The long-running drama NCIS is set to continue its impressive journey, recently being renewed for its 23rd season. Over the years, many who helped shape the show have moved on, including co-creator and former showrunner Donald Bellisario.
Bellisario led the series for four seasons before departing in 2007, with numerous reports suggesting that his exit stemmed from an alleged feud with the show’s lead, Mark Harmon. Looking back, Bellisario later expressed regret over how things unfolded leading up to his departure.
Former NCIS showrunner Donald Bellisario reflected on his exit from the show
Donald Bellisario and Mark Harmon worked closely together on NCIS before Bellisario’s eventual departure after four seasons. The circumstances surrounding his exit have been widely debated.
However, one persistent yet speculative factor has been the alleged feud between the show’s lead and Bellisario. Harmon, who portrayed Special Agent Gibbs, reportedly had issues with the mismanagement of on-set working conditions.
The former showrunner, however, had a different version of events. In a 2008 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Bellisario suggested that the alleged conflict between him and Harmon stemmed from a moment during the production of Season 4.
I asked Mark to re-shoot a scene — He redid it exactly the same way he did it the first time and never spoke to me again.
Bellisario also claimed that the reports of poor on-set working conditions were part of a “full-blown PR campaign” orchestrated by Harmon.
However, he also expressed regret over how his time on the show ended, saying, “I do wish it hadn’t ended the way it did.” Following his exit from the show, Bellisario remained credited as a co-creator and an executive producer for several years.
What did Mark Harmon say about Donald Bellisario’s exit from NCIS?
The Los Angeles Times also reached out to Mark Harmon for his perspective on the major change in the series. He described it as a positive shift, stating that production would be “more organized” moving forward.
If we’re working 14-hour days now instead of the 17- or 18-hour days that we were doing, it doesn’t mean we’re working any less hard — We’re just more organized. . . . This has become a very well-oiled machine.
He also appeared to address his alleged feud with the former showrunner, stating, “I don’t wish to go head to head with Bellisario in the press. . . . He knows why he left,” subtly hinting at on-set tensions.
What really happened between Mark Harmon and Donald Bellisario on NCIS?
Executive producer Charles Floyd Johnson reflected on the tensions between Mark Harmon and Donald Bellisario in a 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
Both Johnson and fellow executive producer Mark Horowitz praised Harmon as an extraordinary actor, describing him as “the captain of the acting team,” as they explained why Harmon initially raised concerns on set.
Eventually, actors felt like they would get two acts or one act, and they didn’t know what their arc was for the show. They couldn’t figure out their lines. It was a very complicated show in the beginning. And so when we got to about year four, Harmon just felt like it was too hard.
Johnson also denied the claims that Harmon was responsible for Bellisario’s departure, clarifying that he had only voiced concerns about the production complications. Following this, the network reportedly asked Bellisario to “work from a distance.”
However, Bellisario maintained that stepping down was his own choice. “It was just time for me to move on and do something else. I had done enough on the show, so I stepped away. It was my decision,” he said during the interview while reflecting on his exit.
NCIS is available to watch on Hulu.
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