Even on a series that’s run as long as “NCIS,” some characters still make an impression even if they aren’t on very long. That’s certainly the case for Margaret Allison Hart, played by Rena Sofer, who appeared in six episodes of “NCIS” Season 7. Hart’s a defense attorney who serves as somewhat of a romantic interest to Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), taking on cases that bring her into direct contact with the NCIS team. However, she may have uncovered a little too much about him during her tenure on the procedural, as she departed after learning about the darkest thing Gibbs has ever done on “NCIS.”
Hart’s final episode is the Season 7 finale — “Rule Fifty-One.” In it, she discovers Gibbs is connected to the murder of a man, Pedro Hernandez (Thomas Rosales Jr.), who killed his wife and daughter. She departs, but not before influencing a new Gibbs rule. On the back of a card that states, “Never Ever Involve a Lawyer,” he writes Rule No. 51: “Sometimes You’re Wrong.” It seems he didn’t mind getting close to a lawyer this time, so while Hart was never seen again, she did leave her mark.
Many fans thought the potential Gibbs-Hart romance was the worst storyline of “NCIS” Season 7. However, Sofer seems to have enjoyed her time on the procedural.
Rena Sofer loved the cast of NCIS
Rena Sofer’s stint on “NCIS” occurred in 2010, and she hasn’t been taking it easy since playing Margaret Allison Hart. She’s gone on to appear in a number of other TV shows, including “Once Upon a Time” and “Chicago P.D.” However, her most prolific role to date is that of Quinn Fuller in more than 900 episodes of “The Bold and the Beautiful.” Even though she seems to have acted in some capacity since leaving “NCIS,” she still looks back fondly on her brief time on the show.
During an interview with The PC Principle, Sofer discussed working on many different TV series, drawing particular attention to “NCIS.” “‘NCIS’ … never worked with a kinder, more decent group of people … from the top to the bottom,” she elaborated. “‘NCIS’ there was no top or bottom. Mark Harmon treats everyone the same on that show … from an extra to an executive producer.” Later, she expressed her desire to return but never got the invite.
Sadly, Sofer’s unlikely to return to “NCIS” at this point. Mark Harmon left the show on Season 19, and considering Sofer was most closely connected with Gibbs, there’s not much of a reason for her to come back. Besides, Rena Sofer seems to have a lot on her plate at any given time, so “NCIS” was simply a fun excursion for her for a little bit.