Mark Harmon Returning To Gibbs Role In New ‘NCIS’ Prequel Series

Mark Harmon is returning to the Navy Yard in a new CBS series that will have him reprise a very familiar role. CBS recently issued a press release announcing a straight-to-series prequel called NCIS: Origins that will be narrated by none other than Harmon, once again as Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

Harmon played Special Agent Gibbs in the CBS crime drama in 19 seasons of NCIS, amassing a total of 435 episodes. The program is in the midst of its 21st season, with two years of no Harmon, and while producers say the door is open, his return to the role of Gibbs will unfold a bit differently than anticipated.

Mark Harmon will once again play Gibbs, this time in an ‘NCIS’ prequel series

As the name suggests, NCIS: Origins goes back to where it all began for some key, recognizable characters from the long-running series. A CBS press release reveals, “NCIS: ORIGINS begins in 1991, years prior to the events of NCIS and follows a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs, narrated by Mark Harmon.

It continues, “In the series, Gibbs starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks.”

By time of writing, it is unknown who will play the younger version of Gibbs actually seen on screen. In the past, Harmon’s son, Sean Harmon, has played a younger version of his father’s character. Sean and his father, along with Gina Lucita Monreal and David J. North, will serve as executive producers.

The past and future of ‘NCIS’

In terms of Gibbs and Harmon’s return to the main NCIS series, the character’s future was left deliberately vague.

“He went off into the wilderness, into the wild,” said showrunner Steven D. Binder. “And that left open any possibility. It didn’t leave the audience with any specific thing. It allowed the audience to imagine what happened to Gibbs. He can come back. He’s safe. He’s happy.”

“Everyone is aware that the door is open if he ever wants to pop in for an episode or multiple episodes,” added CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl.

The team, including both Harmons, expressed excitement to lay new groundwork for the sweeping legacy of both Gibbs and NCIS.

“There’s no denying the cultural and global phenomenon of the NCIS franchise for the last 20 years,” said President of CBS Studios, David Stapf. “When Sean and Mark approached us all with this exciting expansion of the universe – exploring a young Gibbs – we knew it was the next story that needed to be told. We also couldn’t be luckier to have Gina and David at the helm as co-showrunners who are not only brilliant and adept writers, but know this character and universe so well.”

By time of writing, NCIS: Origins is slated to enter the CBS show rotation for the 2024-2025 season. Will you be watching?