NCIS fans are quite familiar with casting changes after 19 seasons, but some of them hit harder than others. Starting all of the way back with Agent Caitlin Todd’s murder, the series set a precedent for dramatic exits. The two that hit the hardest for fans were probably Agent Ziva David’s apparent death and Agent Tony DiNozzo’s decision to leave so he could take care of his daughter in Paris (although he could be making a comeback).
Like the fans, Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs was there for 18-plus seasons and saw all of those agents come and go. However, it wasn’t Kate, Ziva or Tony’s exits that had the biggest impact on him -- it was the departure of Maria Bello’s Agent Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane that hit Gibbs the hardest. Here's why Jack's exit mattered so much, and why Bello chose to depart the hit CBS procedural after just over three seasons.
Who Was Jack Sloane on NCIS?
Agent Jack Sloane first appeared on NCIS in Season 15, when Director Vance (whose daughter made a recent appearance as a new agent) transferred her in from the Southwest Field Office in San Diego. In addition to being a field agent, Jack was an operational psychologist and a former Army lieutenant. When Dr. Mallard took on a lesser role after Season 16, Jack became more involved with profiling suspects for Gibbs’ team.
Jack wasn’t just helpful with cases, though. As a psychologist, she was a regular point of contact whenever someone on the team was struggling with something. To that effect, she always took note of which color lollipop team members took out of a jar and added that information to her mental profile of them. There was also a running gag in Season 17 that she and Gibbs were romantically involved. It was something that team members mentioned a number of times, but it was only speculation. However, it was obvious that the two of them deeply cared for each other.
Jack’s last episode was Season 18, Episode 8, "True Believer." At the beginning of the episode, a bus full of children was taken by the Taliban, and “Sloane NCIS” was scrawled on the side of it. Apparently, Jack had unfinished business with the Taliban from her Army days, so she and Gibbs travelled to Afghanistan. After rescuing the children, Jack decided that she was going to stay in country and try to make a difference. Thus, Gibbs returned to NCIS alone -- but not before leaving Jack with a heartfelt kiss.
Why Maria Bello Left NCIS
The reason that Maria Bello left NCIS was actually straightforward. According to Cinemablend, her contract had run out and Bello didn’t renew it. In fact, her exit was supposed to happen even earlier than it did. Originally, the actress was contracted from Season 15 through Season 17; however, after COVID-19 lockdowns stopped the filming Season 17 prematurely, she agreed to stay on long enough to give Jack a proper exit in Season 18.
It was Maria Bello’s decision to leave NCIS, just like many other actors have left popular series to do other projects (like Torrey DeVitto with Chicago Med). Bello's stayed busy since hanging up Sloane's badge. According to IMDb, she is currently in post-production on The Woman King, which is her first movie as a writer and producer. Bello will also make an appearance in Netflix’s new dramedy Beef, which stars The Walking Dead’s Steven Yeun and Ali Wong. Since Sloane's departure, Jimmy Palmer has filled the role of team sounding board, but Jack's presence is still missed. Perhaps if Gibbs does return in the future, he'll come with an update about her as well.