Fans of the NCIS franchise have long hoped for Mark Harmon to return on screen, and now that wish is coming true — but not in the way many expected. Harmon will make a brief appearance in the new prequel series, NCIS: Origins, rather than the flagship show since his departure in Season 19.
Set over a decade before the events of NCIS, Origins will focus on a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs as he begins his career at the Naval Investigative Service. While it was initially thought that Harmon would remain behind the scenes, Deadline reports that co-showrunner David J. North discussed the possibility of featuring older Gibbs with Harmon and Gina Monreal. As a result, Harmon will appear in the premiere episode, albeit briefly.
In addition to his on-screen cameo, Harmon serves as an executive producer and will narrate the series. North emphasized that the story will focus on “him telling the story of 1991” and mentioned they are “open” to the idea of Harmon appearing again in the future.
Although Harmon has taken a step back from the current NCIS narrative, it’s thrilling for devoted fans to see him in any capacity. The younger Gibbs will be portrayed by Austin Stowell, alongside a younger version of his mentor, Mike Franks. This new iteration of Gibbs will be far from the hardened agent fans know; instead, he’ll be a character still learning to manage his emotions.
The official trailer for NCIS: Origins features a glimpse of Harmon, but it remains unclear whether this is new footage or archived clips. Speculation abounds about how older Gibbs will fit into the story — could he be reflecting on his early days as he writes a memoir? There are numerous possibilities, and fans can’t wait to find out!
NCIS: Origins premieres Monday, Oct. 14, at 9/8c on CBS, before settling into its regular timeslot of 10/9c starting Oct. 21.
