Pam Dawber

OF ‘NCIS’ ON CBS

Now that you’re finally acting opposite your husband Mark Harmon on “NCIS,” what do you think the draw is between your reporter character Marcie and his Gibbs?

My makeup artist Tina, who’s just fabulous, said to me during the third episode I did, “You know what’s so great about this? I’ve been on this show for 18 years, and everybody is scared of Gibbs. But you’re just right in his face!” He’s just the antithesis of Marcie. He frustrates the heck out of her, and he kind of quietly appreciates her, but she annoys the heck out of him ... so it’s really fun.

How did you find both living and working with Mark for the time you were doing the show?

We didn’t drive to work together or come home together. I had a 6 a.m. call – which is why I really have no interest in going back into show business! – but he had other things to do, so he had to stay, and there was still a bit of separation. I could listen to what went on with the rest of his day.

Marcie is so chatty and Gibbs is so much like a dial tone, I got most of the lines in our scenes. Each script (of the four Dawber did) was written by a different team, and they were all so open to anything. I’d say, “I’m going to suggest something, but if it doesn’t make any sense ... . ” And they were all so wonderful, it was a real collaboration. It was almost like we were all creating at the same time, and it was great.

Did you know that it was a four-episode “NCIS” stint you were signing up for?

I wasn’t sure, and I don’t even know if they were sure. I said, “Let’s start out with two.” That was my original deal. They were flying by the seat of their pants because with COVID, everything has been much more difficult. This (“NCIS”) season is only 16 episodes, so the network has been sandwiching new episodes between reruns. And this has been a continuing story.