The Heartbreaking Reason Behind Gibbs’ Unlocked Door on NCIS
Fans of NCIS know that the characters’ quirks reveal much about them: Abby Sciuto’s gothic style, Ducky Mallard’s bow ties, and Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ love for boat-building and fishing. One particularly poignant detail about Gibbs (Mark Harmon) is why he never locks his doors. This was revealed in a trivia segment on Cote de Pablo and Michael Weatherly’s podcast, Off-Duty: an NCIS Rewatch.
When both Weatherly and guest Sean Murray failed to answer the question correctly, de Pablo shared that Gibbs keeps his door unlocked because he’s already lost everything that matters to him. This somber fact relates to the murder of his wife, Shannon Gibbs (Darby Stanchfield), and his daughter, Kelly (Mary Mouser).
Murray, who guessed that Gibbs left the door unlocked in case his wife returned, responded, “I feel really awful now.” While Gibbs never forgets his family’s tragic loss, he finds some peace when he eventually leaves the team.
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