[Warning: Below are MAJOR spoilers for NCIS Season 21 Episode 2 “The Stories We Leave Behind.”]
Change is the essence of life (Palmer & Mallard) – NCIS 21×02
To pay tribute to Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard and the iconic actor who played him, David McCallum, NCIS delivered a touching, heartbreaking, bittersweet episode co-written by Brian Dietzen and Scott Williams — and it ended with the return of a fan favorite: Michael Weatherly’s Tony DiNozzo.
"Being back on #NCIS was truly amazing. Thanks to @BrianDietzen @CBS & @ncisverse," Weatherly wrote on social media the morning after the episode aired. "Seeing everyone behind the camera was a treasure trove: a beautiful shining gem was @DanielaRuah directing! #Ducky would have loved all those smiles! Gotta go, there's work to do!" (Ruah, who played Kensi on NCIS: Los Angeles, will direct an upcoming episode of NCIS.)
Tony joined Dr. Jimmy Palmer (Dietzen) in the final scene, greeting him with, of course, "autopsy gremlin," before adding, "Are we here to honor a great man or what? And I thought Duckman might want a little DiNozzo magic at his party." He "wouldn't miss it for the world."
