Like most procedural series, NCIS’s success heavily relies on the strength of its ensemble cast. It needs good characters and interpersonal dynamics for audiences to love (and sometimes hate) to carry them from formulaic episode to formulaic episode. So, when some of the show’s actors choose to leave, their exit can be bittersweet: giving an opportunity for new stories and characters, but also forcing hard goodbyes. Lauren Holly’s departure as Jenny Shepard left such a mark on NCIS fans.
Holly joined the cast as Shepard in Season 3 following Thomas Morrow’s (Alan Dale) resignation, and replaced him as NCIS director until Season 5. Despite only appearing in three seasons of the long-running show, Shepard has had a lasting effect on her team of special agents, as well as viewers. The character bid a dramatic farewell in the Season 5 two-part finale, “Judgment Day,” which saw her sacrifice herself to protect her colleagues.
Since then, her inspiring (though short-lived) balance of ambition and empathy as a female boss in a male-dominated agency has cemented her fan-favorite status. So, what exactly prompted her exit? Here’s a closer look at why Holly felt like it was time to move on from the show.
Lauren Holly Was Ready for a Change
Lauren Holly as Jenny Shepard on NCIS.CBS
On her website, Holly wrote that when she auditioned for NCIS, Shepard was only supposed to be around for six episodes in a supporting role. However, the character’s popularity made for an eventual three-season stint. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like there was enough material to justify any more involvement in the series than that. By that time, Gibbs’ and Shepard’s romance started feeling dragged out and stagnant, and Shepard’s quest to defeat Benoit got in the way of other storylines further developing the character. As a result, Holly began losing interest and wanted to seek out new, challenging roles.
This artistic restlessness was especially heightened after original showrunner Don Bellisario was removed. Holly explained: “I enjoyed being on the show, and began some wonderful friendships. I was saddened that Don Bellisario was forced out, and I missed him a lot. To be honest, now that the work bug had bitten me again, I got bored with my part of the ‘Director.'” Thus, while Holly is grateful for the experience on NCIS and looks back on it fondly, she ultimately wanted to move on in a different direction, just as Bellisario’s exit altered the show’s direction, too.
‘NCIS’s Tense Set
While Holly missed Bellisario’s influence as NCIS’s co-creator, his way of running things behind the scenes may have also contributed to her exit. Those who worked on the set have talked about the tense working relationship between Bellisario and series star Mark Harmon. According to The Hollywood Reporter interview with the minds behind NCIS, the two were essential in making the show the hit it still is today, but Harmon found Bellisario’s disorderly micromanagement taxing, and it negatively impacted his life too much. Considering Harmon was working 16 hours a day, every day, on the series at the time, while having to deal with constant chaotic oversight, their strained dynamic makes sense.
However, despite the issues between them, Harmon never pushed for Bellisario’s removal nor intended for their feud to cost him his job. CBS executives suggested that Bellisario take a more distant role in his involvement on the show. Ultimately, it was Bellisario’s decision to leave and pursue other projects. All that is to say, the difficult working environment could have also led to Holly’s discontent and subsequent departure from the show. Either way, it’s probably good that she got out when she did, because if she had been bored with Shepard by Season 5, we can only imagine how miserable she would’ve been after the 17 seasons that followed.
Where Is Lauren Holly Today?
After leaving NCIS, Holly took on a few small movie and TV roles. She lent her voice to the animated series The Adventures of Chuck & Friends from 2010-2012, and appeared in Hallmark Channel movies like My Summer Prince and A Country Wedding. Likewise, she booked a recurring role on the Hallmark series Hailey Dean Mystery. While talking with Smashing Interviews Magazine, Holly gushed about getting to work with the family-friendly network as a long-time fan, “I’m a mom, and they’re great for my boys to watch.”
Holly has also popped up in several police procedurals and crime dramas following her work as the memorable NCIS director, such as Leverage, Covert Affairs, Rookie Blue, Motive, and Designated Survivor. Additionally, the actress has dipped her toes in the fantasy and supernatural genres, including Lucifer, Good Witch, and the horror flick The Blackcoat’s Daughter. More recently, she starred as Monique DuBois in the now-canceled Netflix series Tiny Pretty Things, and currently portrays the charming (though selfish) mother and divorcee, Joanne Kowalski, on The CW’s drama Family Law.
Overall, Holly has kept busy in showbiz, marking a successful career full of the different, interesting characters she hoped to play after leaving NCIS behind.
