CBS recently put NCIS: Hawai’i to sleep, but better news was on the horizon. This procedural world will yield two new spin offs without locations in the title, one of which will bring back beloved characters like Tony & Ziva for extended adventures. Additionally, the often emotionally airtight (at least at the beginning of NCIS) Leroy Jethro Gibbs will receive an origin story to keep Mark Harmon’s character in the mix, years after he left the show in Season 19.
As viewers are aware, the ex-Marine sniper suffered a nearly unspeakable tragedy when his wife and daughter were murdered. Gibbs was shown taking vengeance in NCIS, but generally speaking, the man kept most details about himself close to his sleeve. Fans will learn more about the enigmatic leader, however, in the upcoming NCIS: Origins, so let’s get down to business:
Cast
Mark Harmon’s son, Sean Harmon, chose not to reprise his role as the younger Gibbs that he portrayed during periodic NCIS flashback scenes. Both Mark and Sean, however, are producing, and Austin Stowell ^^^ is doing the acting honors. You can see Stowell in action in a full trailer, and man, these Dad TV shows really love to use Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” to promote.
Also, Mark Harmon will be very present, both in narrating the series and making a brief physical appearance to be revealed.
Additionally, younger Special Agent Mike Franks will portrayed by Kyle Schmid, who will be giving Muse Watson vibes. Variety further reports that Bobby Moynihan is onboard as Woody Browne, who is Definitely Not Abby Sciuto but is “the wildly overworked senior chemist and director of the NIS Forensic Lab, who compensates for his lack of sleep with an offbeat sense of humor.” And Lori Petty will step in as Dr. Lenora Friedman, “a seasoned pathologist at the San Diego Medical Examiner’s Office.”
Plot
As procedural devotees know, NCIS is actually a spin off to JAG, which initially introduced Mark Harmon as Gibbs and the late David McCallum as Dr. Ducky Mallard. As far as CBS has indicated, we won’t be seeing a younger Ducky in Origins yet, although that time could come. Instead, the first season will zero in on the complicated personal history (and professional life) of Gibbs after he came home from Operation Desert Storm. Surely, that would be the reason why the first episode’s title has been revealed as “Enter Sandman.” It ain’t because Gibbs happens to be a secret Metallica fan, although that probably wouldn’t make anybody mad if a reference slipped into the show.
NCIS: Origins will launch in 1991, more than a decade before the main series introduced Gibbs in his leadership position over Tony, Abby, Ziva, Tim, Kate, and many more rotating characters. Not only will the show dive deep into Gibbs’ turmoil over the loss of his wife and daughter, but we will also see his dad, now portrayed in the 1990s setting by Robert Taylor. According to co-star Kyle Schmid, the cast as a whole will make Origins “an edgier show” than viewers are accustomed to seeing in the NCIS realm.
Well, the series’ trailer does describe Gibbs as fitting into “the definition of crazy” after his traumatic loss. This show will seek to present “[t]he story he never told,” according to the series description, and viewers will see Gibbs “as a new special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office” on Special Agent Franks’ “ragtag team.” Get ready for to need some tissues, too? Maybe.
Release Date
CBS’ NCIS: Origins debuts on October 14 with a two-hour premiere and will stream on Paramount+.
Trailer
A full trailer really exists, so here is an intense look at Younger Gibbs and Special Agent Franks:
