Playing an autopsy dead body on NCIS is a bad experience – in fact, it could be the worst job on TV, according to some of the CBS show’s stars. NCIS, originally a spinoff of JAG, is currently in its 19th season and has seen many changes of characters over the years—Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs recently left after Mark Harmon exited the program as a series regular. Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, who appeared with Gibbs in the pilot episode, “Yankee White”, left back in season 13.
But whatever happens to the line-up, one thing that is more or less guaranteed on any NCIS episode is a dead body or two. Any that are discovered in suspicious circumstances will see the team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service grab their gear and work together to solve the case. After the team — including special agents Timothy McGee (Sean Murray), Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama), and Jessica Knight (Katrina Law), along with current gaffer Alden Parker (Gary Cole), who did not replace Gibbs, work the crime scene, the dead bodies are sent back to NCIS headquarters autopsy for Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen) to work his magic.
Viewers who have wondered whether these corpses are fake or real may be surprised to hear that many of them are indeed played by in-the-flesh actors. On the face of it, the gig seems like an easy role to undertake, but in reality it is a lot more involved than simply lying still. Over the years, some of the CBS show’s stars have admitted that it is quite an uncomfortable and difficult part to get right, and lying on a cold metal table in the depths of the autopsy room is more than just about “playing dead” – especially on a long filming day.
Executive producer Mark Horowitz revealed on a behind the scenes episode entitled “Inside NCIS Autopsy: Bodies of Work”: “People are dying to be dead people on this show. When we can, we like to use a real person to play the dead body because even though the prosthetic bodies are truly remarkable — you can get very close to them, and they look completely realistic — there’s something about real skin, the way light bounces off of it which you can do with makeup that just feels more real.” This fact is likely doubly true for those members of the cadaver cast who weren’t hired specifically for this role as an extra. For example, no viewer will likely forget the shock death of Caitlin Todd (Sasha Alexander) back in season 2, when she spoke to Dr Donald “Ducky” Mallard from the grave. Mark continues: “I tell them, I am very upfront, I say it’s horrible, this is the worst job you’ll ever have… I try to root out the faint of heart as early as possible. And if they’re going to be in one of these sliding doors we talk all about claustrophobia.”
Mark is not the only member of the team to deter potential candidates. Dietzen, who plays Ducky’s successor, added his thoughts about the rather unwelcoming environment. The actor stated, “You’re on a cold, metal table almost naked, with a very hot light shining on your private area. And you have to hold your breath and not move at all when we are filming.” (via The Columbus Dispatch). McCallum echoed this sentiment during an interview. He said: “These poor actors and actresses come along and lie on a steel table, and so our main concern with the bodies is to keep them warm, keep them happy, and let them go home in one piece.” (via CBS News).
While the NCIS role sounds like a bad gig, for some actors, the role has helped them conquer a life-long phobia. Actor Walter Fauntleroy, who played Petty Officer Lamar Finn (season 13, episode 16, “Loose Cannons”), “overcame claustrophobia as he was moved in and out of the autopsy room’s cadaver drawer.”
Fans of NCIS are desperate to see Tony DiNozzo replace Gibbs as team leader after actor Mark Harmon stepped down. Here’s why he shouldn’t return
Fans of NCIS are desperate to see Michael Weatherly return to the show to replace Gibbs as team leader after actor Mark Harmon exited the show, but that would be a mistake. Weatherly played Special Agent Anthony “Tony” DiNozzo, the goofy right-hand man to Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs at the Naval Criminal Investigative Service from the pilot episode “Yankee White” in 2003 to his exit in 2016. He went on to head up CBS show Bull, playing psychologist Dr. Jason Bull, seemingly looking to further his career away from the Navy Yard. But news that Bull is coming to an end, coupled with Harmon’s departure, has led to some viewers putting two and two together to make five. Hopefully, it’s a coincidence and Weatherly will not return.
During Weatherly’s time on NCIS, his character saw incredible growth, from chauvinistic but lovable ladies man to his long-standing will-they-won’t-they storyline with colleague Ziva David (Cote de Pablo), a former Mossad agent and replacement for Agent Kate Todd, who was murdered by Ziva’s traitor brother Ari. Ziva and Tony’s spark was obvious from the start, and their tumultuous relationship was a consistent driving force of the show. Tony and Ziva—nicknamed “Tiva” by fans—had plenty of bumps in the road, sometimes skating the fine line between love and hate, such as when Tony fatally wounded Ziva’s then-boyfriend, Michael, in a scuffle. But ultimately their love for one another grew, with them even eventually having a child together.
Tony’s NCIS story was intertwined with Ziva up until the end, so to bring Michael Weatherly’s character back alone would be a grave mistake. Weatherly left the show at the end of NCIS season 13 when Ziva was thought to have been killed in a Mossad attack and Tony DiNozzo learned they had a daughter, Tali, leaving NCIS to track her down. But the pair’s narrative came to a somewhat satisfactory close when Ziva returned at the end of NCIS season 16 and revealed she’d faked her death to keep Tony and Tali safe. The show then gave Ziva, Tony, and their daughter a reunion in Paris—albeit off-screen. For Weatherly to return to his old stomping ground as Tony just because Gibbs has taken a step down would be a gratuitous mistake for both actor and character. Tony’s priorities changed as he got to know his daughter and it would make no sense for him to take his old job back or lead the team.
The only way that a return from Tony could be done justice is if it added something to the storyline he shares with Ziva and Tali. It would not be feasible for them both to return to the team—they fled to Paris to protect their daughter, so to return with her would only undo the reasoning behind Tony fleeing with Tali and why Ziva stayed hidden for so long. A guest appearance for one or two episodes could work, but making him a permanent member on the team once again would undermine everything that came before.
Plus, Tony would have to fight off Alden Parker (Gary Cole), the current team leader. NCIS is a different show now—the dynamics have changed as much as its characters—such as Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama), Kasie Hines (Diona Reasonover), and of course, the new gaffer Parker. While some fans have struggled with such a change in leadership, others are delighted that Parker is bringing something new to NCIS, which is currently in season 19. Perhaps one reason for the program’s success is its ability to bring in fresh meat and move the overall story along. If Tony returns to his old team, viewers initially excited might be left disappointed in the long run, after realizing that the show could never be the same as it was almost 20 years ago.