Gary Cole wants "NCIS" fans to know that he is not trying to replace Mark Harmon. In fact, he points out that the two actors' characters couldn't be more different. "I've done a lot of dropping into shows, [usually] as a recurring character," Cole told TV Insider. "Part of my job description is to get comfortable, whatever that takes. I'm not trying to be [Gibbs]. The writers made that distinction."
In addition, Cole noted that his character has a lot of admiration for his predecessor. "Parker isn't overly chatty, but he is more verbal," explained Cold. "He's not as old school; he tries to get his hands on new tech gadgets and impress everybody. He's trying to fit in with the rest of the team. Although he may be reluctant to voice it, he admires that Gibbs breaks rules. Parker bends them. We'll see if it gets to the point of breaking."
So far, "NCIS" has fallen in ratings since Harmon's exit. His farewell episode recorded 7.66 million viewers and a 0.56 rating among adults 18-49 (per The Hollywood Reporter), while the first episode of 2022 pulled in 6.7 million viewers and a 0.4 among adults 18-49 (per TV Line). However, the show still had the largest audience of the night, beating out competitors including "The Bachelor."
