NCIS season 17 will take a brief hiatus before airing its midseason finale. Is the show’s main character, Gibbs, too old to be a field agent?
NCIS has been on our televisions for the past 16 years, and fans of the CBS cr1me drama continue to adore it. Since the beginning, Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (played by Mark Harmon) has been at the forefront of the show’s investigations. Is he, however, now technically too old to be a team agent?
Is Agent Gibbs of NCIS going to be a field agent?
Since the show’s inception in 2003, Agent Gibbs has been the only character to appear.
Many popular characters have left the series over the years, most recently Abby Sciuto, who left NCIS last year.
But one thing has remained constant: Agent Gibbs’ presence on the team.
Is it, however, appropriate for his character to continue working as a field agent, or is this a major plot hole in the series?
Agent Gibbs is officially too old to be an agent in real life.
Despite the fact that he is an important member of the team, he should not be out investigating cases.
Gibbs was 53 years old when the show premiered, but as of 2018, he is at least eight years older than the NCIS field agent mandatory retirement age of 57.
He should no longer be allowed to act as an agent under federal law.
“A member of the Capitol Police who is otherwise eligible for immediate retirement under section 8336(m) shall be separated from the service on the last day of the month in which such member attains the age of 57, or completes 20 years of service if then over that age,” the US provision states.
So, if NCIS followed the real-life rules, Gibbs would have retired by now.
However, it does not appear that he intends to retire anytime soon.
In an interview with People earlier this year, Harmon stated: “I’ve always thought that if the writers ever walk into the room and say, ‘I don’t know what to do,’
“Then I believe we should all look at each other and call it a day. But we haven’t arrived yet.
“I’ve been around long enough to recognize this.
“That’s part of what I signed up for; I know that when this show ends, that’s it — there won’t be anything else like it for me.”
Agent Ziva David will make her return in the upcoming episode of NCIS, titled The North Pole (Cote de Pablo).
The actress has already appeared in two episodes and will appear in the next, as well as the first episode of the new year, which will air on Tuesday, January 7.
However, it is unknown whether she will return as a permanent member of the team.
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