Mark Harmon Returning To NCIS Universe With Young Gibbs Prequel Series
Given the massive success of "Young Sheldon," we suppose it was only a matter of time before Young Gibbs came along to add to the ever-expanding "NCIS" universe.
Sadly, the show will not be called "Young Gibbs." But Deadline does report that CBS has given a straight-to-series order for a new spin-off called "NCIS: Origins," which will follow the adventures of a younger version of the character Mark Harmon played for nearly two decades on "NCIS." Harmon left the procedural partway through Season 19 but remained an executive producer for Season 20.
Deadline states Harmon will executive produce "NCIS: Origins" alongside his son, Sean Harmon, who played a younger version of Gibbs on several episodes of the mainline series. It doesn't sound like Sean will reprise the role for the new show, as the outlet claims an actor still needs to be found for the lead. But Sean did say in a statement, "I always felt there was a tale worth telling about his earlier years, so I am thrilled to be stepping into a producing role alongside Gina [Lucita Monreal], David [J. North] and my dad as we tell this story and reveal a new side of this beloved character."
Mark Harmon will return to narrate NCIS: Origins
"NCIS: Origins" is slated to air on CBS for its 2024-2025 season, so expect casting news to emerge in the near future. Most intriguingly, for fans who miss hearing Mark Harmon on their TV every week, president of CBS Entertainment, Amy Reisenbach, had this to say, "Viewers can look forward to Mark Harmon returning to CBS to narrate the complex and mysterious backstory of Leroy Jethro Gibbs' early years in 'NCIS: Origins,' which will build on the rich legacy of this character while reintroducing fan-favorite characters and meeting new ones."
One fan-favorite character who will appear in the prequel series is Mike Franks (played by Muse Watson on "NCIS") who will be there for Gibbs' early days with the law-enforcement agency, according to reporting by Deadline.
Yes, a legacy character providing voiceover narration for a prequel series is also exactly what "Young Sheldon" does, with Jim Parsons returning to offer hindsight on that show. It feels like the only reason they didn't call it "Young Gibbs" at this point is because that sounds too much like a Miami-based rapper.
While another "NCIS" series is always bound to be welcome news for fans, there are plenty of storylines for "NCIS: Origins" to explore. It could delve into Gibbs' frigid relationship with his father as well as his early romances, particularly that of his first wife, Shannon Fielding, who inspired his famous rules on "NCIS." Fans may think they know Gibbs pretty well after seeing him in hundreds of episodes, but there are bound to be a few surprises in store when "NCIS: Origins" premieres later this year.