When two generations of NCIS collide, expect secrets, sentiment, and a few very familiar rules. The highly anticipated NCIS and NCIS: Origins crossover is shaping up to be one of the franchise’s most ambitious events yet — a story that unfolds across timelines, connects the 1990s with the present day, and brings back the man who started it all: Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
🕰️ Two Timelines, One Case
The special event spans both series, weaving together a decades-old investigation and a modern-day follow-up that tests the limits of loyalty and memory.
In Origins (set in the ’90s), a young Gibbs (Austin Stowell) and his mentor Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid) are drawn into a mysterious small-town death — a naval officer found dead under suspicious circumstances in Serenity, a place where, as producer David J. North teases, “nothing is what it seems.”
Then, in the present day on NCIS, the same case resurfaces when a prisoner escapes just before their scheduled release. The current Major Case Response Team — led by Alden Parker (Gary Cole) — must revisit Gibbs’ old files, interrogation tapes, and forgotten clues to finish what was started more than three decades ago.
🧭 Connecting the Past to the Present
This crossover isn’t just a plot-driven puzzle; it’s an emotional bridge between generations.
“There’s nothing more poignant than the passage of time,” says Origins executive producer Gina Lucita Monreal. “We wanted to explore how the choices made in youth ripple forward, and how the past continues to shape the people we become.”
To bring the eras together, the creative teams from both shows coordinated closely — trading story beats, swapping emotional payoffs, and crafting a mystery that would feel seamless across the years. “It was a challenge,” Monreal admits. “There were constant messages like, ‘Can you set this up?’ and ‘Can you pay this off?’ But it was incredibly rewarding.”
🧩 The Rule That Started It All
Of course, no NCIS story involving Gibbs would be complete without one of his legendary rules.
This crossover promises to reveal the origin of a key Gibbs Rule — one that fans have heard many times but never understood in full.
“You often hear a rule right before it’s about to be broken,” explains NCIS executive producer Steven D. Binder. “We’re going to see why this particular rule came to be — and why even Gibbs himself sometimes struggled to follow it.”
According to North, that central moral dilemma drives both halves of the event. “It’s really what both hours are all about,” he teases.
🔁 Harmon Returns — and the Voice That Connects It All
Mark Harmon makes a much-celebrated return onscreen for Origins, marking his first physical appearance since the prequel’s pilot. But his presence extends beyond flashbacks — Harmon also provides a voiceover narration that ties the two timelines together.
North calls his return “especially important for the crossover,” noting that Harmon’s narration lends emotional continuity as fans move between the young Gibbs of the past and the mythic figure the NCIS team still reveres in the present.
🧨 A Case That Rewrites History
While the case begins as a small-town mystery, it quickly spirals into something much deeper. The 1990s storyline introduces younger versions of characters like Vera Strickland (played by Diany Rodriguez), while the present-day NCIS episode sees Roma Maffia reprising the role as an older, still-fiery Vera — one who hasn’t forgotten her past run-ins with Timothy McGee (Sean Murray).
“She’s still mad at him,” Binder laughs, recalling the Season 11 episode ‘Under the Radar’, when McGee’s misstep forced her out into the field just as she was nearing retirement. “She’s back, and she hasn’t softened one bit.”
Fans can also look forward to a deeper dive into the “legend” of Mike Franks, plus some unforgettable banter between Franks and Vera. “There’s a hilarious misunderstanding that becomes one of my favorite moments in the crossover,” North hints.
And yes, Origins’ canine team member Gary Callahan also plays a key role in the case — because what’s an NCIS mystery without a little four-legged heroism?
💾 From Tape Recorders to Time Capsules
One of the clever connective threads between the two timelines comes in the form of old case materials — analog recordings, handwritten files, and evidence that doesn’t quite fit into the digital age.
“There’s a lot of fun with that,” says North. “Maybe they don’t even have a way to play a tape in 2025.”
At the same time, the present-day NCIS team is curating a Navy time capsule, forcing each character to reflect on what legacy means — both personally and professionally.
“This case gives them a chance to ask, What do we want people to remember about us when they look back 50 or 100 years from now?” Binder explains. “It ties perfectly into the theme of looking back, both through Gibbs’ past and the team’s future.”
Expect heartfelt contributions, including one particularly meaningful idea from Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen) that Binder promises “touches deeply on the theme of legacy.”
❤️ A Story Driven by Love, Not Just Crime
While NCIS episodes often focus on betrayal, revenge, and corruption, Binder emphasizes that this crossover is different.
“A lot of the crimes we investigate come from greed or anger,” he says. “But this story — at its heart — is driven by love. It’s about the people we lose, the memories we keep, and the rules we live by to protect both.”
⚓ The Legacy Lives On
For longtime fans, this event will feel like coming home — a blend of nostalgia, mystery, and emotional resonance that captures the best of both worlds.
From the early days of NIS to the modern halls of NCIS, the crossover reminds viewers why the franchise has endured for over two decades: its ability to blend sharp procedural storytelling with deeply human emotion.
As Binder puts it, “Gibbs’ influence will always echo through this team — in the rules they follow, the lessons they’ve learned, and the cases that never really close.”
The ‘NCIS’ and ‘NCIS: Origins’ Crossover Event airs this November on CBS, beginning with Origins Season 2, Episode 5: “Funny How Time Slips Away,” followed by NCIS Season 23, Episode 5: “Now and Then.”
