NCIS
sympathize all of Gibbs ' rule inNCISand what they mean is essential to knowing Leroy Jethro Gibbs . Mark Harmon played the character reference for nearly two decades on the serial , using the rules to help establish his character and how the Naval Criminal Investigative Service control . Gibbs ' rules kick off the serial publication inNCISseason 1 , installment 1 , " Yankee White , " one of thebest episodes ofNCIS.The Special Agent - in - Charge uses them to give Sasha Alexander ’s fresh minted Caitlin " Kate " Todd the lay of the country when investigating aboard Air Force One .
Gibbs ' rules were necessaryfor theoriginal Major Case Response Team loss leader inNCIS . The rule were the quickest room for Gibbs to relay critical information in the shortest fourth dimension . While many of Gibbs ' linguistic rule dictate crime scene direction , afterward rule feel more personal . InNCISseason 3 , Gibbs said he had about 50 principle , but more of Gibbs ' rule were revealed untilMark Harmon exitedNCISin season 19 . The list expanded into about 100 rules , but it must be completed . Some of Gibbs ' linguistic rule still need to be discovered since Gibbs did n’t let out his code chronologically .
37Rule #1
Never Let Suspects Stay Together.
Gibbs let on Rule # 1,“Never let suspects quell together,“inNCISseason 1 , episode 1 , " Yankee White . " Gibbs stated the rule to Kate aboard Air Force One after she had kept a group of plane stave for questioning in the same room . Gibbs has an alternate Rule # 1,“Never screw over your partner,“which Jenny Shephard recited to him in season 4 , episode 14 , " Blowback . "
well out the entireNCIScollection on Paramount+ .
TheNCISfranchise acknowledged two Rule # 1s inNCISseason 8 , episode 11,“Ships in the Night . “When Josiah Willard Gibbs break Rule # 1,“Never get suspect bide together,“to get a confession , McGee clarified that there was more than one elementary rule . NCISexecutive manufacturer Shane Brennan revealed that it ’s because three of the regulations Gibbs has are from Mike Franks , and the rest are his own , which is why there are two Rule # 1s and Rule # 3s .
36Rule #2
Always Wear Gloves At A Crime Scene.
Gibbs also revealed Rule # 2,“Always Wear Gloves At A Crime Scene,“to Caitlin Todd in " Yankee White " aboard Air Force One . After someone poison an aid to the chairwoman on his private aircraft , Kate became entangled in the NCIS investigating because she was with the Secret Service . While Gibbs initially tell Kate the rules so that she could cooperate in the investigation , the knowledge came in handy when Kate subsequently joined Gibbs ' squad after she was fired from the Secret Service .
35Rule #3
Don’t Believe What You’re Told. Double Check.
predominate # 3,“Don’t conceive what you ’re distinguish . doubly check,“is the final rule Gibbs imparts to Kate during the opening episode ofNCIS.The first three rules in " Yankee White " helped constitute the ethos of the entireNCISfranchise . Tony also revealed an alternative Rule # 3,“Never be unreachable,“to Ziva inNCISseason 3 , episode 13 , " conjuring trick . "
34Rule #4
The Best Way To Keep A Secret? Keep It To Yourself.
Jenny Shephard recited Rule # 4,“The effective Way To Keep A secluded ? Keep It To Yourself,“to Gibbs inNCISseason 4 , episode 11 , " Blowback . " The director also give two corollaries to the rule:“The secondly - dependable way to keep a secret , recount one person,“and"There is no third best . “The rule kick up a powerful delivery from Shephard , who had known Gibbs personally and had a more intimate understanding of his rules .
33Rule #5
You Don’t Waste Good.
Gibbs revealed Rule # 5,“Don’t waste good,“inNCISseason 8 , episode 22 , " Baltimore . " The sequence explored Tony DiNozzo ’s background as a Baltimore homicide detective and revealed how Gibbs and Tony began working together atNCIS.Gibbs ' harbinger to revealing Rule # 5 to DiNozzo was telling him,“You’re Good . “Tony was Gibbs ' 2nd - in - command untilMichael Weatherly leftNCISin time of year 3 .
32Rule #6
Never Say You’re Sorry.
Gibbs repeated Rule # 6 throughout the serial but give it an official number inNCISseason 7 , episode 12 , " Flesh and Blood . " Gibbs says"Never say you ’re sorry"to his protégé , Anthony DiNozzo , who was familiar with Gibbs ' rules . InNCISseason 3 , episode 23 , " Hiatus Part I , " Tony explain to Shephard that Gibbs took the theme song ruler from"The Duke Himself,“meaning John Wayne .
31Rule #7
Always Be Specific When You Lie.
Gibbs pronounce Rule # 7,“Always be specific when you lie,“inNCISseason 1 , episode 23 , " Reveille . " He recited the convention to Kate when she come up to meet him for java near the end of the series ' freshman season . The rule instructed Gibbs ' agents to be thorough when craft their covers .
30Rule #8
Never Take Anything For Granted.
Abby give away Rule # 8 inNCISseason 3 , episode 10 , " Probie . " After Abby severalize McGee that the 8th rule of the code would economise him , Ziva , Tony , and McGee tried to guess the rule . The moment signified that remember and maintaining Gibbs ' rules is just as important to the team as it is to Gibbs . An alternative Rule # 3 is reach inNCISseason 9 , sequence 21 , " Rekindled , " : " Never assume . "
29Rule #9
Never Go Anywhere Without A Knife.
Rule # 9,“Never go anywhere without a knife,“came up a few times throughoutthe 21 season ofNCIS . The formula was paramount for Gibbs since he had been a Gunnery Sergeant in the Marine Corps . Gibbs experience the value of self - defense first - hand and instilled in his team to have multiple ways to protect themselves .
28Rule #10
Never Get Personally Involved On A Case.
Tony established Gibbs ' dominion # 10,“Never get personally necessitate on a case,“inNCISseason 7 , episode 21 , " Obsession . " In the episode , Tony admitted to Gibbs that he broke the rule , again , to which Gibbs concord , saying,“That ’s the rule I ’ve always had the most problem with . “Moreover , inNCISseason 16 , episode 13 , " She , " Gibbs does away with the formula by physically burn it in his open fireplace .
Custom Image by Diana Acuña
Custom Image by Diana Acuña