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Did a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs join up with NIS too soon after the tragic deaths of his wife Shannon and their daughter Kelly?
That valid question is at the fore of the first trailer for NCIS: Origins, CBS‘ prequel spinoff premiering Monday, Oct. 14 at 9/8c, with its first two episodes — and TVLine has your exclusive first look above.
Opening in the year 1991, NCIS: Origins follows a young Gibbs as he starts his career as a newly minted Special Agent at the NIS Camp Pendleton office. There, he will forge his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by the legendary Mike Franks.
Austin Stowell (A Friend of the Family, Secret Life of the American Teenager) fills the role of Gibbs (played on the original NCIS by, of course, Mark Harmon), while Kyle Schmid (SIX, Big Sky) channels a young Muse Watson as Franks.
The series regular cast also includes Mariel Molino (Promised Land) as Special Agent Lala Dominguez, a former Marine with a dark sense of humor; Tyla Abercrumbie (The Chi) as Field Operation Support Officer Mary Jo Hayes, who has wryly dubbed herself “HSIC” (Head Secretary in Charge); Diany Rodriguez (The Blacklist) as Special Agent Vera Strickland, a no-nonsense Brooklynite who’s tough as nails; and Caleb Foote (Made for Love) as Special Agent Benjamin “Randy” Randolf, the “golden boy” tasked with showing Gibbs the ropes.
Also glimpsed in the trailer is Longmire vet Robert Taylor as Jackson Gibbs, Jethro’s hard-nosed father, and Bobby Moynihan (SNL) as lead forensics analyst Woody Browne, while Patrick Fischler (Mad Men) can be heard in the trailer’s opening moments as Cliff Walker, the Special Agent in Charge who oversees NIS’ fledgling Pendleton office.
To freshen your memory, Gibbs joined NIS not long after completing his tour in Operation Desert Storm and retiring — all while mourning Shannon and Kelly, both of whom were murdered by drug dealer Pedro Hernandez while Gibbs was still overseas, about to return home.
Mark Harmon will not appear in the series, but serves as its narrator (as is an executive producer). His son, Sean Harmon, who has played Young Gibbs in NCIS flashbacks and came up with the idea for the prequel, will also serve as an EP alongside co-showrunners Gina Lucita Monreal and David J. North.
Want scoop on NCIS: Origins, or for any other TV show? Email InsideLine@tvline.com, and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line!
YES!!! This will be incredible!!!
I’m looking forward to this. Been a fan since the beginning!
I really want to watch this so I hope they get it right. Will be a challenge shooting a show set in 1991 with todays mind and technique.
WOW! Hearing Mark Harmon’s voice again in the narration hooked me in a big way. Sent chills down my spine. I’m excited to see NCISOrigins, to say the least!
I’m excited for this, can’t wait. It looks good so far, I wonder if Franks gave head slaps for not having gear 🤔 😳😆
Great casting, The Gibbs eyes are there, Franks’ stach, That Shannon resembles the same actress used in flash backs on the OG NCIS.
Who is playing the younger version of Special Agent Key in this, Matt?
So now Gibbs looks like Reacher?!
Some of the casting is seriously exciting here. Robert Taylor as Jackson especially.
Dude playing Franks looks epic too.
Looking forward to this as long as they don’t shy away from how broken he was, the many wives etc.
Really hope it gets a decent run and we see young Jenny, a scene for scene redoing of Gibbs’ first meet with Vance, and of course we HAVE to have Adam Campbell as Ducky.
Maybe young Tom Morrow as well?
I want to see him first meeting Dwayne Pride & Hetty, too…
Goodness! That looks amazing and exactly what I’d expect Gibbs’ origin story to look like! Can’t wait!
Cool I really like the entendre about how its not only just Gibbs origin but also the origin of the titular agency the transition from the overlooked NIS to the well renowned NCIS. Austin Stowell has the potential to be to Gibbs what Ewan McGregor is to Obi-Wan Kenobi. Also the actor playing Mike Franks I cannot believe that is Sara Lance’s IRL hubby
Kind of sad that the most effective part of this trailer is the narration.
Looks good! This is going to be fun: investigations without internet and mobile phones! Good old way!
This looks epic! Austin Stowell looks like a great Gibbs. And loved hearing Patrick Fischler’s insanely recognizable voice in the opening. Oct 14 can’t come soon enough!!
I haven’t heard anyone mention he possibility of JAG characters showing up in guest roles. JAG began in 1995. Per Harm’s background established on the show, he was probably in law school in 1991. Probably the same for Caitlin Pike, the junior attorney in the pilot, and Meg Austin, the junior attorney for the rest of season one, or, in the least, not assigned to JAG headquarters. Mac was probably in Okinawa. Perhaps one of those three can show up right away as a summer law intern. Admiral Chegwidden certainly could appear right away in Origins. Even if he wasn’t the JAG yet, he would have been a senior attorney with JAG. And the rest, if the show is a success, could start making guest appearance in season four or five.
That one character (with the mustache) looks very similar to Riggs from Lethal Weapon (tv show). It made me want Clayne Crawford in that role, he was so great as that character. Either way, the trailer looks great. I’m sure it’ll be good.
*he was so great as Riggs I meant.