Why Did Abby Leave NCIS? Will She Ever Make A Return?

NCIS is still going in CBS, most other shows which started with the series are long gone, but the naval criminal investigative service show doesn’t seem to be slowing down. After 16 seasons and 378 episodes, the show is still one of the highest-rated series on CBS which is why it was renewed for season number 17 currently set for debut on 24 September 2019.

While the show is definitely popular, considering it’s been inside the top three for the past eight years when it comes to Nielsen ratings there was a slight hitch in the show when fan-favorite character of 'Abby Sciuto' played by Pauley Perrette left the show at the end of season 15 which came as a shock for most fans. Abby said her goodbyes in the series and she left which left the whole fanbase puzzled. Abby was the most liked character on TV for a while, and she was beloved among the NCIS fans, and no one wanted the actress or the character to leave.

Source: E! News

But she left, all the same, the moment was emotional as well as heartbreaking when she gave her goodbyes to the characters in the show, but one thing was apparent while Abby was saying telling the cast members she was leaving after 15 years on the show. There was not a single moment on camera when Abby and 'Gibbs' were face-to-face and while she was leaving Abby left a note on Gibbs’ desk and watched from far away while he read the note. Gibbs was like a father figure to Abby, and then there was this scene where it was not clear what was really happening. So, the question rose after her exit why, why after 15 years forming a relationship on the show, for no apparent reason Pauley left the show?

What Was The Reason Behind Pauley Leaving?

When the final scene aired and people started speculating what the reason behind Pauley leaving was, the actress was posting some cryptic tweets on twitter. The thing is, out of all the tweets one was particularly interesting, in one of the shared posts, she said the reason behind leaving the show was because of “multiple physical assaults.”

This all happened when Mark Harmon brought his dog on the set while before filming for an episode began. A few years ago Harmon’s dog bit one of the crew members on the show, and according to multiple sources he kept bringing the dog after the incident, but when Pauley complained to CBS about unsafe working conditions because of the dog, Mark stopped bringing the dog. So, again one fateful day Mark decided it was the right time to bring the dog back on set and Pauley wasn’t for any of it.

Source: Fanpop

The actress complained again, but according to her, he was still allowed to bring the dog on set which further complicated relationships. Other reports were saying it was a situation for Mark at home, and no one was there to take care of the dog, which was why he brought the dog on the set. But Pauley said the whole thing was a smear campaign against her to make her seem like the bad person.

Pauley also said after she complained to the people at CBS again, but Mark threatened her and scared her. She left the show and after the confrontation since no action was taken against the actor.

Source: Vanity Fair

The Abby actress later clarified she was protecting her crew when the incident happened, and since no one was coming to their defense, she needed to do something. Mark never spoke of the incident, but CBS did say they want to create a safe working environment for everyone working with the channel. Pauley thanked the studio, and by that point, she was already gone.

Is Pauley Ever Coming Back?

Yes, she is coming back to CBS this fall, but the reason she is coming back is to be on another show and not play her previous character in NCIS. Fans to this day keep asking Pauley if she is coming back to NCIS and finally the question got too irritating for the actress and she responded to the comeback calls by tweeting, “NO I AM NOT COMING BACK! EVER! (Please stop asking?) I am terrified of Harmon and him attacking me. I have nightmares about it. I have a new show that is SAFE AND HAPPY! You’ll love it! #HappyPlace Love y’all!”

Pauley is never coming back to the show as long as Mark Harmon is still there, which means her return will never happen because the channel is not getting rid of Mark Harmon. He is the face of the show, and at this point, both Pauley and Mark are in the places they want to be. Harmon is happy in his show, and Pauley is happy filming a pilot with Snyder Urman and Alex Herschlag. They are filming a pilot for a comedy show called 'Broke' with Jamie Camil also starring and probably soon the show will be picked up by CBS, and we can all get to see Pauley on screen again.

The 17th season of NCIS is coming this fall on 24 September 2019 and Pauley will not be making an appearance on the show. It seems at this point she is gone for good unless Harmon and Perrette can resolve their differences and talk to each other.