I’ve had a complicated relationship with long-running procedurals. I watch them out of habit as much as devotion — always hoping the next spinoff or crossover will rekindle that early spark. After the misfire that was 9-1-1: Nashville and the uneven runs of NCIS: New Orleans, Sydney, and Hawai‘i, I’d nearly given up hope that any offshoot could capture the original’s magic.
Then came NCIS: Origins.
I approached it with cautious optimism after Tony & Ziva failed to live up to its promise. But this prequel doesn’t just recapture the heart of the franchise — it reinvents it. NCIS: Origins is the most compelling, emotionally grounded spinoff the universe has produced in years.
The Making of a Legend
Set in the early 1990s, NCIS: Origins follows a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Austin Stowell) during his formative years as an NIS agent — before the “rules,” before the walls went up. His story is narrated by Mark Harmon, whose seasoned voice bridges past and present, giving the series a haunting sense of hindsight.
We see Gibbs still raw from personal tragedy — his wife and daughter’s deaths — and burning with purpose under the mentorship of Special Agent Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid). Their dynamic anchors the series: a volatile blend of respect, frustration, and unspoken love between two men who live by their own codes.
Stowell’s Gibbs is fierce but vulnerable — all edges, no polish. Schmid, meanwhile, steals nearly every scene as the gruff, unpredictable Franks. If Gibbs is the marble being carved, Franks is the chisel. Their relationship doesn’t just shape the man we later meet in NCIS — it explains him.
Casting That Just Works
One of Origins’ biggest wins is its cast chemistry. You don’t need to be a longtime fan to get invested; this story stands firmly on its own. Schmid’s take on Franks is pure magnetism — loud, sharp, and unwilling to bend the rules unless breaking them serves justice. He’s equal parts chaos and control, a perfect foil for Gibbs’ intensity.
Season 2 expands the ensemble beautifully. Adam Campbell steps into the role of a young Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard with uncanny precision. Channeling David McCallum’s wit and warmth, Campbell’s Ducky is a charming mix of intellect and eccentricity — think Frasier’s Niles Crane with a scalpel and a crime scene kit.
Caleb Foote’s Special Agent Bernard “Randy” Randolf brings levity and quick banter, while Mariel Molino’s Cecilia “Lala” Dominguez introduces the kind of slow-burn romance that humanizes Gibbs’ hardened exterior. Together, the team evokes the spirit of early NCIS: smart, sharp, and irresistibly human.
A Return to What Made NCIS Great
What sets NCIS: Origins apart from its predecessors is that it remembers what made the original series resonate — not just the cases, but the characters. The show digs into how Gibbs’ world view was forged: through loss, loyalty, and the mentorship that taught him when to bend the rules — and when not to.
It’s both familiar and fresh. Fans of the original series will spot subtle nods to Gibbs’ future “rules,” while newcomers can enjoy a richly drawn origin story that doesn’t require 20 years of backstory.
After years of uneven spinoffs, NCIS: Origins feels like a return to purpose — the perfect mix of grit, heart, and old-school storytelling. It’s the show that reminds us why we fell in love with the NCIS universe in the first place.
