Summary

• Mark Harmon is returning to the NCIS franchise in a new spinoff called NCIS: Origins.
• NCIS: Origins is a prequel series set in the 1990s and will follow Leroy Gibbs and his early years at NCIS.
• The cast of NCIS: Origins will likely consist of new actors, and Mark Harmon will provide narration but is unlikely to physically appear in the show.

Though Mark Harmon departed NCIS during season 19, the seasoned veteran is returning to the franchise as part of a spinoff entitled NCIS: Origins. The franchise began in 2003 as a spinoff of the hit series JAG and follows the special agents of the Naval Crime Investigation Service as they use their crime-fighting know-how to solve cases within the American military system. Despite joining a host of popular procedural crime dramas in the early 2000s, NCIS has stood the test of time to become a TV institution.

Since the show's inception, the story has largely revolved around the character of Leroy Gibbs, the stoic NCIS Supervisory Agent in charge of the crack team. Mark Harmon played the role of Gibbs starting with the show's backdoor pilot on JAG in 2003, and led NCIS for 19 impressive seasons before finally riding off into the sunset in search of new adventures in 2021. Now, even as the original series carries on, and so too do the myriad of spinoffs, a new prequel series has just surfaced which will see Harmon return to the NCIS universe after only a few short years away.

NCIS: Origins Latest News

CBS Releases A Teaser

With the prequel series continuing to take shape, CBS has released a teaser for NCIS: Origins. Though the sub-one-minute piece reveals almost nothing about the upcoming series, it is enough to build excitement about the return of Mark Harmon's Gibbs, even in a supporting capacity. The snippet features Gibbs fishing in Alaska following his retirement in the main series, perhaps serving as a reminder for fans where the character ended up after his time with NCIS.

NCIS: Origins Is Confirmed

A Gibbs Prequel Is Coming Soon

In early 2024, even as many networks' fall slates were finally hitting the airwaves after months of delays, CBS announced that a new NCIS spinoff was on the way. No stranger to copious amounts of off-shoots, the newly-minted NCIS: Origins is instead a prequel series that sees Mark Harmon return to the franchise for the first time since his departure in 2021. The Gibbs-centric prequel is still largely shrouded in mystery, and though the basic premise is known, little else has been revealed about the upcoming series.

Harmon and his son Sean will both serve as executive producers on the series and though the younger Harmon portrayed Gibbs in flashbacks, he will not be reprising his role in Origins. Mark Harmon will provide narration, but it is highly unlikely he will physically appear since the show is set in the 1990s. Writers David J. North and Gina Lucity Monreal will pen the premiere episode and serve as co-showrunners.

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NCIS: Origins Cast

Mark Harmon Will Narrate

Much of the new cast of NCIS: Origins has been revealed, and since it is a prequel set in the 1990s, it's unlikely that many of the familiar faces of NCIS will appear. While certain characters could pop up as younger versions of themselves, Origins will likely feature all-new actors to the franchise who step into roles unknown to fans. Mark Harmon is returning in Origins, and though he won't be physically playing the role of Leroy Gibbs, he will be narrating. Instead, the role of young Gibbs went to Austin Stowell.

NCIS: Origins will feature a young version of Vera Strickland, though the role originally played by Roma Maffia will now be played by Diany Rodriguez. Additionally, Gibb's mentor Mike Franks will also feature prominently in the story but Muse Watson has been replaced by Kyle Schmid. Two brand-new characters have been announced as Mariel Molino joins the cast as potential love-interest Agent Lala Dominguez and Tyla Abercrumbie has been cast as protective Field Operation Support Officer Mary Jo.

NCIS: Origins Story

Gibbs' Early Career Is Explored

the show not only explores Gibbs' rise through the ranks but also his skills as an investigator, which eventually earned him the spot as the Supervisory Agent in the future.

The basic framework of NCIS: Origins has already been revealed, and it will follow Leroy Gibbs in the 1990s as he is freshly assigned to NCIS at Camp Pendleton, where he learns from legendary agent Mike Franks and his partner Vera Strickland. Presumably, it will be a procedural mixed with a character drama, as the show not only explores Gibbs' rise through the ranks but also his skills as an investigator, which eventually earned him the spot as the Supervisory Agent in the future.

NCIS: Origins Trailer

The First Teaser Is Revealed

Though an actual trailer is still coming soon, CBS has released a brief teaser which hypes up the forthcoming prequel series. Using clips from Gibbs' final appearance on NCIS, the short clip shows the beloved Supervisory Agent as he casts his line while fishing in Alaska. While there is no footage from NCIS: Origins in the trailer, it does reveal that the show is coming soon, and will likely be part of CBS' 2024-2025 season.

• NCIS: Origins

  Cast:

  Mark Harmon

  Genres:

  Crime, Drama

  Rating:

  Not Yet Rated

  Seasons:

  1

  Creator(s):

  Mark Harmon, Sean Harmon

  Network:

  CBS

  Franchise(s):

  NCIS

  Showrunner:

  Gina Lucita Monreal, David J. North

  Where To Watch:

  Paramount+