Mark Harmon Returns to NCIS Universe with Prequel Series NCIS: Origins

The Legacy of NCIS

Mark Harmon isn't done with the NCIS franchise yet, and the seasoned actor is returning for a prequel series all about Gibbs entitled NCIS: Origins. 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.

NCIS Mark Harmon as Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs

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 Mark Harmon as Leroy Jethro Gibbs

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.

A composite image of Leroy Gibbs from NCIS

NCIS: Origins Details

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.

Little is known about the cast of NCIS: Origins, and since it is a prequel set in the 1990s, it's unlikely that any 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. The only name confirmed thus far is Mark Harmon, and though he won't be physically playing the role of Leroy Gibbs, he will be narrating. Harmon's son Sean is not reprising his role as young Gibbs despite playing the part on numerous occasions on NCIS.

NCIS: Origins Storyline

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 works alongside legendary agent Mike Franks. 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.