NCIS season 16: Could Pauley Perrette return in some capacity?
We should kick things off here by saying this: We would be shocked if Abby, provided she survives Tuesday’s episode, comes back at any point in the near future. Doing that, for starters, dilutes the power of the original exit. While of course you want to see more Abby on the show (why wouldn’t you?), the exit does have to mean something and there needs to be a little bit of distance. With that, you also need to give her eventual replacement on the team some time to step into her own. Otherwise, they’ll probably be referred to relentlessly as Abby 2.0 for the remainder of the run of the series.
Personally, we don’t think that an another appearance from Abby is something that will be in the cards for season 16 (which is officially happening this fall); yet, beyond that we do think that there could be a chance to see her again at some point.
Look at things this way — if an NCIS season 17 happens, that could offer up the cast an opportunity to make it to the 400-episode mark. That’s an incredible achievement and something that should be very much celebrated; what better way to see it than by bringing some former cast members back? Personally, we’d love to see a huge reunion episode featuring many former cast members whether it be Pauley, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo (we still like to think Ziva is alive), or others. Find a way to include as many different people who are responsible for the longtime success of the show. NCIS was always a team effort from the start — everyone has their favorite characters and they all contributed in their own unique way to making it a success. CBS is aware of that, which is in turn why they’re spending so much time and effort in making sure the show is going to work.
If you don’t have this happen in a 400th episode, how about a series finale down the road? Or, maybe there is just some arc in a couple of seasons that requires some of Abby’s skills in order to help solve. There are ways in which we could see this character again if she survives — heck, even if she dies there could be flashbacks that include her. Regardless of what happens, it really does feel like she is always going to be a part of the NCIS family and will never be forgotten.
Related – Check out a sneak peek now for Perrette’s big exit episode
After tonight’s exit, do you want to see Pauley Perrette appear on NCIS season 16 or at some other point in the future? Share some of your thoughts in the attached comments!
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