Warning! This article contains spoilers forNCIS: Originsepisode 14 as well as references to infertility.
NCIS: Originsfinally showed the one thing thatNCIShas been missing, and it is fantastic. Ever since its premiere,NCIS: Originshas prided itself on being different from the flagship. It has featured deeper personal storylines and a wider cast range, and it has done something that no otherNCISspinoffreally has. It has shownNCIScharactershaving developed friendships outside the office.
Through its 22 years on the air,NCIShas shown character growth and personal arcs, but they have all taken place over several episodes and seasons.NCIS: Originsis different. It focuses first on the personal, then on the case, making it unlike most police procedurals.NCIS: Originsepisode 14 has taken this a step further, showing exactly how personal relationships among NIS agents can make or break the show.
NCIS: Origins Episode 14 Highlights The Power Of Female Friendships In The NIS
The Characters Show That Everyone Needs Some Support From Time To Time
NCIS: Originsepisode 14 finally revealed Mary Jo’s backstory, and with it, her pain. EachNCIS: Originsepisodefeatures a different character as the centerpiece of the episode. This means that instead of the show acting as Gibbs' prequel, it acts more as a drama that describes each person in Gibbs' life at the time of joining NIS. It also leads to fantastic storylines, asNCIS: Originsis not limited to Gibbs’NCIScanon.
NCIS: Originshas impressively been able to keep its procedural format while letting its characters shine too.
Mary Jo’s backstory revealed her struggles with infertilityand the effect this had on her marriage with her ex-husband, Marcus. However, the episode also went further. It showed Mary Jo, Vera, and Lala sitting together at a bar outside the office, talking and catching up. The scene was meant to be lighthearted, but it also acted as a way to look at Mary Jo in a deeper sense, as she is such a strong character that it is almost difficult to imagine her struggling.
Besides the impact of the scene on Mary Jo’s character, it also highlighted the importance of showing female friendships in fiction.Representation is important, but it is especially important in a procedural set in a male-dominated field. Procedurals can also easily get lost in the case-by-case format of the show and forget to highlight the humanity behind its characters.NCIS: Originshas impressively been able to keep its procedural format while letting its characters shine too.
Focusing On Female Friendships Is New For The Franchise
NCISis incredibly male-centered, and until recently, there had never even been more than two female main characters at the same time in the entirety of theNCISfranchise. The same can not be said for the male characters, as eachNCISteam is primarily made up of men. As a result, in its 22 years on the air, we have never seen a female friendship like the one between Mary Jo, Vera, and Lala. While women have always existed inNCIS, they have typically only interacted because of their cases, unlike the friendship theNCIS: Originswomen share.
What Happened To Gibbs' Original NIS Team In NCIS?
Between NCIS and the NCIS: Origins prequel, we already know what happens to Leroy Jethro Gibbs' NIS team due to the franchise’s rich character roster.
Because there has usually only been one femaleNCISagent, there just was not any possibility for there to be anNCISfemale friendship. Some notable exceptions include Abby and Ziva, and Jessica and Ellie, but even then, the characters typically remained colleagues rather than true friends who could just hang out and share their personal issues.Female friendships have never been the focal point ofNCIS, but I am glad thatNCIS: Originsis finally changing that.
How Female Friendships Can Make NCIS: Origins Better Than The Flagship
NCIS: Origins Can Continue Telling Deeper Stories
The small scenes inNCIS: Originsepisode 14 that showed Mary Jo, Vera, and Lala sitting together already added an emotional depth to the scene, so continuing this trend could improve the show even more.NCIS: Originshas always focused on personal backstories, but it was especially nice to see a personal moment occur in the present day as well.NCIS: Originsfeaturing a prominent female friendship adds a level of depth that tookNCISyears to achieve.
NCISandNCIS: Originsair back to back on Monday nights on CBS.
NCISstarted with a pilot, whereasNCIS: Originswas allowed to appear on the network right away, so there was an imbalance in the storylines from the beginning, asNCIS: Originsalready had established characters. However,NCIS: Originshas continued to grow and expand its characters. Featuring a prominent female friendship is just the latest addition to an already emotionally complex series. InNCIS, it has also taken some time to warm up to some characters, but withNCIS: Origins, the show’s added complexity removes the barriers from the beginning. Adding more would just keep improving it.
NCIS: Origins
Cast
NCIS: Origins is set in 1991, preceding the events of the original series. The series introduces Leroy Jethro Gibbs as a new special agent at NCIS Camp Pendleton. Under the leadership of NCIS legend Mike Franks, Gibbs navigates his role within a tenacious, unconventional team.
