Warning: This article contained spoilers forNCIS: Originsseason 1, episodes 1-2.
Mark Harmon’sNCIS: Originsprequel is officially here, and the series' opening episode, “Enter Sandman,” featured plenty of important moments and setups for the future. As expected, the two-part premiere revisited major events from Gibbs' background and how he started as an NCIS agent. It introduced new characters and storylines that will also guide the narrative ofNCIS: Originsmore than previously expected. While the series has procedural aspects, theNCIS: Originsstorywill tell a serialized narrative, meaning viewers can expect plotlines to carry between episodes.
Thecast ofNCIS: Originsintroduced new characters to the franchise and brought back recast versions of others.Pivotal characters like Gibbs' former partner and mentor are included inOrigins,helping to tell the story of how Mark Harmon’s character got started. Still, there’s more to theNCISspinoff than meets the eye. For example, one of the new characters may have caused another traumatic moment in Gibbs' life. The premiere events set up what’s to come and pay tribute to moments in theoriginalNCISseries.
10Mark Harmon Returns To NCIS With An Appearance In Origins Premiere
Leroy Jethro Gibbs Returned To NCIS From Alaska
Mark Harmon returned to theNCISfranchise in theNCIS: Originsopening.Mark Harmon’s older Gibbs was in the series' opening scenein Alaska. Mark Harmon’s narration played over the cinematic videography, which showed Gibbs building a fire. The character has not returned sinceMark Harmon’sNCISexitin season 19. Harmon’s role as theNCIS: Originsnarrator, telling the story of his past, is similar to how Jim Parsons narratedYoung Sheldonas hisThe Big Bang Theorycharacter.
NCIS: Origins Will Offer Something Completely New To The NCIS Franchise
NCIS: Origins will introduce an entirely new element to the NCIS franchise, putting the prequel series in a league of its own when it premieres.
Gibbs described a story he doesn’t tell in the opening narration, setting up a tale fit for the series' serialized storyline. Later, Harmon’s Gibbs appeared again, writing down his thoughts on a small notepad.It’s unclear if Gibbs is writing a book corresponding to his beginning as an NCIS agentor if he can finally process the events after his retirement.
9Gibbs Is Still Grieving Over The Death Of Kelly & Shannon
A Drug Dealer Killed Shannon And Kelly
In theNCIS: Originspremiere, Gibbs is still grieving overwhat happened to Shannon and Kelly inNCIS.In the “Hiatus” double episode inNCISseason 3, the series revealed that Gibbs had a wife and daughter but that they were murdered by a drug dealer named Pedro Hernandez.TheOriginspremiere showed Gibbs driving awayfrom his wife and daughter, waving goodbye to them for the last time.
Austin Stowell plays Leroy Jethro Gibbs inNCIS: Origins.
In theOriginsnarration, Gibbs described what that moment was like for him. Harmon explained in the narration that he had his famous gut feeling about leaving home that day and that if he drove away, he would never see his wife and daughter again. It was rare to get the older Gibbs' perspective on the tragedy, which he did not openly discuss in the flagship series.
8Young Mike Franks Recruits Gibbs To Be Part Of His Team
TheNCIS: Originsprequel explained howMike Franks recruited Gibbs to join his teamat the NIS office in Camp Pendleton. Muse Watson played Franks in the original series, introduced as Gibbs' former partner and mentor. In theOriginsprequel, Kyle Schmid plays Franks, and the actor’s character debut closely resembles Watson’s demeanor as Franks.
TheNCISseason 3 “Hiatus” double episode initially introduced Watson’s character.
NCIS: Originsrevealed that Franks recruited Gibbs to join his team at Camp Pendleton because he believed the former Marine had everything it took to be a special agent. Franks was the special agent assigned to Shannon and Kelly’s NCIS case, so he was familiar with the Marine and knew his abilities. InOrigins,Franks had to fight for Gibbs, as others in the agency don’t believe he’s mentally ready for the job.
7Gibbs Gets A Brand New Team At Camp Pendleton
NCIS: Origins Has New NCIS Characters
Gibbs gets a new team inNCIS: Origins.It’s a significant milestone for the franchise to put Gibbs on a new team, especially since he used to be in charge. In the prequel series,Gibbs established connections with Special Agent Lala Dominguez(Mariel Molino) and Special Agent Benjamin"Randy"Randolf (Caleb Martin), who Gibbs investigated within the field.
Watch Roma Maffia introduce Special Agent Vera Strickland inNCISseason 11, episode 3, “Under the Radar” on Paramount+.
The prequel also introduced Mary Jo (Tyla Abercrumbie), the Field Operation Support Office and self-dubbed “Head Secretary in Charge” of the Camp Pendleton office. The series will also revive the Vera Strickland character, played by Diany Rodriguez. The flagship series introduced Strickland inNCISseason 11 as a former partner of Mike Franks.
