Behind the Scenes Dark Secrets: Scandals of NCIS

On network television, NCIS is one of the most watched dramas. The CBS program about the Navy Criminal Investigation Service has dominated television ratings since 2003.

The series has been deemed the most-watched drama in the world for three of four years in 2018 and is licensed in more than 200 territories. Its stellar cast of crime fighters appears to be as spotless as possible, but as is frequently the case in show business, scandal, and painful adversity linger just beneath the surface.

Sasha Alexander’s Desire to Leave

At the end of NCIS Season 2, Special Agent Kate Todd, one of the show’s main characters, was shockingly killed off. But it turned out that actress Sasha Alexander had desired just that. According to Donald Bellisario, the showrunner who at the time developed NCIS, Alexander requested to be fired.

Sasha came into my office crying and said, “I just can not work this hard,” the producer recalled. The show’s production is challenging. Due to the amount of time we invested, Sasha simply felt physically unable to devote that kind of effort.

The Rizzoli & Isles star does not cast a glance behind her. People are unaware that a network show requires 1012 months and 17 hours of production time to produce 24 episodes annually. It has a tough core, she said, according to TV Guide. I have a strong conviction that if I had stayed, I would not currently be in my current situation, which includes a happy marriage, two children, and enjoyment of creative pursuits.

Cote de Pablo’s Abrupt Departure

Just days before filming for Season 11 began, Cote de Pablo, who had played Special Agent Ziva David, a fan favorite for eight seasons, abruptly left the show in July 2013. No one wanted her to leave. No drama developed.

There might have been some unsavory information, though. Co-star David McCallum was not polite in his remarks. He admitted to Digital Spy that he was angry and frustrated that someone would abandon them.

De Pablo clarified her reasons for leaving during a panel discussion for her movie The 33 years later. She explained that she made the decision not to continue because of political issues and inadequate scripts. “This character is my favorite. All the money in the world [could not keep me there] because I spent eight years creating this character and falling in love with her, so when I felt or thought she was not being treated with the respect she deserved, I left.

Tensions Between Mark Harmon and Donald Bellisario

Showrunner Bellisario and the main star of the program, Mark Harmon, eventually got into a fight because of hectic schedules, long hours, and unreasonable expectations.

TV Guide claims that the actor had grown weary and impatient with the longtime producer’s “chaotic management style,” who plays the show’s anchor, the stoic and complex Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

In 2007, a TV Guide source close to NCIS stated, “Mark has been working every single day, 16 hours a day.” Don tries to have a firm grip on every aspect. The significant impact that last-minute faxes of script pages to the set have on Mark’s life is something he is tired of dealing with.

Following months of conflict, Bellisario is said to have been fired from the production. He still had his title even though he had resigned, but he had effectively lost all control over the well-known program he had helped to create.

Mark Harmon’s Custody Battle

In the 1980s, Sam, Mark Harmon’s nephew, was 12 years old when he attempted to win custody of him permanently. The Los Angeles Times reports that the actor developed a case with his wife, Pam Dawber, claiming that his estranged sister, Kristin Nelson, was dependent on prescription drugs and was, therefore, an unsuitable parent.

After a protracted legal battle, Nelson finished his rehab program in June 1987, and the former West Wing actor renounced the offer. But there might have been more to the tale.

Dawber testified in court that any such testimony would be false, but Harmon allegedly started settlement negotiations in the middle of his wife’s testimony. Harmon was given access to Sam after he went back to his mother.

The legal settlement reportedly did not reduce family strife, and problems reportedly persisted until the start of 2017, when a source reportedly told “Siblings have worked through their issues.”

Pauley Perrette’s Allegations of Assault

In a series of cryptic tweets sent out shortly after Perrette left NCIS in May 2018, the actress provided some insight into her reasons for leaving by implying that she had experienced bullying and assault while working on the program.

She claimed that she had been keeping her mouth shut to “protect my crew, jobs, and so many people,” and that she had “refused to go low” to do so.

According to Entertainment Tonight, CBS Television Studios addressed the accusations with the following equally ambiguous statement: Pauley approached us more than a year ago with a workplace issue.

We approached the situation seriously and collaborated with her to find a solution. On every one of our shows, we are committed to a safe working environment. Perrette tweeted in response to the network’s appreciation, saying, “They have always been so good to me and always had my back.”

Michael Weatherly’s DUI Incident and Departure

Michael Weatherly, who is best known for playing the endearing and humorous Special Agent Tony DiNozzo, does not seem to be the kind of person to stir up trouble, but the Bull actor has been caught driving while intoxicated before.

The actor was allegedly pulled over by Los Angeles police for speeding at around one in the morning in November 2015; however, he was ultimately detained and charged with DUI.

When accused of drunk driving in January 2016, Weatherly entered a no-contest plea. According to TMZ, he was facing a maximum punishment of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, but instead, he was given a slap on the wrist in the form of three years of probation and six months to complete an alcohol program and a Mothers Against Drunk Driving course.

Soon after receiving his punishment, Weatherly decided to leave NCIS. According to a tweet he posted on Twitter (via Page Six), “I will miss the amazing crew & cast, who are like family to me, & to the fans all over the world.” “It is been a great ride, thank you,” was said.

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