The Leroy Jethro Gibbs of NCIS: Origins may be better than the original, thanks to one detail about the upcoming prequel spinoff. In 2024, the NCIS franchise announced that it would launch a prequel series to explore the backstory of central NCIS character Leroy Jethro Gibbs. The series will flash back to 1991, when Gibbs was getting his start at NIS (later NCIS). It was a pivotal time for the former gunnery sergeant, coinciding with what happened to Gibbs’ wife and daughter in NCIS. As such, NCIS: Origins will hone in on an emotional time in the character’s life.
While NCIS revealed Gibbs’ traumatic past, the prequel series will further explore how it affected his career change. The shift in Gibbs’ life at the time was inspired by his NIS partner and mentor, Mike Franks, who Muse Watson played in the original series. Kyle Schmid’s Mike Franks will join Austin Stowell’s Gibbs for the prequel series, as the character is necessary for the former Marine’s transition. The NCIS: Origins cast also features some new faces, but Gibbs is the focal point — and this version of him could be more interesting than Mark Harmon’s.
Austin Stowell’s Gibbs In NCIS: Origins Will Be More Emotional Than Mark Harmon’s
Gibbs Was Processing Trauma In 1991
In an Entertainment Weekly preview of the fall 2024-2025 TV season, the outlet shared a quote from Stowell about how NCIS: Origins’ Gibbs will compare to Harmon’s. Stowell confirmed that his version of the character will drastically differ from the version of Gibbs that audiences are used to seeing after Harmon’s 19 seasons on NCIS. Stowell explained that his Gibbs will be going through a painful transition, recovering from a tragedy he experienced four months before the series picks up. The prequel star said that his character is “not the guy fans are used to.”
With Stowell’s take on the NCIS character showing such a different side of him, he actually has an even better chance of winning audiences over.
What the Gibbs star revealed aligns with what is already known about the NCIS: Origins timeline. The series will pick up just a few months after Gibbs’ wife and daughter are killed in 1991, and Stowell’s description of his character makes sense given his grief. It’ll be fascinating to see NCIS: Origins elaborate on the tragedy revealed in “Hiatus,” one of the best episodes of NCIS. And with Stowell’s take on the NCIS character showing such a different side of him, he actually has an even better chance of winning audiences over.
NCIS: Origins’ Gibbs Will Be A More Sympathetic Version Of The TV Hero
Stowell Could Win Audiences With Gibbs’ Soft Side
Changing Gibbs’ character for NCIS: Origins makes sense given his history, and it gives Stowell’s iteration of the character a chance to surpass the original. Harmon established a solid version of Gibbs, but he’s already capable of controlling his emotions when NCIS begins. The fact that he’s impenetrable and cool makes him likable and fun to follow. Stowell’s Gibbs will be compelling for totally different reasons. Viewers will go through the grieving process alongside him, allowing them to connect better. Stowell seems likely to give a more emotional performance in NCIS: Origins, too, giving Gibbs even greater depth.