6Gibbs Fails His Psych Evaluation To Become An NIS Agent
NCIS Is Cautious About Gibbs
NCIS: Originsrevealed that Gibbs failed the psych evaluation he needed to taketo become an NIS agent. Franks recruited Gibbs to his team despite this, seeing all the traits Gibbs had that otherwise qualified him for the job.Originsshowed Franks vouching for him to the Special Agent-in-Charge, Patrick Fischler’s Cliff Wheeler.
Agent Dominguez’s reservations about the newly minted Agent Gibbs are warranted since she has to trust him with her life when they are in the field together.
Despite her own struggles, which Franks alluded to, Special Agent Lala Dominguez revealed the test results to Gibbs. She cited Gibbs' poor performance in his psych evaluation as the reason she didn’t think he was ready for the job. Agent Dominguez’s reservations about the newly minted Agent Gibbs are warranted since she has to trust him with her life when they are in the field together.
5Gibbs & Lala Have A Contentious Relationship
Gibbs And Lala Aren’t Romantically Involved
TheNCIS: Originspremiere established thatGibbs and Lala have a contentious relationshipin the prequel series. WhenOriginsinitially cast the character of Special Agent Lala Dominguez, it was unclear whether she would be a romantic interest for Gibbs or simply a member of his team. So far, there’s nothing romantic happening between the agents. Instead, Lala doesn’t initially like Gibbs.
Lala and Gibbs first met at the scene of Gibbs' first crime scene, and Lala told him a story from her childhood about snakes. After that, Lala clarified that she didn’t think Gibbs was ready, telling him that he failed his psych eval to prove her point. Franks was upset with Lala for revealing the information to Gibbs, introducing a lot of tension between Gibbs and Lala and Lala.
4Harmon’s Gibbs Reveals That NCIS: Origins Is About Lala
Origins Revealed A New Plot
During a segment of Harmon’s narration in theNCIS: Originsopening episode, he revealed thatNCIS: Originsis the story of Lala Dominguez. While it’s unclear what happens between Stowell and Molino’s characters, Harmon’s narration suggests that the story haunts Gibbs. He classified the story as the one he didn’t tell.
There could be a foreshadowing of what happens to Agent Dominguez in theOriginsstory. When Lala was telling Strickland about her reservations with the new agent, Strickland asked if Lala thought that Gibbs was going to get her killed. While it’s unclear how the story will end, the reveal thatNCIS: Originsis about Lala gave the prequel story a focus that wasn’t previously expected.
3Gibbs’ First NIS Case Involves A Sniper Suspect
Gibbs Is A Former Gunnery Sergeant
Gibbs was on his first-ever NCIS case in theNCIS: Originsopener, which involved a sniper suspect. Since Gibbs is a former sniper, the case had a meaningful connection to his Marines background.Gibbs' sniper skills played a huge role in solving theOriginscase, which is the first of many times that Gibbs' sniper skills will be helpful in an investigation.
Gibbs memorably used his sniper skills to save Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) inNCISseason 7.
Gibbs' sniper skills allowed him to identify how and from where their victim was killed, and it was a significant moment for Gibbs. Jethro is beginning to show himself as a capable field agent. Still, plenty of people doubt him, and his ability to apply his Marine Corps skills to the job will be essential inNCIS: Originswhen proving himself. His sniper skills and the eye for detail they give him will set the agent up to help his team with future sniper cases.
2Jackson Gibbs Visits His Son In California After Kelly & Shannon’s Death
Gibbs And His Father Were Estranged
The timeline for Jethro and Jackson Gibbs' relationship isn’t explicitly clear inNCIS,but theNCIS: Originspremiere has clarified some details.Originsrevealed that Jackson visited his son in California after Shannon and Kelly died. Jackson Gibbs was introduced inNCISseason 6, episode 4, “Heartland,” with the legendary Ralph Waite portraying the character, making it one of thebest episodes ofNCIS.
Robert Taylor was cast as Jackson Gibbs inNCIS: Origins.Taylor’s role in the prequel revealed thatJackson was present in his son’s life after Shannon and Kelly’s death, despite their estrangement that followed, which lasted over a decade. In “Heartland,” Gibbs revealed he hadn’t seen his dad since his wife and daughter’s funeral.Originsrevealed that Jethro and Jackson spent some time together before that, with Harmon’s Gibbs noting he delayed having a funeral after their death.
1Franks Is Working On A Mysterious Case
Franks And Vera Are Hiding Something
NCIS: Originsrevealed thatFranks is working on a mysterious case. In the opening episode, he asks Wheeler for help with something, alluding to a critical mission. Later, he hands Stickland some papers which also pertain to the mission. And when Lala asked Strickland about the case, she changed the subject. The case could have a connection to the murder of Gibbs' wife and daughter sinceNCISrevealed that Gibbs eventually avenged their deaths after Franks gave him their murder’s whereabouts.
When introduced inNCISseason 3, Mike Franks (Muse Watson) had retired and lived on the beach in Mexico.
While Franks didn’t reveal what he was working on, the covert mission introduces something thatOriginscan explore in later episodes. The case ties into the series' serialized narrative, giving viewers a more connected story. The story choice fitsNCIS: Originsand diverges from theNCISfranchise’s procedural format while still taking on a case-of-the-week.
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.
