There’s something comforting about settling in for another episode of NCIS or one of its many spin-offs, knowing you’ll be in the company of familiar faces who, week after week, crack cases and keep us glued to our screens. But behind those stern looks and dramatic plot twists, the stars of the NCIS universe are just as prone to life’s little humiliations as the rest of us. In fact, with such a sprawling cast and so many years on air, it’s almost a given that the actors who bring our favorite agents to life have racked up more than their fair share of embarrassing moments—some so cringeworthy, you almost want to look away, but can’t help but laugh along with them.

Take Daniela Ruah, for instance. Fans know her as the tough, no-nonsense Kensi Blye on NCIS: Los Angeles, but off-screen, she’s just as human as the rest of us. When she first met Eric Christian Olsen, the man who would play her on-screen partner Marty Deeks, she decided to break the ice with a joke—though maybe not her finest. “Hey, it says on the script you’re supposed to be all tanned and muscled—what are you going to do about it?” she teased, trying to lighten the mood. Olsen, quick-witted as ever, shot back, “They also told me you were going to be good looking.” It was the kind of banter that could have gone horribly wrong, but instead, it set the tone for a partnership that fans would come to adore. But nothing could have prepared either of them for the real-life twist that followed: Ruah would eventually marry Olsen’s brother, making her on-screen love interest her actual brother-in-law. Imagine the family dinners, the inside jokes, the awkward glances when old episodes come on TV. Ruah herself has admitted that, while it’s all in a day’s work for actors, there’s still something a little mortifying when your husband’s brother is the one you’re paid to kiss on camera. She’s even confessed to blushing when scenes of her and Olsen’s characters locking lips are played back during interviews. It’s the kind of embarrassment that only Hollywood could dream up, and yet, for Ruah, it’s just part of the job.

But if you think that’s awkward, Michael Weatherly might have her beat. Weatherly, who played the endlessly charming Tony DiNozzo, is as quick with a joke off-screen as he is on, but even he has found himself in situations that made him wish for a script to hide behind. During a 2012 interview with Maria Menounos and his co-star Cote de Pablo, Weatherly decided to serenade the pair with a song he made up on the spot, strumming an acoustic guitar and singing about their pop quiz interview. The women giggled and blushed, clearly not expecting a musical interlude, and while the moment was lighthearted, you could feel the secondhand embarrassment radiating through the screen. Weatherly, as it turns out, is no stranger to breaking into song—he even wrote and performed a track called “Bitter and Blue” for the official NCIS soundtrack in 2009. A man of many talents, sure, but sometimes, even the most charming actors can’t help but make everyone in the room squirm, just a little.

Years on set mean years of stories, and Chris O’Donnell, who’s played G. Callen since NCIS: Los Angeles first hit the airwaves, has one that might just top them all. In an attempt to give his wife a taste of the limelight, he cast her as an extra in a dramatic restaurant scene he was directing. The plan was simple: a robber bursts in, chaos ensues, and everyone runs for their lives. But O’Donnell’s wife and her friends, perhaps a bit too comfortable with the Hollywood lifestyle, opted to keep sipping real champagne and chatting as if nothing was amiss, even as the rest of the extras were running for cover. After the first take, a crew member pulled O’Donnell aside and asked about the women in the background. Sheepishly, O’Donnell admitted, “Yeah, I know—that’s my wife. We’re going to handle that.” He later joked that if they didn’t start acting like their lives were in danger, he’d be out of a job. They all laughed it off, but you can bet he thought twice before inviting his wife back as an extra. It’s the kind of story that makes you realize even TV’s most seasoned stars can find themselves at the mercy of a loved one’s stage fright—or lack thereof.

Of course, sometimes the embarrassment comes not from family, but from the crew. With social media now giving fans a front-row seat to the antics behind the scenes, it’s easier than ever to catch the cast off guard. Take the viral video from the set of NCIS: Hawaii, where a crew member decided to hide behind a desk and leap out at Tori Anderson and Vanessa Lachey as they walked onto set. The result? Two blood-curdling screams, followed by fits of laughter from the rest of the crew. Anderson, hand clamped over her mouth, tried to recover her composure, while Lachey, ever the good sport, confessed, “I may have peed myself.” It’s the kind of unscripted moment that reminds you these actors, who spend their days pretending to chase down criminals, are just as jumpy—and just as likely to embarrass themselves—as anyone else.

But perhaps the most iconic NCIS embarrassment belongs to Mark Harmon, the man who made Leroy Jethro Gibbs a household name. To fans, Harmon has always been the epitome of cool—stoic, serious, and a little mysterious. But back in 1986, long before he became TV’s favorite special agent, Harmon was named People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” while starring on St. Elsewhere. The catch? He had no idea until he showed up to play basketball with his friends, only to find his face plastered across every backboard in the gym. The embarrassment didn’t end there; Harmon was teased relentlessly, and while he later admitted to People that he thought the title was a bit silly, he eventually learned to laugh about it. In fact, he leaned into the joke so much that when he hosted Saturday Night Live the following year, he delivered his opening monologue wearing nothing but a towel, poking fun at his newfound “sex symbol” status and proving that even the most serious actors can laugh at themselves.

It’s easy to forget, watching these actors slip seamlessly into their roles each week, that they’re just as susceptible to life’s little humiliations as the rest of us. Whether it’s an ill-timed joke, an awkward family connection, a jump scare caught on camera, or the surprise of being named the sexiest man alive, the NCIS cast has seen—and survived—it all. And maybe that’s part of why we love them so much. They’re not just solving crimes and saving the day; they’re navigating the same awkward, unpredictable, and often hilarious moments that make life so wonderfully human.

With the NCIS universe set to return to our screens this fall, you can bet there will be plenty more embarrassing stories to come. And as much as we tune in for the drama and the action, it’s these glimpses behind the scenes—the laughter, the blushes, the unexpected moments—that remind us our favorite TV heroes are just like us, only with better scripts and a much bigger audience. So next time you find yourself cringing at an awkward scene or laughing at a blooper reel, remember: in the world of NCIS, embarrassment isn’t just a possibility—it’s practically a tradition. And honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way.