‘NCIS’ Says Goodbye to Ducky in Season 21 Teaser

The tribute episode for the late David McCallum and his character, Ducky, will premiere on Monday, Feb. 19 on CBS.

January 26, 2024, 3:26pm

"Defiance" — A botched assassination attempt in Belgravia forces NCIS to protect the Defense Minister's daughter, who is studying in the U.S. and smitten with McGee. Meanwhile, Gibbs investigates the death of the U.S. Marine who was killed in the bombing, on NCIS, Tuesday, Feb. 15 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured: David McCallum Photo: Ron P. Jaffe/ CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

NCIS is officially saying goodbye to Ducky. The official Instagram account for the long-running franchise shared a new teaser for the upcoming 21st season of. Amidst the action and trouble that Torres is getting into, David McCallum’s voiceover can be heard saying, “Yesterday is over, change is the essence of life,” alongside a brief clip of Brian Dietzen’s Jimmy Palmer crying.

McCallum passed away last September at 90 years old. The actor portrayed Chief M.E. and, later, NCIS historian, Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard on NCIS. He made his debut as the beloved character on the two-episode JAG backdoor pilot in 2003. While he appeared in fewer episodes in the last couple of seasons, he still was as important as ever. His final appearance was in the Season 20 episode, “Black Sky.” Plenty of NCIS stars, past and present, paid tribute to McCallum, who was also known for the series Man from U.N.C.L.E.

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Details for the tribute episode were previously revealed, including the fact that the episode will be the second episode of the season. It’s expected to air on Feb. 19. NCIS co-showrunners Steven D. Binder and David North told TVLine that in the episode, “the team will learn of Ducky’s passing and reflect on their memories of him as they grieve. And true to Ducky’s meticulous and compassionate nature, even after he’s gone, he still manages to solve one last crime with the team.” In addition, there will also be a “very touching and special moment” that fans won’t want to miss.

More concrete details surrounding the episode and the exact plot are still unknown, but it’s likely more information will be released in the next week or so as the episode gets closer. As for whether or not any past cast members will show up, that is being kept under wraps. Mark Harmon has been rumored to return for the tribute, and since he’s officially returning to the franchise for , that’s definitely a possibility. Fans have also been wanting Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo to come back. It probably won’t be known who, if anyone, returns until the episode premieres, or at least right before.

Season 21 of on Monday, Feb. 12 at 9 p.m. ET as part of CBS’ spring 2024 schedule. The tribute to David McCallum and Ducky will air the following week, Monday, Feb. 19. Fans will want to get their tissues ready because it already seems like it’s going to be as emotional as ever.