‘NCIS’ Season 14 Episode 17 Recap: Mark Harmon's Gibbs Gets To Stay Despite Health Rumors
"NCIS" Season 14 Episode 17 "What Lies Above" left worried fans literally speculating on what lay ahead for the show's future. Spoilers hinted that Congresswoman Jenna Flemming (Mary Stuart Masterson) would make a reappearance with a mission to talk his boyfriend NCIS Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) into entering politics. Vance looked like he seriously considered the offer and even eyed Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) as the top contender to fill in the "big chair." Fans wondered if this could be the show's move to give Harmon the chance to focus on his health.
Tuesday night's episode of "What Lies Above" paved an answer to the questions that lingered among fans since Mark Harmon's health issues broke last year. Flemming delivers a convincing case for Vance to make a career shift in "NCIS" Season 14 Episode 17 but ever the politician that she is, she makes the mistake of also pushing him to solve the case of the Pretoria diamond heist for a political stunt. Vance ends up insulting her of "dancing with the devil" so Flemming decides to "take a step back" from their relationship. As a result, no one resigns and Gibbs gets to keep on his fieldwork.
Mark Harmon's health became an issue when "NCIS" kicked off Season 14 last year. According to Radar Online, a top weight loss expert estimated that the 65-year-old college football star-turned-actor has lost no less than 20 pounds. Without directly addressing the rumors, the former athlete opened up with Men's Fitness that he still takes care of his health by eating well, taking rests and revealed that he even does Pilates. "I don't do the same stuff I was doing when I was 24 years old," explained Harmon. After Episode 17 "What Lies Above", his beloved character will be in for an emotional ride with Special Agent Nick Torres in next week's "NCIS" Season 14 Episode 18 "M.I.A."
