NCIS: Origins season 2 will introduce one of Gibbs’ trademarks from the main show. The first prequel in the NCIS franchise focuses on the formative years of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, in the early 1990s, as he works with an unlikely team under the guidance of Mike Franks. Franchise veteran Mark Harmon narrates, with Austin Stowell taking over the lead role.
The formula has proven successful for CBS, with NCIS: Origins season 2 set to debut at 9 PM on Tuesday, October 14. Steadily, however, Gibbs will begin to shift away from the relative newcomer to the seasoned pro that viewers will come to recognize from Harmon’s decades on NCIS. That process, in many ways, is already taking shape.
In comments to TVLine, co-showrunner Gina Lucita Monreal revealed that NCIS: Origins season 2 will feature Gibbs’ first interrogation. Monreal, who executive produces and showruns alongside David J. North, previews in the quote below how the upcoming episodes will reveal a different shade to the prequel Gibbs:
“One thing we haven’t shown yet, that I’m really excited for, is Gibbs’ first interrogation. We’ve seen him questioning people, outside in the field and in the elevator, but we haven’t seen him yet in interrogation properly grilling someone — and I’m excited to see what that first will look like.”
What This Means For NCIS: Origins Season 2
The Gradual Process Continues
While it’s true that some NCIS spinoffs have failed, the prequel may be the franchise’s trickiest series yet. The first note to strike is that the time period between the two shows isn’t that significant. NCIS: Origins took place in 1991, more than a decade before the events of the main series.
…it’s a way of saying that this Gibbs is different, and there are ways of explaining that.
This means that Origins will likely have to stay in the mid-1990s, or else it won’t be believable that Stowell’s character won’t begin to look more like Harmon. Another issue, though is that it has to deal with the story itself. Gibbs has done a bevy of interrogations on NCIS. He’s at times reduced potential suspicion to tears, while his co-workers marvel at his skill set.
The prequel is tasked with making it all seem fresh and new. It’s given Stowell a whole new set of co-stars, including Kyle Schmid, Mariel Molino, Tyla Abercrumbie, Diany Rodriguez, and Caleb Foote. But it’s also presented a slightly different version of a younger Gibbs that’s no longer portrayed by Sean Harmon. It’s a way of saying that this Gibbs is different, and there are ways of explaining that.
Our Take On What’s Coming In NCIS: Origins
The Show Should Embrace The Difference
The prequel is, at least in part, Gibbs reflecting and looking back on his career. It is plausible that he would remember things differently and focus on events and people the viewers wouldn’t expect. He may also remember big moments, like his first interrogation, different. That’s especially true after the dramatic NCIS: Origins season 1 finale.
