‘NCIS’ Season 20 Could Bring Back Fan-Favorite Character

NCIS Season 20 could celebrate the milestone year by bringing back a fan-favorite character, or at least making more references to her. Although Pauley Perrette’s NCIS Chief Forensic Scientist Abby Sciuto was an important part of the show’s first 15 seasons, she hasn’t been referenced at all. Showrunner Steven D. Binder recently told TVLine that this could finally change.

Perrette made her last appearance during one of the last episodes of Season 15 when Abby was critically injured in a seemingly random street mugging. Clayton Reeves (Duane Henry) saved Abby’s life but lost his own in the process. The shooting inspired Abby to lead a charity for homeless women. She also accompanied Reeves’ body back to the U.K., where she wanted to start her new life. Fans haven’t had an update since.

Meanwhile, there have been multiple references to Mark Harmon‘s Leroy Jethro Gibbs character since he left after Season 19’s first four episodes. NCIS: Hawai’i even retroactively gave Gibbs an important role in helping the career of Vanessa Lachey’s Jane Tennant. In the series, Gibbs is just chilling out in Alaska now. Binder thinks now the time is right to start making references like these for Abby.

“We are always thinking about ways to involve [Gibbs] in a way that doesn’t ‘rip off the scab’ and doesn’t ruin what I thought was the only fitting send-off for this guy,” Binder told TVline. “I want to start doing that with Abby’s character as well. I’d like to start feeling her [presence] a little more.”

The executive producer went on to admit they may have made a mistake not doing so sooner. “I thought we were a little remiss in not [doing that sooner], but there are so many moving parts,” he said. “But she is still out there fighting the good fight and watching us, and she is a part of us and we’re a part of her.”

Binder didn’t say if these plans would ever involve Perrette coming back for an onscreen appearance, but it seems highly unlikely. In 2019, Perrette made it clear she would never come back, referencing an alleged October 2016 incident when Harmon’s dog bit a crew member. CBS Entertainment President Kelly Kahl in 2019 noted that Perrette did share a workplace concern with executives, but it was “resolved” after an investigation. Perrette did agree to work with CBS again though, starring in the short-lived sitcom Broke in 2020.

Perrette has also made it clear repeatedly that she retired from acting after Broke was canceled. “I finally and happily retired! And this is what I was looking forward to,” she tweeted in November 2020. “My rules in life now are ‘if my [rescue dogs] don’t care, it’s cool! I only answer to God and animals and plants now. WOOT!!!” Over the weekend, Perrette revealed that she survived a stroke in 2021. NCIS Season 20 debuts on Sept. 19 at 9 p.m. ET. The premiere is the first part of a crossover with NCIS: Hawai’i.