Mark Harmon Returns To NCIS At The Absolute Worst Time

Published Oct 25, 2026, 11:45 AM EDT Misty Layne started as an actor and sketch comedy writer before deciding to concentrate mainly on writing. Utilizing both her love of television and film and her behind-the-scenes knowledge, she began a website reviewing films in 2013, with a focus on horror and indie media. Eventually, she began writing about all things television and film for other sites as well. Misty shares a home with five cats, a ton of books, and a fairly impressive vinyl collection. Fans have been thrilled to see Mark Harmon return as Leroy Jethro Gibbs in NCIS: Origins this season. While Harmon did voice-over narration for the first couple of seasons, NCIS: Origins season 3 marked the first time he has spearheaded a show from the NCIS franchise since leaving the original series in the 2021–2022 television year. His return is long overdue, and to top it off, Harmon appears in every episode of NCIS: Origins' third season. Even better, Harmon's Gibbs has finally returned to the Navy Yard and reunited with Michael Weatherly’s Tony DiNozzo in NCIS: Origins season 3, episode 3, "Return of the Mack." Next week’s episode will see Gibbs working with Eleanor Bishop (Emily Wickersham). It’s unclear who else Gibbs might run into in upcoming episodes, but so far, the season has been full of welcome nostalgia. The only issue with Mark Harmon’s return to NCIS right now is that it's arrived at the worst possible time. While his return fits the narrative, it also comes in a season where NCIS: Origins has fewer episodes than normal. Gibbs appearing on camera again is a big deal; ideally, he would have returned during a season of NCIS: Origins with a full episode count. Mark Harmon's Return Is During NCIS: Origins' Shortest Run Ever Robert Voets/CBS NCIS: Origins season 3 is the series' shortest run ever (so far). The first two seasons had 18 episodes each, while the current season has only 10. It gives audiences far less time to spend with Harmon’s Gibbs, and the show now has to cram the season-long storyline into eight fewer episodes. It’s unfortunate, as fans have waited years in hopes Harmon would return to the franchise in some capacity, whether as a guest or for an entire arc. Harmon (and the fans) deserved a better homecoming than just a handful of appearances in 10 episodes after the long wait. The reduced episode count also raises the question of whether NCIS: Origins can do justice to Older Gibbs' story of hunting down the people who shot him and saving the mystery friend viewers have yet to meet. More episodes could have also given viewers more reunions between Gibbs and his former NCIS co-stars. While he told Tony that nobody could know that he was there, since he played dead after his attackers shot him and needs them to continue believing he's dead, so far, we know he'll meet with three people from his past, counting Bishop in the upcoming episode. That leaves him seven more episodes to run into past friends and acquaintances (seriously, is Fornell not going to show up?), and showrunner David North told Variety that this season would feature several special guest stars — but there could have been many more. Why NCIS: Origins Season 3 Only Has 10 Episodes CBS NCIS: Origins having fewer episodes this season isn’t because of a lack of popularity. The show’s premiere episode drew 4.39 million viewers, up 20% from its season 2 premiere (which aired at 9 pm versus the current 10 pm timeslot). Viewership was also up 56% compared to last year’s NCIS: Sydney season premiere. Though the franchise struggled a bit after Mark Harmon's departure and Leon Vance's death, the flagship series and spin-offs are still going strong. Several CBS shows received shorter season orders this year as the network introduced a slew of new shows it needed to fit into its lineup, like NCIS: New York, Einstein, and Cupertino. Matlock and Fire Country will each have only 13 episodes this season, while NCIS: Sydney and NCIS: Origins will have only 10 episodes. Essentially, CBS decided to spread more shows out over the season instead of having only a few shows that would run for an entire season. Once NCIS: Origins season 3 ends, NCIS: Sydney will take its place in the lineup, so the two shows will share a time slot this season. This decision means shows will air year-round, and audiences will have more new content to choose from. Will Harmon Return For NCIS: Origins' Potential Season 4? Paramount+ After Harmon's glorious return this season, one question remains: will he return for NCIS: Origins season 4 if the show is renewed? It seems it depends on whether Harmon wants to be in front of the camera again. When North spoke to Variety about Harmon’s return and reunion with Weatherly, he said this season’s appearance worked because North pitched it to Harmon, and Harmon decided he liked the idea. According to North, Harmon's return was easy because Harmon and NCIS: Origins' cast and crew share a deep, mutual respect. That means there's always a chance Harmon could appear onscreen again. Whether it would be another series-long arc, though, is less certain. Harmon’s Gibbs has been perfectly happy living with his dog in the middle of nowhere in Alaska, so it might stretch credulity for him to be forced to leave his sanctuary twice for a mystery case that only he can solve. Gibbs wasn’t thrilled with leaving Alaska this time around, after all. If he did reappear in a potential NCIS: Origins season 4, it would likely be in Alaska, which limits the show's narrative possibilities. He might have a few scattered on-screen appearances throughout the season as he narrates, or perhaps he joins a call with someone from the past, like DiNozzo. However, it’s more likely that Harmon will return to being strictly an off-camera narrator for NCIS: Origins, should it be renewed. While that would be hugely disappointing for audiences, it makes sense for Gibbs' character, and Harmon has seemed to enjoy his limited involvement with the franchise over the past few years, giving him time to focus on other projects, like writing a book. Still, whatever happens in a potential NCIS: Origins season 4, the fact that the show got him back on our screens this season is exciting enough. The story has really brought Gibbs' arc full circle by bringing him home to the Navy Yard once again, so it could be a good way to wrap up any lingering storylines. Release Date October 14, 2024 Network CBS Directors Niels Arden Oplev, John Terlesky, Diana Valentine, Edward Ornelas, Hanelle M. Culpepper, Lionel Coleman, Loren Yaconelli, Pete Chatmon, Pamela Romanowsky, Ruben Garcia, Jessica Lowrey Cast Austin Stowell Leroy Jethro Gibbs Kyle Schmid Special Agent Mike Franks Writers Brendan Fehily Creator(s) Gina Lucita Monreal, David J. North