Here is Pauley Perrette's favorite episode of NCIS. Like much of the cast, Perrette's Abigail "Abby" Sciuto was introduced during the show's backdoor pilot on legal drama JAG. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service led by Mark Harmon's Gibbs was introduced during JAG's eighth season, and they soon earned their own solo series. NCIS got off to a slow start but over time became one of the most popular procedurals on television. This is likely down to the show's likable cast of characters, including Ziva, McGee and Abby.
Pauley Perrette's Abby is famed for her gothic look, her many tattoos, love for a caffeine drink dubbed Caf-Pow, and her relentlessly cheerful demeanor. She served as a forensic scientist on the series and was a regular source of comic relief. Perrette credits NCIS creator Donald P. Bellisario for Abby's personality, as he imagined a character whose cheery persona was in total contrast to the stereotypical moody image of a goth. Perrette's performance made her one of the most popular characters on NCIS, which she departed from following the fifteenth season.
Prior to her exit following season 15 episode "Two Steps Back," Abby had appeared in almost every episode. This, of course, gave the actor plenty of episodes to choose from when asked which was her favorite. Paulie Perrette's favorite episode of NCIS is season 3's "Bloodbath," which sees Abby being targeted for assassination. It turns out the actor had a very personal connection to the storyline. She told TV Insider that "It was one of the hardest episodes for me to do because Abby’s being stalked, and I’ve been hideously stalked in real life. I was afraid of how that was going to affect me—that’s like bringing my home life to work. I was scared in the beginning, but it ended up being really cathartic.”
NCIS' - where Ducky rarely appears now - "Bloodbath" is a great showcase for Perrette, and the story is given extra weight knowing that the actor was pulling from a very personal place. It obviously holds a special place for Perrette too, who considered filming the episode "cathartic" despite its real-life parallels.
Perrette not only exited NCIS in 2018, she later announced her retirement from acting following the end of the sitcom Broke. While fans of NCIS would no doubt love a return appearance by Abby someday, Perette has ruled this out. Her exit from the series followed behind-the-scenes issues with co-star Harmon, who later left NCIS during season 19. Maybe the actor could be persuaded to make a cameo whenever NCIS finally comes to a close, but it's doubtful she would ever return to the series full time.