NCIS: Origins Showrunner Explains Why Fan Favorite Star Is Returning For Season 3

Published Sep 2, 2026, 9:21 PM EDT Adam has been writing in the entertainment news space for over a decade. Beginning his career of covering film and TV at CinemaBlend, he has also appeared on The Flash Podcast and done several radio spots. NCIS: Origins is bringing back a fan-favorite for season 3, and the showrunner explained how this return came together. After playing Leroy Jethro Gibbs on the original NCIS for nearly 20 years, Mark Harmon has executive produced and narrated Origins since it premiered in October 2024. However, he's only appeared on camera in the prequel twice so far. The first time was in the pilot, and the second time was in the episode “Funny How Time Slips Away,” which was part of a crossover with the flagship series. NCIS: Origins season 3, however, will see Harmon appearing in all its episodes for a present-day arc. In an interview with Deadline, NCIS: Origins showrunner David J. North noted how it’s been half a decade since Harmon’s last appearance on NCIS, and that when Gibbs was last seen in Origins, he’d taken in a rescue dog. While the character could have been left alone to simply continue narrating the latter series, Harmon embraced North’s idea for Gibbs’ expanded Origins role. In North’s words: Mark and I had been talking for a while about how exciting it would be for the fans for Gibbs to return. It had been almost six years, and we both really loved the idea that he had settled in Alaska, that he was happy, that he had this new rescue dog. But at the same time, Mark was excited to give the fans what they wanted. So, I pitched him an idea, he responded to it, and then we were off and running. We’re really excited for you guys to see what we have cooking this season. CBS At the end of the NCIS season 19 episode “Great Wide Open,” Gibbs decided to stay in Naktok Bay, Alaska, having finally found happiness for the first time since his first wife, Shannon, and their daughter, Kelly, were killed. The narration he provides on the series is him chronicling his early years working at NCIS (originally known as NIS), where Stowell plays the younger Gibbs. However, it was strongly implied in NCIS season 23’s penultimate episode that Gibbs took a break from his Alaskan retirement to avenge Leon Vance’s death. As far as what awaits the present-day Gibbs in NCIS: Origins season 3, North added that in the season 3 premiere, Gibbs is still in Alaska with the dog, but the “peace he found there isn’t going to be easy to hold on to.” The showrunner continued: Ghosts from his past are catching up to him, and it may be enough to pull him out of retirement. Over the course of the season, we’ll discover that what’s happening in present day is directly tied to events that occurred during his ‘90s Camp Pendleton days. Along with this mysterious present-day storyline that will unfold in season 3, the NCIS: Origins season 2 finale set up plot threads for the next batch of episodes to follow up on. Gibbs and Mariel Molino’s Lala Dominguez finally kissed, paving the way for their romantic relationship that’s destined to fail, and Caleb Foote’s Bernard Randolf was kidnapped for an unrevealed reason connected to him digitizing the NCIS case files. Origins’ main cast also includes Kyle Schmid as Mike Franks, Tyla Abercrumbie as Mary Jo Hayes, and Diany Rodriguez as Vera Strickland. NCIS: Origins season 3 premieres Tuesday, October 6 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS. The prequel and all the other shows in the NCIS franchise can be streamed on Paramount+. 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