Any NCIS fan can easily attest to the fact that nobody else could have played Leroy Gibbs as brilliantly as actor Mark Harmon. For nearly two decades he was the face of the hit crime procedural drama and became one of the most beloved characters on CBS Network.
But even before he stepped into the shoes of Gibbs, he was already a well-established actor in the industry with several projects to his name. And apart from his NCIS role, there was another show in which his acting chops are equally remarkable.
Long before he got on board NCIS in 2003, he was a part of medical drama Chicago Hope as Dr. Jack McNeil.
Chicago Hope is the hidden gem that every NCIS fan must watch
Apart from being one of the longest-running shows on the CBS Network, NCIS has skyrocketed the careers of several actors. While it gave Michael Weatherly his big break in showbiz, it also presented actress Cote de Pablo’s iconic acting chops.
But the most well-known of the lot would definitely be actor Mark Harmon. Even before he joined the crime drama, he was already a well-known face in the industry. And long before he stepped into the role of Leroy Gibbs, he was actually headlining another famous show.
This show was the medical drama Chicago Hope, and it presented an entirely different side of Harmon’s acting talents that many weren’t aware of. In this, he played the role of Dr. Jack McNeil, and the series ran for six seasons from 1994 to 2000. Both Gibbs and McNeil were quite different from one another as well.
The NCIS leader was driven by rigid rules; on the other hand, McNeil was quite charismatic and emotionally layered and at times even unpredictable. While this medical drama may not have achieved the same level of dominance as its rival ER, it did offer compelling storylines and a stellar ensemble.
However, despite his brilliant performance here, it often flew under the radar. One of the most interesting aspects of Chicago Hope was that it not only tackled the professional lives of its doctors but also kept track of their personal lives as well. So, Dr. McNeil wasn’t just saving lives in the operating room; he was also navigating his own inner struggles—something that was quite relatable for the audience as well.
So, for all the diehard NCIS fans who have only ever seen Harmon as Gibbs, Chicago Hope will definitely offer an opportunity to see a whole new side of his acting range.
Did you know NCIS was supposed to be based on real cases?
For more than two decades, NCIS has been a go-to show for any crime drama fan. It had a very intriguing storyline with actors who do complete justice to their roles. Now entering its 22nd season, NCIS has become one of the most successful procedural shows out there, with multiple spinoffs as well.
However, according to actor Mark Harmon, who brought the iconic Leroy Gibbs to life, the show was supposed to be something else entirely and not what fans know today.
Harmon, who’s the narrator of its prequel NCIS: Origins, detailed via The Hollywood Reporter what the original plan for NCIS actually was. Initially, the show wanted to focus exclusively on cases pulled directly from the agency’s files. He said:
When I first joined the show, part of what they sold me on was that this was all going to be based on real cases. But pretty soon, it settles into murder-a-week because that’s television, right?
Had the show stuck to its original plan, then it likely would have had a drastically different tone, possibly on the same lines as Law & Order. The real-life elements of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service cases have influenced episodes over the years. But the shift to a more structural, procedural format was ultimately what shaped the show’s long-term success.
You can watch all the seasons of NCIS on Prime Video.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
