

2. Ziva David\u2019s Off-Screen \u201cDeath\u201d (Season 11, Later Retconned)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

How she left:<\/em>\u00a0Initially left for personal reasons, then was \u201ckilled off-screen\u201d in Season 13\u2014only to return later.<\/p>\n

Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) was one of the most popular characters in\u00a0NCIS<\/em>\u00a0history, and her departure in Season 11 was already tough to swallow. But things got worse when the show decided to\u00a0fake her death in Season 13<\/strong>\u2014without even showing it on screen!<\/p>\n

Fans were outraged, and it wasn\u2019t until Season 16 that we found out she was actually alive. Gibbs\u2019 exit was sad, but at least he got a proper farewell\u2014Ziva didn\u2019t even get that luxury (until later).<\/p>\n

\n

3. Jenny Shepard\u2019s Tragic Last Stand (Season 5)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

How she left:<\/em>\u00a0Died in a gunfight while protecting her past secrets.<\/p>\n

Jenny Shepard (Lauren Holly) was a strong, complex character who had a lot of potential. But instead of getting a satisfying storyline, she was\u00a0gunned down in the desert<\/strong>\u00a0in a tragic final stand.<\/p>\n

Her death was\u00a0anticlimactic and unnecessary,<\/strong> leaving fans wondering what could have been. At least Gibbs got to retire on his own terms\u2014Jenny never got that chance.<\/p>\n

\n

4. Tony DiNozzo\u2019s Abrupt Goodbye (Season 13)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

How he left:<\/em>\u00a0Left NCIS after finding out he had a daughter with Ziva.<\/p>\n

Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) was the heart of\u00a0NCIS<\/em>\u00a0for over a decade, and his departure was bittersweet. While it made sense for his character to leave after discovering his daughter, it still felt\u00a0too rushed and unceremonious.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fans didn\u2019t get a proper goodbye, and it felt like the show pushed him out to move forward without one of its biggest stars. Unlike Gibbs, who got an emotional farewell, Tony just\u2026 left.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n

5. Abby Sciuto\u2019s Dramatic Exit After an Attack (Season 15)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

How she left:<\/em>\u00a0Survived an assassination attempt and left NCIS for good.<\/p>\n

Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette) was the soul of\u00a0NCIS<\/em>, and fans adored her unique personality. However, her exit was marred by behind-the-scenes drama, including reported tensions between Perrette and Mark Harmon.<\/p>\n

The writers had no choice but to write her off, and while she got a somewhat emotional sendoff, the\u00a0real-life drama overshadowed her departure.<\/strong>\u00a0Gibbs may have left quietly, but at least his exit wasn\u2019t surrounded by controversy.<\/p>\n

\n

6. Mike Franks\u2019 Brutal Murder (Season 8)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

How he left:<\/em>\u00a0Stabbed to death by the Port-to-Port killer.<\/p>\n

Mike Franks (Muse Watson) was a mentor to Gibbs and one of the show\u2019s most respected characters. His death was both\u00a0gruesome and heartbreaking<\/strong>, leaving fans devastated.<\/p>\n

His exit was far more violent than Gibbs\u2019 peaceful retirement, making it one of the show\u2019s hardest goodbyes.<\/p>\n

\n

7. Clayton Reeves\u2019 Senseless Death (Season 15)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

How he left:<\/em>\u00a0Murdered in a mugging gone wrong.<\/p>\n

Clayton Reeves (Duane Henry) was a promising addition to\u00a0NCIS<\/em>, and fans were excited to see where his story would go. Instead, the writers\u00a0killed him off suddenly and without much impact.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The worst part? His death was\u00a0used as a plot device<\/strong>\u00a0to give Abby a reason to leave. Talk about a cheap sendoff. Gibbs may have left quietly, but at least his exit wasn\u2019t just a throwaway moment.<\/p>\n

\n

8. Ned Dorneget\u2019s Heroic But Heartbreaking Death (Season 12)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

How he left:<\/em>\u00a0Died in a bombing while trying to save others.<\/p>\n

Ned Dorneget (Matt Jones) was a lovable, comedic character who brought levity to the show. His death in a bombing was unexpected and heartbreaking, making it one of the show\u2019s most\u00a0underrated gut punches.<\/strong><\/p>\n

His sacrifice was noble, but his exit left fans wishing he had more time. Gibbs got to walk away, but Dorneget\u00a0never had a choice.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Conclusion: NCIS Exits That Still Sting<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While Gibbs\u2019 departure was controversial, it was\u00a0far from the worst exit in NCIS history.<\/strong>\u00a0He got to leave on his own terms, something many characters never had the luxury of doing.<\/p>\n

From brutal assassinations to off-screen deaths and rushed exits,\u00a0NCIS<\/em>\u00a0has had its fair share of\u00a0frustrating, heartbreaking, and downright unfair departures.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fans may have mixed feelings about Gibbs\u2019 retirement, but compared to these\u00a0tragic, unexpected, and sometimes mishandled exits,<\/strong>\u00a0he actually got one of the better sendoffs.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When\u00a0Mark Harmon\u2019s Leroy Jethro Gibbs\u00a0left\u00a0NCIS in Season 19, it was one of the most controversial moments in the show\u2019s history. After leading the series for nearly two… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2227,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2226","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2226","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2226"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2226\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2228,"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2226\/revisions\/2228"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}