NCIS's Forgotten Legend From 21 Years Ago Is Vance's Perfect Replacement

Published Jun 21, 2026, 11:30 AM EDT

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While Alden Parker's MCRT has been forced to move forward and continue their job after Vance's death, the off-camera happenings in Navy Yard are poised to determine the future of the team. NCIS hasn't made a big deal out of the interim directors that have since held the position, but the post continues to be vacant. The return of Gabriel LaRoche in the NCIS season 23 finale effectively established him as a potential candidate, but if CBS wants someone that is more meaningful, bringing back a franchise legend, JAG's Harmon Rabb, Jr., to replace Vance is the best route.

JAG's Harm Is The Perfect Vance Replacement As NCIS Director

On its own, NCIS is a TV institution, having been on the air for over two decades. That said, what's usually forgotten is that it's a spinoff of JAG, which was also created by Don Bellisario. NCIS's backdoor pilot was in "Ice Queen" and "Meltdown," where Leroy Jethro Gibbs's original MCRT first encountered the "uniformed lawyers," led by David James Elliott's Harm.

The last time Elliot reprised Harm was in NCIS: LA for a multi-episode arc. By then, he was the executive officer (XO) of the USS Allegiance. Assuming that he remains involved with the Navy, it's possible that he could be brought in to occupy the directorial post. Whether that sticks or not for the long haul will be dependent on how CBS wants to tackle this new era of NCIS, and of course, the actor's availability and willingness.

Bringing in someone who has long ties to the Navy and the show itself is a great way to dissipate the immense pressure of finding someone that can be a worthy successor to Vance. While NCIS is not new to replacing iconic characters, as they did when Parker took over Gibbs' role, it was able to build up to that switch by introducing Gary Cole earlier, so he had some interactions with Mark Harmon. With Vance now dead, it would be beneficial to bring in someone already established to fill the void that he left.

How Harm's Introduction Will Bring NCIS Full Circle

The first few seasons of NCIS attempted to establish stronger ties with JAG, but despite that, Elliot never actually appeared in the flagship. Because of that, it will be incredibly interesting to see him make his debut on the show more than two decades since he first crossed paths with Gibbs and his original MCRT team. Seeing Harm again after all these years will fit into NCIS's new storytelling approach, which leans more into its long history, as seen with the returns of Vera Strickland and Ellie Bishop.

NCIS season 24 is arguably the final stage in its evolution, following the departure of Gibbs half a decade ago. The death of Vance gives the procedural the chance to decide on its direction for the next several years. Acknowledging its ties to JAG after all these years will be a treat for those who have been following the project for years. Meanwhile, it's also a chance to introduce NCIS's parent series to those who might not know that it was born out of the success of another project.

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