What the New ‘NCIS’ Prequel Reveals About Gibbs
The long-running military procedural NCIS began airing on CBS in 2003 and continues to be a hit for the network, bringing back longtime viewers and enticing new ones. The series has been so popular that it’s inspired several location-based spin-offs, including NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, NCIS: Hawai’i, and NCIS: Sydney. However, the Fall 2024 season brought the newest addition to the franchise, and it’s nothing viewers have seen before. NCIS: Origins explores the early career of fan-favorite character Leroy Jethro Gibbs, whose story everyone believed to be over.
Mark Harmon spent 18 years portraying the Naval Criminal Investigative Service’s Supervisory Special Agent in Charge Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS. The actor left his iconic role behind in 2021, though he remained an executive producer of the series, and the leadership position was given to Agent Alden Parker (Gary Cole). Fortunately, the character wasn’t killed off the show but was said to be exploring a new life in Alaska, giving longtime fans some comfort that Gibbs was living on in the NCIS universe. But what makes his character special enough to warrant his own spin-off? And how much more of his story is there to tell after nearly two decades on air? As it turns out, a lot.
