NCIS: A Hilarious Partnership - How Perrette & Weatherly Made It Funny

Pauley Perrette and Michael Weatherly's Secret NCIS Comedy Pact

NCIS stars Michael Weatherly and Pauley Perrette were renowned for their quick wit and humor in the long-running action thriller. But their characters' comedic timing wasn't always scripted. In fact, it stemmed from a mutual agreement between the actors to inject levity into the show.

The Birth of NCIS's Signature Humor

While NCIS is known for its high-stakes drama and intense action sequences, it's the moments of humor that often set it apart from other procedurals. Weatherly and Perrette played a crucial role in balancing the show's darker elements with much-needed comic relief.

"Mark and I can create something — just a look between the characters, or some funny physical thing," Perrette once revealed in an interview with TV Guide. "My job is to take all these long lines and not only memorize and spit them out, but do it 100 times faster, because she's a caffeine addict. And make it funny."

The Pinky Promise That Changed NCIS

What fans might not know is that this infusion of humor was a deliberate choice made by Weatherly and Perrette from the very beginning. Perrette disclosed:

"Michael Weatherly [Tony] and I pinky-shook, when the show was starting, that we'd make every episode as funny as possible. That's what's so fun, figuring out how to get the comedy into the drama."

This pact between the two actors significantly contributed to shaping the unique tone of NCIS, creating a perfect blend of suspense and laughter that kept viewers coming back for more.

The Impact of Their Comedy on NCIS's Success

The chemistry between Weatherly's Tony DiNozzo and Perrette's Abby Sciuto became a cornerstone of the show's appeal. Their ability to find moments of levity, even in the midst of solving complex crimes, added depth to their characters and made them relatable to audiences.

In the video above, Michael Weatherly discusses why he felt Pauley Perrette was the most important person on the show, further highlighting the significance of their comedic contributions to NCIS.