NCIS Actor Kate Explains Why She Really Left After Just 2 Seasons

Summary

• Sasha Alexander clarifies the real reason for her departure
  NCIS
  citing the horrible filming schedule that led to her leaving the role of Kate Todd.
• Alexander's exit as Kate
  NCIS
  led to the introduction of Ziva David, shaping the future dynamics and love story of the series.
• Kate's death had a lasting impact on
  NCIS
  paving the way for new character dynamics and storylines in the long-running series.

Sasha Alexander explains why she decided to leave NCIS as Caitlin Todd after two seasons. While Leroy Jethro Gibbs' team was already formed during their first appearance in I, the events of the police procedural were set in motion by Kate's introduction. Originally working with the Secret Service, she was fired from her job after revealing she slept with a co-worker. This case was recently re-examined in NCIS“1000th episode. Despite the tragedy, it led her to join the Major Case Response Team (MCRT), where she only served for a few years.

Alexandre's departure was unexpected, especially since Kate was brutally murdered in the NCIS season 2 finale. The actor opened up about his decision to step away from the police procedural during his appearance in a new episode of the series Out of commission: an overhaul of NCIS podcast hosted by Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo. Alexander said:

Yeah, that's true. It made [no work/life balance]. I mean, I think before NCIS, the shows I did somehow had more balance, like they were real ensembles. But if in this particular case, I mean normally, if you're one or two, like Rizolli and Isles, I was working all the time, but there were times when we could throw the ball to each other. NCIS, Mark, Michael and I, and you later, were in every scene.

How Kate's Death Changed NCIS Forever

Kate's death was the starting point for the great NCIS plots

NCIS is used to losing actors, which is the norm for long-running television shows. That said, Kate's death was arguably the most impactful of the series. Aside from being brutal, especially considering how his assassination played out at the hands of Ari, it also led to a series of changes that defined NCIS” the next decade. Of course, it is impossible to know in what way precisely NCIS it would be different if Alexander stayed as Kate. However, the biggest change would be if the series didn't bring in Côte de Pablo's Ziva David to replace her.

As Ari's half-sister, Ziva was initially recruited as a Mossad liaison officer supposed to look after her rogue brother. However, she eventually became an official member of the MCRT after realizing the atrocious crimes he had committed. If the original Gibbs team hadn't lost Kate, NCIS would have had no reason to introduce a new female agent. Ziva's non-existence would have resulted in the erasure of perhaps the police procedural's most defining love story, something that will be explored in more detail in the upcoming spin-off NCIS: Tony and Ziva.

Eventually, Alexander starred in another procedural, which she mentioned in the podcast. She was the co-headliner of Rizzoli and islandsbut despite being the main character, the actor revealed that the workload was much lighter than that of the film. NCIS. Due to Kate's death, it's quite difficult for Alexander to reprise his role in the CBS franchise, but it's not impossible, considering his previous post-mortem appearance. Maybe NCIS season 22 may return to Kate's death, which could lead to the actor's return to the long-running series.

Should NCIS bring back Alexander's Kate Todd?

Options for Kate's return are limited but it can be done

Since his retirement, the team has tried to move away from Gibbs' legacy and focus on the current police procedural team. Gibbs NCIS erasure is inevitable, especially if the show continues for a few more decades. However, even though the series is able to explore aspects of the first 10-12 years of the series with Tony and Ziva's spin-off, I always felt like we could have done more with Kate. NCIS can be creative and revisit this while moving forward, something he has already proven he is capable of.

Alexander's interactions with Weatherly and Pablo clearly show no signs of animosity between her and the
NCIS
franchise, so this might not be difficult to achieve.

CBS can't rewrite history and bring Alexander back into the role of Kate full-time, but it can delve into her life before the NCIS pilot. Considering that Timothy McGee and Jimmy Palmer have worked with her before, the current MCRT might be interested in a possible case involving his legacy. NCIS may also bring back his sister, who was recently referenced in the franchise's 1000th episode. Alexander's interactions with Weatherly and Pablo clearly show no signs of animosity between her and the NCIS franchise, so this might not be difficult to achieve.

Should NCIS have recast Kate when Alexander left?

Kate could have stayed with MCRT if NCIS had recast the character

The character redesign is no longer out of the ordinary. Considering Kate's position as NCIS' original female protagonist, CBS may have considered simply swapping Alexander with another actor when she decided to leave the show after just two years. Regardless, she hadn't been on the show long, so it would be easier to execute the change than someone who had been working on the project for more seasons. It's unclear if this was ever discussed when Alexander chose to step down, but in hindsight it's not the best option moving forward.

Kate's death actually helped catapult NCIS to another level of popularity.

To start, NCIS at that point, he still wasn't able to make those kinds of changes. When Alexander left, the procedural had not yet become the flagship series it is today. Redesign could have led to backlash this may have ended his run. Second, Kate's death helped catapult NCIS to another level of popularity. As Weatherly mentioned, people watched them over summer break through reruns, given the major cliffhanger. By the time they returned for season 3, more viewers were tuning in.

NCIS

season 22 will air as part of CBS' 2024-2025 fall schedule.

Source: Out of commission: an overhaul of NCIS