NCIS
It ’s not surprising thatNCIShas seen some ups and downs in its streamlet of more than 20 time of year , but one evolution that might have chance on some viewers as particularly unmated is Jennifer Esposito ’s Alex Quinn depart the show after just one season . cast changes are n’t precisely rare in a long - run series , with theNCISseason 22 castand theoriginalNCIScastsharing precisely zero characters in common ( McGee ’s been around so long , it can be easy to block he did n’t join until season 2 ) . But Quinn is the only main fictitious character not to do more than one season .
Now that anNCISseason 23 renewalis confirmed , surviving despite the series ' drop in ratings , fans do n’t have to worry about all the questions that might never be answered for a while longer . as luck would have it , no matter when the show come to an end , NCISset up a storyline that justified Quinn ’s exit several episode before it go on . While Jennifer Esposito had justifiable reasons for leaving , the doorway is still undetermined for her to give at any clip . In fact , count more closely at just how Alex Quinn leftNCIS , there ’s a chance that Esposito might be open for just such a reunification .
Jennifer Esposito’s Abrupt NCIS Exit Explained
Alex Quinn Was Never Meant To Be A Mainstay
Esposito toldDeadlinethat she was grateful for her prison term onNCIS , but she did n’t extensively detail why she go away . Because of her appearance alongside John Travolta inSpeed Killsshortly thereafter , it can well be assume that she left for professional reasons . This would differ greatly fromwhy cobalt - star Emily Wickersham leftNCISa few twelvemonth later , the reasons for which were more personal . However , Esposito clarify on X ( or Twitter at the time ) that her fibre was only think to be on the show for a short time from the beginning .
This is a pretty far departure from the bizarre fan theory at the time that Esposito was fired for have celiac disease , but it makes sense in light of rumors reported byDeadlinethatNCISplanned on changing originative directions in season 15.NCISshowrunner Gary Glasberg was responsible for creating Quinn ’s character , but his qualifying put an end to any ideas he might have had planned for her in the time to come . Esposito had a great rapport with her carbon monoxide gas - stars , but it seems the series just could n’t calculate out how to keep Quinn around without input from her mastermind .
How NCIS Wrote Out Esposito’s Quinn
The Groundwork Was Laid Well Before Quinn Left
One of the most disappointing prospect of Quinn ’s divergence fromNCISis that the serial publication did n’t really pay it much tending . She receives a duet of phone call from her female parent during the time of year 14 stopping point but takes both of them off - projection screen . In the season 15 premiere , Torres ( Wilmer Valderrama ) exposits that Quinn took a leave of absence to care for her mom . Quinn is wanted for questioning after the MCRT is reprimanded for a problematical mental process in Paraguay , but this questioning is neither shown nor even mentioned again at any point in the instalment .
Standout moments have had a survive impact on NCIS and strengthened its two - 10 run on television , make it one of the most popular shows ever .
Mercedes Ruehl portray Quinn ’s female parent Marie in season 14 , sequence 20 , in which her condition encounter a major role in the plot of ground . She maintain bury the death of Quinn ’s father , at one stop forgetting it only s after Quinn cue her . TheNCISepisode found that Marie ’s Alzheimer ’s has been an on-going issue , and it looks like worsening . At the end of the instalment , Alex decides to move in with Marie to debar place her in a breast feeding home .
NCISmight establish an intelligible reason for Quinn ’s difference , but it definitely does n’t give her a glad end .
debate Marie ’s precondition during her appearance and the fact that her memory board can regress only seconds after being brought back to the present tense , the reveal that things have at last gotten bad enough for Alex to take parting suggests a rather tragic luck for her character . People do n’t in general take on the role of caretaker for reasons other than requirement , and Marie herself acknowledges the abrasive realism that she may one mean solar day forget her daughter . NCISmight set up an perceivable reasonableness for Quinn ’s leaving , but it decidedly does n’t give her a happy ending .
What Esposito Has Done Since Leaving NCIS
Jennifer Esposito’s Career Has Been Full Of Ups And Downs
WhileMichael Weatherly leftNCISto play the star role in a six - time of year sound dramatic play , Esposito ’s first role afterNCISwas as John Travolta ’s grapheme ’s wife in the 2018 movieSpeed Kills . This would sound promising if not for the fact that the movie realize 0 % on Rotten Tomatoes , banked less than $ 6,000 at the loge office staff against a $ 15 million budget , and presently tags Esposito in zero of its 58 photo on IMDb ( which might be a benediction under the circumstances ) . She has since come along in movies starring endowment such as Gary Oldman , Ray Romano , and David Arquette .
Jennifer Esposito ’s Projects SinceNCIS
theatrical role
Custom Image by Yailin Chacon
Year(s )
Episode Count
Speed kill
Kathy Aronoff
2018
N / A ( feature film )
Blindspot
Lynette
2
Mary
Detective Clarkson
2019
Mob Town
Natalie Passatino
The Boys
Susan Raynor
2019–2020
6
Law & Order : SVU
Sergeant Phoebe Baker
2019 - 2021
4
Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens
Brenda
2020–2023
14
Somewhere in Queens
Pamela Carmelo
2022
tonic killing
Francine Larusso
2023
Only two of Esposito ’s four movies afterSpeed Killsearned for the most part positive reviews ( one of which , Fresh Kills , she also write and directed ) . But she ’s fared a minute better when it fare to television system . Every single one of Esposito ’s idiot box graphic symbol sinceNCIShas been a recurring part , including series such asThe Boys , Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens , andLaw & Order : SVU . She ’s also releasedJennifer ’s Way Kitchen , a celiac - favorable cookbook and companion opus to her best - selling 2014 bookJennifer ’s Way , both of which presently average out 4.6 star onAmazon .
Can Esposito’s Quinn Still Return In NCIS?
Quinn’s Return Would Resolve One Hanging Issue
Quinn is still alive , so there ’s no reason she ca n’t come back . It would be one thing if she had no connections to the current cast , but that ’s not the case . Torres , Sean Murray ’s Tim McGee , and Brian Dietzen ’s Jimmy are all still around . It would be especially meaningful to see a reunion between Quinn and McGee becauseQuinn lead while McGee was being held captive in Paraguay for two months . And since a leave-taking of absence seizure generally imply a temporary circumstance , the writers have already left the room access wide heart-to-heart for Quinn to finally come back .
NCIS season 22 ’s ratings are n’t look upright . Based on CBS ' chronicle of cancelations , what are the chances that it ’ll pull the ballyhoo on the procedural ?
Esposito did n’t leave for reason as contentious asAbby Sciuto ’s Pauley Perrette , so there ’s no clear reason that she would n’t fall toNCISif dedicate the chance . As of February 2025 , she has n’t land a role in TV or film since 2023 . She may not have struggled to receive projects during the immediate years follow her exit as Quinn , but her slating currently is likely wide open . There ’s basically never been a respectable fourth dimension to bring in her back , and doing so just might essay to be democratic with fans who enjoyed her character ’s limited discharge on the series .
germ : Deadline , Rotten Tomatoes , Amazon
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