# NCIS: Why did Abby leave? (In-story) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 27, 2018, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncis-why-did-abby-leave-in-story/814916 "2018-05-27T19:16:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2018, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncis-why-did-abby-leave-in-story/814916/1 "2018-05-27T19:16:30Z")
Riding in a Lyft this morning, I heard a snippet of a radio story indicating that actress Pauley Perrette has left NCIS after 15 years. What was the in-story reason for her character’s departure? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncis-why-did-abby-leave-in-story/814916/2 "2018-05-27T20:10:45Z")
After a brush with death and the death of a friend, she decided to do charity work. ---
**Author:** ![J-P\_L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/j-p_l/32/3156_2.png) [@J-P\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J-P_L)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2018, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncis-why-did-abby-leave-in-story/814916/3 "2018-05-27T20:15:11Z")
The friend was a co-worker, an agent on loan to NCIS from MI6. Don’t remember the name of the character, I believe he was only on NCIS for this season. He died protecting Abby, turns out she was the intended target. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2018, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncis-why-did-abby-leave-in-story/814916/4 "2018-05-27T20:29:34Z")
I think it was 2 seasons? In any case, he was intending to start a charity. He died to protect her. She decided to take up his charity work in his honor. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2018, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncis-why-did-abby-leave-in-story/814916/5 "2018-05-27T22:09:06Z")
The character was Clayton Reeves. I kept wishing he’d have met Tony Dinozzo, who would have commented on the name being half Lone Ranger (Clayton Moore) and half Superman (George Reeves). He had wanted to start a charity to honor his mom, who died when he was three. Abby decided to take on the task herself. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2018, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncis-why-did-abby-leave-in-story/814916/6 "2018-05-28T12:20:36Z")
IOW the door is still open for guest appearances. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2018, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncis-why-did-abby-leave-in-story/814916/7 "2018-05-28T21:32:53Z")
Or McGee can be sitting at his desk next season and have Abby on Line 1 and Tony on Line 2, or having a conference call with them both. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2018, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncis-why-did-abby-leave-in-story/814916/8 "2018-05-28T23:47:07Z")
Now that the OP question has been answered, does anyone know why the actress left the show in real life? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2018, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncis-why-did-abby-leave-in-story/814916/9 "2018-05-28T23:52:23Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Now that the OP question has been answered, does anyone know why the actress left the show in real life? It is unclear: > **[Why 'NCIS' actress Pauley Perrette is leaving the show and the rumors she...](https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/why-ncis-actress-pauley-perrette-is-leaving-the-show-and-the-rumors-she-wants-to-squash)** > > Actress Pauley Perrette is leaving her role as Abby Scuito on CBS’ “NCIS” after 16 years on May 8. While her departure has been known for a while, it was surrounded by rumors and false stories that she had to dispel left and right. > **[Why Pauley Perrette Is Leaving NCIS - E! Online](https://www.eonline.com/news/931196/why-pauley-perrette-is-leaving-ncis)** > > Pauley Perrette's two-part NCIS farewell airs Tuesday, May 1 and May 8 on CBS ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2018, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncis-why-did-abby-leave-in-story/814916/10 "2018-05-29T02:29:30Z")
It was said another place that it’s all Mark Harmon’s fault. He kept bringing his dog to the set and it kept biting people, so she felt unsafe. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2018, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ncis-why-did-abby-leave-in-story/814916/11 "2018-05-29T05:48:34Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > It was said another place that it’s all Mark Harmon’s fault. He kept bringing his dog to the set and it kept biting people, so she felt unsafe. I read that somewhere, and it totally did not ring true. Pauley is a huge animal rights activist, and I can’t see her being off-put by a dog.