NCIS: Origins could finally revisit — and possibly redeem — one of NCIS’s most controversial character deaths: Jenny Shepard. Killed off in Season 5, Episode 18, Jenny’s sudden and brutal exit remains one of the show’s most criticized moments, made worse by the surprisingly muted impact her death had on Gibbs and the team.
As the franchise’s first prequel, NCIS: Origins has a unique opportunity to explore Gibbs’ past in greater depth, including his complicated history with Jenny. Canon has already confirmed that the two shared a romantic relationship during an early mission in Paris — a storyline that was never fully explored on the flagship series. Revisiting their bond could finally give emotional weight to Jenny’s arc and contextualize the choices that led to her downfall.
However, there’s a risk: deepening their relationship may also make her death feel even more tragic and mishandled in hindsight. Still, for longtime fans, seeing Jenny again may be worth reopening old wounds — especially if it brings long-overdue closure to one of NCIS’s most frustrating losses.
