Earlier this week, NCIS bid farewell to Donald “Ducky” Mallard on the 2024 TV schedule following the death of his actor, David McCallum, at the age of 90 last September. The show’s Ducky tribute episode followed the team coming to terms with the character’s passing as they looked into a case he’s agreed to take on. Along with a fan-favorite stopping by at the end of the episode to pay his respects, there were various references to other departed NCIS characters who were close with Ducky, and that included a nod to Pauley Perrette’s Abby Sciuto. Did you catch it?
At a little past the halfway mark of “The Stories We Leave Behind,” as we peek in on Brian Dietzen’s Jimmy Palmer nervously cleaning the lab of Diona Reasonover’s Kasie Hines as they await an update on how this episode’s case is going, we see a black wreath sent to honor Ducky. Check it out:
Although Abby isn’t named, it’s obvious she’s the one who sent it thanks to its gothic vibe, and Kasie even tells Jimmy, “Bet you can guess who it’s from.” That’s the extent of which Abby is acknowledged though, as the wreath is moved to another part of the lab and Jimmy proceeds to recall the good times he had with Ducky to Kasie. This also marks one of the few times that Abby has been alluded to following her exit back in 2018.
Like David McCallum, Pauley Perrette was one of the original NCIS cast members alongside Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly and Sasha Alexander, with all but Alexander having first appeared in the JAG two-parter “Ice Queen” and “Meltdown.” Abby Sciuto was the team’s first forensic scientist and was well-known for her gothic fashion choices, obsession with the energy drink Caf-Pow and consistently blaring loud music as she worked. While Abby was the closest with Harmon’s Gibbs, as the two of them had a father/daughter-like relationship, she and Ducky were also pretty tight during their time together.
Perrette left NCIS towards the end of Season 15, with Abby deciding in the episode “Two Steps Back” to honor a charity to help the homeless in honor of her late colleague Clayton Reeves, played by Duane Henry. However, it was later reported that behind-the-scenes conflicts with Harmon was the catalyst for her departure. Although the actress has never outright confirmed the stories about what happened on the set between them, she did say in 2019 that she’d never return to NCIS because she was “terrified” of Harmon. He went on to leave NCIS early on in Season 19, although he’s not set to executive produce and narrate NCIS: Origins, a prequel about Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
So while it doesn’t look like we’ll ever see Abby Sciuto on NCIS again, it was nice to get this brief nod in “The Stories We Leave Behind,” as well as see some old footage of her as part of the episode’s incorporation of clips featuring Ducky. We’re now two episodes into the 10-episode NCIS Season 21, so tune into CBS Mondays at 9 pm ET to catch the rest. You can also stream past NCIS seasons with a Paramount+ subscription.
