NCIS season 16: Should David McCallum return as Ducky?

Over the past few weeks we’ve discussed at length a few different updates when it comes to NCIS season 16 and the future for some different cast members. We know that Pauley Perrette is leaving at the end of her contract this spring. However, the status for a few other series regulars is still unclear. We’re sure that Mark Harmon will return, and with that, we hope that Sean Murray will, as well.

As for the future of David McCallum as the character Ducky, there is a little more in the way of discussion to be had here.

One of the biggest reasons why many may root for more McCallum is simple: He’s one of the few actors who has been around the show from the very beginning as a regular. With Perrette leaving, he and Harmon are the only ones left. (It’s hard to remember, but Murray was only a recurring player at the start of the series.) There is an element of history to his presence on the show; NCIS is an institution, after all, and stability is one of the reasons why so many people watch.

Related – Check out some of what’s ahead on NCIS season 15

What makes things so interesting with David? Much of that has to do with some of the extended absences we’ve seen from him this season as Ducky took a new teaching job. We’re still seeing him make occasional appearances on the show, but this is the smallest amount of him we’ve seen over the course of the series. It’s possible that the show is working to feature Jimmy Palmer more permanently, or they may just choose to keep the number of episodes the same next season as what we have during season 15. This gives McCallum more time off while also still keeping Ducky within the show’s overall orbit. We are seeing more and more shows opt to keep actors in the regular cast, while also still lowering their episode count. Look at Willa Holland over on Arrow — we’ve also seen something similar with Linda Hunt over on NCIS: Los Angeles.

As for when we could find out about the future of NCIS, we imagine that a renewal could come out at some point over the next few months. It could take a little bit longer to learn as to whether or not McCallum or some other members of the cast are coming back. Hopefully, that information will be handed down in due time.

Do you want to see more David McCallum on NCIS season 16? Be sure to share in the comments below! Remember that you can like CarterMatt on Facebook for some other updates when it comes to NCIS right now. (Photo: CBS.)