What happened to Lauren Holly's Jenny Shepard on NCIS? Details explored

NCIS has been airing on CBS for over two decades and has introduced several interesting characters over the years. As the team of special agents continues to investigate criminal cases related to the Navy and Marines, they also have to say goodbye to some of their team members.

Jennifer "Jenny" Shepard was one such character. Played by Lauren Holly, the special agent was introduced in Season 3 as the Director of NCIS and instantly became a fan favorite with her tough yet caring personality.

Her complicated relationship and past with Leroy Jethro Gibbs only made the narrative more engaging. However, Jenny Shepard was killed while on duty in the fifth season’s finale, as actress Lauren Holly decided to leave the show.

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Jenny Shepard died in the NCIS Season 5 finale

Lauren Holly joined NCIS in the third season as Jenny Shepard. Jenny was recruited as the new Director of the team after Thomas Morrow stepped down. As a leader, Jenny earned the respect of her team and knew how to get things done in a male-dominated world.

However, she also cared deeply for those close to her, like Gibbs and her agents. She was strict when she needed to be, but also supportive when her juniors needed her. This balance made her a strong and inspiring leader.

She had a romantic and professional relationship with Gibbs before she became Director, which made their interactions more emotional. One of Jenny’s major storylines was her obsession with René Benoit, also called The Frog.

Jenny felt Benoit was responsible for the death of her father, which was ruled a suicide. Over time, her quest for revenge made her take risks and even break the law. She eventually killed Benoit, which caused issues between her and Gibbs.

In NCIS Season 5, Jenny Shepard faced another challenge as she secretly dealt with a terminal illness. While she kept it hidden from most of the team, Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard discovered her condition and knew she did not have much time.

Despite her illness, Jenny stayed focused on her work. However, her past came back to haunt her when Svetlana Chernitskaya, a woman she was supposed to eliminate years ago, returned and started killing people connected to her old mission.

To protect Gibbs and her team, Jenny did not involve NCIS in the case and called on Mike Franks for help. This led to a dramatic showdown in the season finale as Jenny and Mike faced Svetlana’s men in a diner.

Though Jenny fought bravely, she was outnumbered and ultimately killed in the shootout. Mike then shot Svetlana, putting an end to the bloodshed. Jenny’s death served as a turning point in the series. Despite being gone for long, she is still remembered by fans for her bold and courageous personality.

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Why did Lauren Holly leave NCIS?

Lauren Holly decided to exit the show after three seasons in 2008 as she lost interest in her character. She felt Jenny’s romantic storyline with Gibbs was being stretched unnecessarily, and her revenge plot against Benoit kept her from having any other interesting plots.

The series creators handled her departure by writing off Jenny Shepard’s character. Lauren has since been seen in the shows Tiny Pretty Things, Motive, and The Lake.

The actress opened up about leaving NCIS in an interview with Smashing Interviews Magazine in 2016, and revealed she does not regret her decision:

“I haven't [regretted], mainly because, to be honest when it started, I was just supposed to do six episodes. The next thing I knew, I was there, and I did 80-something episodes. It was always meant to be a short-term thing, so it ended up being kind of a gift. It was kind of perfect.”

NCIS Season 22 returns on CBS on January 27, 2025.