Mark Harmon is stepping back into the “NCIS” universe for NCIS: Origins, a prequel series premiering on Oct.14 that explores a young Jethro Gibbs at Camp Pendleton in 1991, following the murd3r of his wife and child.
Harmon, who played Gibbs for 18 years on NCIS, left the main series in 2021 but remained involved behind the scenes. He says he felt too connected to fully walk away, and when his son, Sean Harmon, suggested a prequel, they took the idea to showrunners David J. North and Gina Lucita Monreal.
Harmon is thrilled with North and Monreal’s vision for Origins. “There’s definitely a story to tell, and it’s different than what people know,” he says. “I love what they’ve done and fought hard for.”
Austin Stowell will play a younger Gibbs in Origins, a role Sean has already played in various NCIS flashback episodes. Sean decided to take a break from acting in this role to focus on producing, serving as executive producer for the prequel. Harmon clarifies: “Sean is an actor, writer, producer – he made a choice to prioritize what he loves doing.”
Harmon has also contributed a voiceover for Origins and even has a cameo in the first episode, though details are kept secret. “That was intended to be a surprise,” Harmon says.
Reflecting on the show’s path, Harmon accepts the inevitable adjustments and obstacles, but remains confident in the team. “Everybody’s working hard, with great attitudes,” according to him. “We’re constantly trying to keep the bar high, and I’m just excited to see where it goes.”
Related News – Be sure to get some more news when it comes to NCIS.