For many fans, the best NCIS character is always going to be Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon). Sadly, Harmon left the series in season 19, and while the show is still going strong and season 22 is currently airing, many wonder if it feels the same as before. Other smart agents like Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) are thankfully still around, and I’m one of the many fans who still enjoys the procedural. However, I understand that many viewers would welcome Gibbs back in a second.
After Gibbs moved to Alaska, Alden Parker (Gary Cole) took over as the Supervisory Special Agent, and fans have some strong feelings about this decision. A few years after Harmon’s departure, fans miss Gibbs and are comparing the two agents.
NCIS Fans Debate Gibbs Vs. Parker & I Can’t Decide Between The Special Agents
“NCIS is not the same after Gibbs idc what people say I can’t even watch it. It’s not the same. I’m happy they did origins cause you still get some Mark Harmon.”
Some other fans agreed, with one writing:
“NCIS is nothing to me without Gibbs.”
Many fans want Gibbs to return to NCIS, even for just one episode, and some would even be glad to see him in a single scene. However, some fans are happy to watch Parker. Redditor @FortuneKey9662 wrote, “I find Parker refreshing and I love the new dynamic and Parker’s quirks.” Redditor @MonkGonk agrees the new character “brought such a fresh breath of air to the show,” and Redditor @HarmoneeLife said:
“I prefer Parker to Gibbs.”
I’m torn about whether Gibbs or Parker is a better main NCIS character. On the one hand, it’s easy to argue that the most well-crafted NCIS seasons were the ones with Gibbs. He’s a mysterious, wise, and engaging character, the kind who doesn’t come around often. No matter how much fans learn about his past, it always feels like he will keep some things to himself, which makes him such a solid protagonist. On the other hand, fans know Harmon wanted to leave NCIS, and that makes it easy to embrace a new character taking his place.
If Gibbs was replaced by a boring agent who didn’t stand out, I would agree that Gibbs is more intriguing to watch. However, I think Alden Parker is a good replacement. He’s a little odd, he cares about the team, and he fills the void Gibbs left behind. I also think recent seasons of NCIS have done a good job allowing viewers to get to know Parker. As Gary Cole said in an interview with TV Insider, Parker’s hobbies (horticulture and bird watching) are a “distraction.” Cole said:
“He is a guy who can’t sit still. He’s not somebody who reflects a lot — until he doesn’t have a choice if something is weighing on him.”
I agree with the fan’s previous comment that it’s nice to see more of Gibbs on NCIS: Origins. Harmon narrates the prequel series and also shows up in the season 1 premiere, which makes it easier to accept that the agent is now living in Alaska away from his team.
When Did Alden Parker Join NCIS?
Alden Parker became part of NCIS in season 19, and he got a bigger role when Gibbs left in season 21. Parker has an interesting background and relationship with Gibbs.
Although Parker is an FBI agent who is supposed to arrest Gibbs, he doesn’t. This choice costs him his job. It’s a compelling storyline that makes it easy to like and appreciate Parker since, like Gibbs, he wants to do the right thing. The two ultimately have a lot in common, which makes it tough to choose the better character. At the end of the day, fans will always miss Harmon’s portrayal of tough and smart Gibbs, but funny and interesting new agents like Parker make losing other fan favorites like Kate Todd (Sasha Alexander) a bit easier.
