'NCIS' Cast Credits Mark Harmon for Having Led Franchise With 'Integrity' Amid 450 Episodes (Exclusive)

etonline.com:

reaches another milestone: 450 episodes! The long-running CBS procedural celebrates the rare achievement with Monday's episode, and only ET was on the set with the cast to toast to the impressive feat.

Though longtime star Mark Harmonexited the series early in the 19th season, star Wilmer Valderrama credited his former co-star for leading the show to where it is today.«What has done beautifully, and I got to say, we're here on the shoulders of so many incredible actors that were here before us, actors who, some are here or some have passed, guest stars who have come and gone, and this show has seen so many careers blossom,» Valderrama, who joined the series as Nick Torres in season 14, told ET's Matt Cohen. «So you think about what this show has meant, not only for the fans, but to our industry and what it's done for us as a community of actors who are looking for that break or to be discovered.»«It is also a big tribute to Mark Harmon, who led this beautifully for hundreds of episodes and was able to keep this boat with the integrity and the value set that it still performs today,» he credited. «Then come full circle, all of us coming in and being disruptive enough to continue to reinvent it for the audience.

So there's a recipe of things that have to really go right in order for you to get to 450. And we can't take credit for the first 300, but I will say that it's beautiful to stand in the same ground as this team.»Added Katrina Law, who joined as Jessica Knight at the end of season 18, " the entire franchise, has managed to capture magic in a bottle.

And the fact that the show at 450 episodes is still the No. 1 show on television is just a testimony to the juggernaut that is To be a part of it and to stand next to.