As a gamer who has spent countless hours immersed in the world of NCIS, I can’t help but appreciate the behind-the-scenes tales that shape our beloved characters. Pauley Perrette‘s decision to speak up about the dirty joke in one of the earliest episodes of NCIS is a testament to the power every actor holds on set. If not for her courage, Abby Sciuto might have been reduced to a caricature we didn’t fully connect with.
Similar to Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Michael Weatherly’s Tony DiNozzo, and David McCallum’s Donald Mallard, Pauley Perrette’s character Abby Sciuto was first seen in 2003, in the JAG episodes “Ice Queen” and “Meltdown”, before NCIS officially started. For 15 seasons on the hit CBS series, Perrette portrayed Abby, the goth forensic scientist. There’s a compelling reason behind her decision to leave NCIS. However, Abby might have taken a different shape throughout those 15 years if Perrette hadn’t voiced her concerns after telling an inappropriate joke on screen.
In an interview with Hello!, and sharing her decision to never go back to acting, Pauley Perrette reminisced about her influence on Abby Scout’s character in NCIS. She admitted that she took it upon herself to alter Abby’s character even though she wasn’t supposed to do so, as she put it. In other words, despite having no authority to make changes, Pauley significantly impacted the way Abby Scout was portrayed following one of the earliest episodes of NCIS.
In the initial episode, a rather crude humor was used – a type I don’t usually grasp due to my lack of understanding for such jokes – which left me bewildered upon hearing it, and even more so because I had unintentionally delivered such a joke on camera. This wasn’t my style, and I felt mortified. The creators aimed for Abby to be portrayed as somewhat risqué and sensual in the beginning, but I felt there was a more effective approach. As this idea began to take shape, it was then that I started recognizing the impact of her inherent goodness.
If Pauley Perrette had been comfortable with using crude humor or innuendos in her acting, Abby Sciuto’s character might have retained that aspect throughout the 15 seasons of NCIS. However, since Perrette expressed her discomfort, even though NCIS was still new and she was just beginning to play Abby, she managed to get this element removed, thereby maintaining Abby’s wholesome image that she consistently portrayed week after week. It’s not uncommon for TV characters to undergo changes early in a series, and it’s safe to say this won’t be the last time such alterations occur.
In the final episode of NCIS Season 15, I made a heart-wrenching decision to step away from the agency I called home. My late comrade Clayton Reeves gave his life to shield me from an assassin, and as a tribute to him and his mother, I felt compelled to bring his body back to England and establish a charity for the homeless. With Paulette Perrette choosing not to act anymore, it looks like our beloved Abby won’t be rejoining Timothy McGee or Jimmy Palmer onscreen again. However, there was a subtle nod to Abby in the Ducky tribute episode earlier this year, which might hint at another chance for us to catch up with her. I can only hope that this opportunity will reveal where she is now and what new adventures she’s embarking upon.
In the year 2024 television lineup, the Season 22 premiere of NCIS is set for Monday, October 14. Following this, the grand debut of the prequel series, NCIS: Origins, will air straight away. To enjoy all of the NCIS series and other related shows, sign up for a Paramount+ subscription to stream them online.
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2024-10-04 16:07