The creators ofNCIS: Originsexplain Mark Harmon’s involvement in the prequel series. The premiere of the CBS series is mere weeks away, focusing on a younger version of Leroy Jethro Gibbs (played by Austin Stowell) in the early 1990s. ButtheNCISprequel spinoff, which is executive produced by Harmon, will be narrated by the actor and he’ll also make an on-screen appearance.
In an interview withTVLine, ahead of theNCIS: Originspremiere on Monday, October 14, at 10 PM ET on CBS, co-creator David J. North, who serves as showrunner with Gina Lucita Monreal, shared that Harmon is “as hands-on as we want him to be.” In the quote below,NCISfranchise mainstay North also addressed how Harmon helps out if the creative team is stuck on something andserves as a source of support for Stowell. Read the quote below:
“No. He’s as hands-on as we want him to be. [He] is there for us to talk through things, if Gina and I can’t come to a consensus on something. If we’re not sure which way to go, left or right at a fork in the road, and we need another opinion, he’s there for us. Mark’s not going to bulls–t you. And he’s certainly there for Austin [Stowell, who plays young Gibbs], which has been a huge thing and obviously is important to us.”
What The Involvement Of Harmon Means For NCIS: Origins
It’s A Very Personal Story For Gibbs
The 1990s-set prequel centers on Stowell’s version of Gibbs ashe’s just starting out as a Special Agent at NCIS' Camp Pendleton office. Intending to build up a gritty team, Gibbs has the help of another familiar face from the mainNCISseries: Mike Franks. Played in his older years by Muse Watson, the prequel enlisted Kyle Schmid for the role. Stowell and Schmid are two among the relatively largeNCIS: Originscast, which is included in the table below:
The female lead and potential love interest for Gibbs.
Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (as narrator)
Also executive producer.
While the co-creators have directly answered Harmon’s involvement as a creative force, they have also spoken about why Harmon will occasionally appear on-screen inNCIS: Origins. Though the specifics are being kept under wraps, there isa reason why Gibbs is looking backon his younger years. That reason will be revealed in the premiere episode, meaning thatthe prequel will have an important emotional component for those invested in Gibbs' character.
Our Take On A Gibbs-Focused Prequel
NCIS Is Evolving
Although the CBS franchise has been largely successful in a case-of-the-week format, focused around a single location,the latest attempts at a spinoff are more character-based and personal. There isNCIS: Orgins, though also the upcoming Paramount+ dramaNCIS: Tony & Ziva, which is focused on the relationship between the two lead characters and their lives as parents. It serves as a sign that these long-time characters have built a source of support that’s all their own.
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.
