Mark Harmon ‘Ready to Come Out of Semi-Retirement’ to Save ‘NCIS’ Amid Singing Ratings: Source

NCIS alum Mark Harmon is all aboard for a full-time return to the show in an attempt to save the ratings-challenged series from sinking.

Once the most watched show on TV, it has plunged to No. 10, which insiders say has sent execs into crisis mode.

“NCIS has sunk in the ratings for the first time and people are nervous and seeing that as a bad omen of things to come,” spills a source.

But the 73-year-old star, whose career has been defined by the series, believes he can save the military action drama from going down, says an insider.

“Now there’s talk of Mark coming back to save the show on a recurring basis at least,” reveals the source.

“He’s already had one cameo on [the spinoff] NCIS: Origins, and it’s been teased that he may appear on that show again,” the source says. “Now he’s ready to come out of semi-retirement to raise the original show from the dumpster. And if anyone can do it, it’s Mark.”

But not everyone is happy about his return.

“People are complaining Mark’s throwing his weight around and telling them what to do,” shares the source. “He does enough of that already as exec producer. They think he’s interfering with their jobs.”

But their complaints don’t faze the Freakier Friday star in the least, the insider says.

“Mark doesn’t really care who he pisses off because if the ratings are this bad, then he has every right to come back to save it and make it work and reign again. He worries it’ll go down the drain otherwise.”

As readers know, Harmon played Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service for 18 seasons until he left in the fourth episode of season 19, though he has remained on board as an executive producer.

Harmon is also an executive producer and narrator of NCIS: Origins, which revolves around the younger Gibbs, who’s played by 40-year-old Austin Stowell.

“Now Mark will be making his presence even more known than it already is,” the source says.