The NCIS: Origins premiere proves that the marketing for the film lied about what it’s really about and how it connects to Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs. For 19 years, the no-nonsense leader of the Major Case Response Team in Washington DC was the face of the CBS police procedural. Even as the NCIS universe evolved, Harmon’s Gibbs remained central to its storytelling, so losing him in 2021 was a big turning point. This time, he returns to the franchise the prequel, NCIS: Origins, which will reveal how he became the icon in the agency in the flagship project.
This was supposedly the primary premise of NCIS’ first period spinoff. NCIS: Origins was going to see how Gibbs developed from a grieving family man starting a new life as a field agent to become the epitome of principle and justice in Navy Yard. Admittedly, there was apprehension and even backlash regarding this new show, considering how much of Harmon’s character’s personal life was tackled in the main NCIS series. It also didn’t help that it took over the timeslot of NCIS: Hawai’i, which was controversially canceled. That being said, the NCIS: Origins premiere confirms that this isn’t Gibbs’ story.
NCIS: Origins Was Sold As Gibbs’ Origin Story In The NIS
It Was Supposed To Show How Gibbs Became The Fearless MCRT Leader That He Was
As the title suggests, NCIS: Origins was sold to be Gibbs’ origins narrative in the NIS. This was the case in all the marketing materials for the show leading up to its premiere. It also stuck with this premise for most of its special two-episode NCIS: Origins pilot, “Enter Sandman Part 1” and “Enter Sandman Part 2.” Picking up months after the murder of Gibbs’ first wife and daughter, Kelly and Shannon, the grieving former Marine joins Mike Franks’ team in Camp Pendleton. His very first case on the job involves a heartbroken sniper, who kills the woman he loves.
Harmon’s NCIS: Origins narration offers something new even to long-time followers of the franchise, as it’s the first time that the usually guarded character shares his innermost thoughts.
Overall, the mystery is standard NCIS. However, Gibbs’ personal narrative makes it so much more interesting. That includes the revelation that he failed his psych evaluation to be a field agent and the tense visit from his estranged father, Jackson Gibbs. Meanwhile, Harmon’s NCIS: Origins narration offers something new even to long-time followers of the franchise, as it’s the first time that the usually guarded character shares his innermost thoughts.
NCIS: Origins Episode 1 Ends With Old Gibbs Saying This Is Lala’s Story
Harmon’s Gibbs Shares That He Has Never Told This Narrative
Between reinventing Gibbs and its new fantastic ensemble, NCIS: Origins already had a solid foundation to be successful. Apparently, however, everything that was known about the spinoff was a lie. As Harmon’s old Gibbs reveals in his final monologue of “Enter Sandman Part 1,” NCIS: Origins is about Lala Dominguez — Mariel Molino’s new character and an already established member of Franks.
Gibbs: It was our job to tell those stories no matter how much they took from us. It was our job to get to an end we could live with. To tell an ending of justice — no matter the cost. This one isn’t like the others. This is a story I don’t tell. This is the story of her.
When the role of Lala was first announced, she was billed as a new character that would be the female co-lead of Austin Stowell’s young Gibbs. It was also reported that she could eventually be a love interest to the grieving father and husband. There are some indications that this could happen down the line, as Franks himself crassly pointed out. As it is, however, Lala and Gibbs’ relationship in NCIS: Origins is contentious, mostly because she doesn’t think that he is ready to be a field agent, considering the loss that he just experienced.
While the show barely reveals anything about Lala’s future, her conversation with Vera Strickland about Gibbs ending up causing her to be killed could be ominous. Harmon’s character in the main NCIS series wasn’t a talker in general, but he was particularly silent about the tragedies in his life. That was why no one knew about what happened to Kelly and Shannon until he experienced a close bout with death. It’s possible that the reason Lala was never brought up in NCIS was because she also had a tragic fate.
How Origins Being About Lala Can Change Harmon’s 19-Season Story In NCIS
Lala’s Impact Can Alter What’s Known About Gibbs’ Life
Regardless of what exactly happens with Lala, it’s clear that she will be an important part of Gibbs’ story. NCIS: Origins co-showrunner David J. North confirms this in a post-episode interview. If Lala and Gibbs end up being romantic, it will change the idea that the reason why his subsequent marriages never worked was because he was still hung up on Shannon and her death. Meanwhile, if Lala ends up dying because of Gibbs, just as she predicted, it could add to the string of tragedies that Harmon’s character has experienced in his lifetime.
