Looper Unearths Which NCIS Character Fans Wish Never Left The Show - Exclusive Survey

"NCIS" debuted on CBS in 2003, and the crime procedural has enjoyed two decades of unprecedented longevity. The show did experience much lower ratings for its Season 20 premiere with only 5.82 million viewers compared to the viewership for the first episode of Season 19 at 8.15 million (per TV Insider). However, even with the departure of stalwart characters like Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette), and Anthony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly), the series endures.

Before Harmon sadly departed "NCIS," the actor gave his reasons for why he believes the show continues to resonate with audiences. "You've got a bunch of people who love their job," Harmon said in an interview on "Late Night with Stephen Colbert." Harmon also elaborated on the cast's camaraderie and how they all enjoy having dinner together following a full day of work. Those tight-knit working relationships translate into the chemistry between the characters, too, and they are a pivotal part of the success behind "NCIS."

There's no question that "NCIS" continues to score extremely well with diehard fans of the show (according to Rotten Tomatoes), but Looper decided to poll enthusiasts of the series about some of the beloved mainstays who have left the CBS procedural over the years — and the results are in. Can you guess which "NCIS" character fans did not want to walk away from the series?

In an exclusive survey conducted by Looper, the question was posed to "NCIS" fans: Which character do you wish had never left the series? 601 enthusiasts of the CBS procedural voted, and Abby Sciuto was declared the winner. However, Abby won by the slimmest of margins — she just squeaked her way into the No. 1 slot on the survey with 23.46% of the vote. Coming in second place with 23.13% was special agent Anthony DiNozzo. 

That's right, Gibbs may not have wanted to play favorites on the show, but fanatics had a hard time saying goodbye to both Abby and Tony, and Abby took the gold medal by a mere 0.33%. If this were the results of a presidential election, don't you know there would be an immediate call for a recount?

Another long-time "NCIS" character, Ziva David (Cote de Pablo), took third on the Looper survey with 18.80%, while Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane (Maria Bello) slipped into the fourth spot on the list with 14.81% of the vote. The former NCIS Director Jennifer "Jenny" Shepard (Lauren Holly) was killed off the show, and 11.98% of fans voted her into the poll's fifth position. Lastly, Clayton Reeves (Duane Henry) — the MI6 liaison who was fatally shot in Season 15 — finished in last place with 7.82% of the vote.

One final question remains, though: why wasn't any love shown to Gibbs?