When Mark Harmon left NCIS, it seemed to be a role no one could replace. However, the show brought in Gary Cole to be the new team leader and he seemed to slip into the role perfectly. However, Cole said things were not going to be easy for Alden Parker with his new team.
Here is what Cole had to say about replacing Mark Harmon.
Gary Cole On Replacing Mark Harmon On NCIS
Gary Cole was a good choice to replace Mark Harmon on NCIS. While the long-running, popular procedural has seen characters come and go, Mark Harmon’s Jethro Leroy Gibbs seemed irreplaceable. However, the show made good on replacing him when they signed Gary Cole to take on the role of Alden Parker.
This change in leadership for the NCIS team came in 2021 when Harmon left the show and stepped aside for a new person to take over the team leader role. Cole, who has previous experience in TV and movies, was ready to move into the new role, but he said he knew there would be struggles. This was both on screen in the fictional world and with fans who loved Harmon and would miss Gibbs.
Cole said that when he came onto the show, he knew the stakes would be high for the team. He said that Alden wasn’t sure this was where he really wanted to be. Calling his character a “loner,” he said the entire NCIS team is a “stress train.” He knew he had to trust other people and watch his back (via TV Insider).
This finally changed for Laden in the Season 198 episode “All Hands.” This was where he called them his “team” for the first time. “The team had reason to not necessarily have a lot of confidence or trust in him because Gibbs had been there so long that they were used to one thing, and Parker was not that,” Cole said. “In this episode, he’s proving himself to the team.”
How Alden Sees His NCIS Team Now
Gary Cole said that things are changing and Alden is now starting to trust his team and become a good leader. He said that he sees each member in a specific manner and things are going much better now than when Gibbs left.
Cole said Parker looks at McGee as someone he can trust concerning the “big picture.” He said Torres would do anything to help solve a case and do the dirty work. Knight is also someone who will get dirty when needed to solve crimes. With Torres, Parker thinks he is reckless and would rather he wasn’t. He feels there is a way that Torres will go off a cliff if he isn’t careful.
What are your thoughts on Gary Cole’s Alden replacing Gibbs on NCIS?
