Ducky's Swan Song: Is Season 20 the End for David McCallum on NCIS?

The CBS long-running police procedural has been an integral part of the television history since its premiere in 2003 and continues to be one of the most popular series, consistently drawing millions of viewers to their screens every week.

One of the reasons for the show's lasting success is the excellent cast of characters, whose chemistry with one another has been off the charts for the last 20 seasons. During the two decades on the air, many actors left the project for different reasons, and new ones have taken their place on the show and in fans' hearts.

However, viewers agree that there is one character who cannot be replaced by anyone else — David McCullum's Ducky Mallard.

McCullum has been with NCIS since the beginning, and the involvement of the veteran actor from the original Man from U.N.C.L.E. series certainly helped to draw many viewers to the new show. However, the star's appeal was not limited to his tremendous acting background, as the beloved Scottish actor has managed to make Ducky Mallard one of the most beloved characters in NCIS.

But is his time on the series coming to an end, fans wonder?

Some viewers certainly feel this way, arguing that the 89-year-old performer is clearly no longer as invested in the series as he used to be, due to health issues.

In the last three seasons, Ducky hardly appeared on the screen, joining the team for only three or four episodes. And although fans do miss McCullum a lot, it doesn't look like he is going to appear on the show as regularly as before.

While this is certainly very sad for the fandom, many argue that having him on the series for so long was a huge gift and a testament to how passionate McCallum was about his work, playing at an age when most other actors were already enjoying retirement. Although nothing has yet been confirmed, it looks like season 20 will be Ducky's swan song.