The Truth About Mark Harmon’s Mustache on NCIS

Some people appear to be born with magnificent mustaches. From fictitious characters like Ron Burgundy and Borat to real-life facial hair heroes like Tom Selleck and Steve Harvey, a well-kept’stache is loved by all.

On the other hand, not everyone is so lucky when it comes to hair growth. Their upper lip adornments, no matter how hard they try, don’t quite fill out as expected or simply don’t look that wonderful.

Take, for example, Mark Harmon, who plays Leroy Jethro Gibbs on “NCIS.” Fans were perplexed when he suddenly sprouted a mustache a few seasons into the show. What was the rationale behind the furry addition?

It also didn’t seem to have the desired affect, as he was back to his clean-shaven self only a few episodes later. Let’s go into Harmon’s mustache enigma and see why the out-of-nowhere under-the-nose hair was a thing.

The mustache on Mark Harmon’s face was a rebranding.

Season 4 begins with Gibbs living in Mexico after leaving NCIS at the end of Season 3. He has a light beard (which largely just appears like he’s been relaxing and hasn’t bothered to shave), and it doesn’t look half awful!

For a few episodes, he loves the unkempt appearance, but things take a change when he chooses to shave off all of his facial hair but his mustache.

Fans were perplexed, and years later, some even went on Reddit to inquire when it will be removed – despite the fact that no one seemed to understand why he developed it in the first place.

The producers wanted Gibbs to look gruffer, so they urged Mark Harmon to quit shaving, according to Two Red Dots. The end result was a look that screamed “substitute teacher” rather than “no-nonsense cop,” and he shaved it only a few episodes later. The mustache, despite its brief existence, lingers on in infamy.

Harmon’s mustache controversy was not his first.

His portrayal earned him acclaim, including the title of People’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1986. It did, however, give rise to the actor’s first contentious mustache.

Fans on Twitter have weighed in on Harmon’s two efforts to join the mustache club. “Watching @NCIS CBS reruns.. Gibbs/Mark Harmon with a mustache just can’t be unseen… #justwrong #nightmares,” one person said of his “NCIS” look.

Someone else pointed out that Harmon’s career survived the mustache he sported during his first season on St. Elsewhere, noting that “Mark Harmon’s career survived the mustache he sported during his first season on St. Elsewhere.”

Whether you liked it or despised it, Mark Harmon’s mustache days appear to be over. We can’t say we’ll be sad to see it go.