NCIS: Origins continues to go beyond just being a prequel story focusing on a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Austin Stowell) becoming the iconic NCIS character fans love. With its timeline set when the federal organization was still going by NIS, it shows the beginnings of what will eventually become NCIS. NCIS: Origins also introduces original characters like Lala Dominguez (Mariel Molino) and Bernard “Randy” Randolf (Caleb Foote) and gives them meaningful storylines that audiences want to invest time in. Along with following a young Gibbs, the series also features a young version of Muse Watson’s Mike Franks, this time played by Kyle Schmid. In NCIS, Franks and Gibbs have a strong friendship that is always enjoyable to watch. While it seemed that Franks was the reason Gibbs joined NIS, NCIS: Origins Episode 10 shows the real reason he did and how the duo weren’t the best of friends from the first time they met.
Continuing from the NCIS: Origins mid-season finale, NCIS: Origins Episode 11 “Flight of Icarus” features another flashback highlighting Mike, but at a time never seen or discussed in the entire NCIS franchise. Throughout NCIS, glimpses of Mike’s past have gone as far back as his time in the Marines. Just like how fans are starting to learn more about Gibbs through NCIS: Origins, the show provides insight into the man who shapes Gibbs into the fine agent and great man he’s shown to be by NCIS.
Learning Mike Franks’ Past in ‘NCIS: Origins’ Informs Gibbs’ Character
Mike has always been more of a supporting character for Gibbs throughout the NCIS franchise, so getting to see his past is an interesting way to show his growth. The NCIS: Origins creative team has more freedom to explore this story as very little has been revealed about Mike’s past. In Episode 11, Mike’s older brother, Mason (Matthew Erick White), is shown for the first time, acting as the paternal figure of the family. When Mike (the even younger version played by Brandon Spink) is drafted to join the Army and fight in the Vietnam War, Mason plans to have Mike escape enlistment. But when Mike insists that he has to do it if he ever plans on returning home to his family, Mason decides to join him and suggests they enlist in the Marines instead. This story not only shows what led Mike to join the Marines, but it also provides the first look at his dynamic with Mason. Mike’s brother is never seen but only rarely mentioned in NCIS. Since it seems that Mason died during their time in the Marines (as Mike sadly looks over their pictures together), NCIS: Origins sets up a heartbreaking story for a future episode to highlight.
A lot of Gibbs’ personality is because of Mike’s mentorship as a Senior Field Agent and their friendship outside of work. Considering that they both have lost loving family members, Gibbs and Frank form a brotherly relationship that they didn’t know they needed. Their past traumas as Marines and family-oriented men have shaped their characters, for better or worse, so getting to see their bond form throughout NCIS: Origins is exciting. Getting to uncover Mike’s history is a smart decision by the NCIS: Origins creative team because his past will inform the values he instills in Gibbs as the two become closer throughout the season.
‘NCIS: Origins’ Is More Than Just a Gibbs Prequel Story
NCIS: Origins is one of the 2024 CBS shows because of the compelling character-focused stories that will tug on audiences’ hearts. It’s an accessible show for viewers who have never seen an episode of NCIS. The characters, new and old, are given such fleshed-out backstories that inform their personalities and motivations without needing any prior context outside NCIS: Origins. With NCIS: Origins getting a full-season order, there’s room for the cast to fully develop their respective roles and challenge themselves as actors.
NCIS: Origins Episode 11 rounds out the main NIS team, getting at least one character-focused flashback episode, but there are still enough gaps for the show to fill in. Diany Rodriguez’s Vera Strickland has been on the sidelines working on the NIS profiling program, and she’s due soon for an installment dedicated to her. While it was originally billed as a story focusing on Gibbs’ start as an NIS agent, NCIS: Origins has become more than that in all the best ways. Hopefully, a second season will be greenlit for the NCIS prequel so fans can be even more excited as the series provides answers to the major questions looming over the overall story.
New episodes of NCIS: Origins premiere on Monday nights on CBS in the U.S., with previous episodes available on Paramount+.