As the third longest-running primetime drama in America, NCIS is a television staple. Its characters and stories have graced network airwaves since 2003, and its recent renewal suggests that this industry giant won’t be slowing down anytime soon. It still retains a loyal legion of fans, and its genre-typical rotating cast only adds to its charm. However, for all its brilliance, there’s a flaw in the show’s design, and that issue is tied to the show’s former NCIS Supervisor, Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Back in 2003, when the show was just starting, Gibbs met with Tobias C. Fornell (Joe Spano). Like many of the show’s protagonists, Fornell has served as a federal employee. He was also one of Gibbs’ notable friends, yet their friendship often seemed ambiguous.
In fact, during his series debut, Spano’s character doesn’t seem to recognize his old friend. Originally, he was conceived as a potential recurring character with no ties to any of the existing cast. Of course, that changed as the series progressed. With each new appearance, Fornell seemed to grow more enmeshed with the esteemed NCIS Supervisor. Writers seemingly invented backstories to fit their narrative needs, and the result remains a tangled web of somewhat incoherent factual tidbits.
Who Is NCIS’ Leroy Jethro Gibbs?
Although best known for his NCIS role, Mark Harmon also holds the record for being the first actor to portray serial killer Ted Bundy.
Long before NCIS, in 1977, Harmon played a gorilla in Ozzie’s Girls. This job was his first paid acting role.
Mark Harmon was the last of NCIS’s primary characters to leave the show.
Harmon left the show in 2019, meaning Gibbs has been out of office for over five years. His character may have been irreplaceable and iconic, but the details of Gibbs’ life have probably faded from fans’ memories. So, a quick memory refresh is in order.
Aside from his formal status, Gibbs was an indispensable practical asset. His tactical skills extended beyond his intellect; he also distinguished himself as a premiere marksman. He was known for his upfront nature and distaste for the under-oiled cogs of bureaucracy. Essentially, he was the quintessential “act first, talk later” action cop.
Throughout his run on NCIS, his cold exterior and calculating mind were honed through decades of experience. Before joining the NCIS, he served as a dutiful soldier. During his deployment as part of Operation Desert Storm, Gibbs was informed that the cartel murdered his wife and daughter. Their deaths ultimately fueled his decision to dive into an investigative career.
Naturally, Gibbs made countless friends and enemies. By the end of his NCIS tenure, Gibbs served as a surrogate father to his entire team. His decision to remain in Alaska and forsake his former lifestyle came as a crushing blow to both his on-screen agents and the show’s fans.
The Tobias C. Fornell Problem
A glimpse of Fornell’s ID card in “Keep Your Enemies Closer” reveals that Tobias’ birthday is July 15.
Fornell appears in more episodes than some series regulars.
Tobias’ original name was Tom. His name was changed to Tobias after showrunners realized he could be confused with then-NCIS Director Thomas Morrow.
So, what about Gibbs’ good friend, Tobias C. Fornell? Like Gibbs, Fornell was part of NCIS’ original design — a piece in the debut puzzle, so to speak. He was part of the series debut, “Yankee White,” wherein he serves as an FBI Agent. While his debut appearance casts him as a stranger, Tobias’ character slowly evolves into one of Gibbs’ closest friends and allies. (And, yes, all of that is retconned.)
That’s not necessarily a symptom of bad writing or narrative sluggishness. Plenty of shows have retcons, and few long-running series perfectly adhere to the guidelines laid out during the series premiere. However, Fornell’s slow evolution proved to be a thorn in NCIS’ storytelling paw. His connection to Gibbs often fluctuated, and their shared pasts seemed to change to fit the writers’ needs.
Eventually, fans took note. Despite an outpouring of enthusiasm for the crime-fighting bromance, astute viewers started picking apart the details. Questions arose about how the two met and how they knew each other. There are also questions surrounding how both men shared an ex-wife. And after Gibss’ NCIS departure, it seemed like these questions would be left unanswered.
How NCIS: Origins Is Patching a Decades-Old Plot Hole
Although he doesn’t appear in the show, Mark Harmon is an executive producer for NCIS: Origins.
During promotional interviews, Harmon expressed his excitement for the new spinoff’s “fresh” perspective.
NCIS: Origins is the first series spinoff to be set in the past.
Fortunately, the announcement of NCIS: Origins opened new doors for the decades-old series. The prequel spinoff casts Austin Stowell as a young Leroy Gibbs and gives fans a glimpse of the legendary agent. It has all the heart and charm of its predecessor, yet its new approach gives the procedural drama’s crew plenty of space to explore new ideas.
Perhaps more importantly, it also re-introduces a familiar face. In Episode 6, “Incognito,” Lucas Dixon makes his debut as a young Tobias C. Fornell. The taco-munching FBI agent maintains all the quirkiness of the later iteration, albeit with a spry and youthful spark. While his appearance was brief, it’s given fans an exciting glimpse of what’s to come.
NCIS: Origins just wrapped its first season, so there’s no telling how Tobias’ story could evolve. Dixon’s sunny portrayal of the fledgling FBI agent is, like the show, in its infancy. The possibilities seem endless, and the show’s writers are eager to start patching some plot holes.
Dixon’s brief debut also prompted a new and potentially unexpected fervor among NCIS fans. “If a young Tobias is here,” the fans posit, “could NCIS: Origins be planning more cameos?” It’s a logical and exciting question, although the showrunners have yet to respond. Not surprisingly, they’re keeping their secrets close.
That said, astute viewers have noted that it will take time for NCIS: Origins to truly re-introduce those familiar faces. The spinoff series starts at Camp Pendleton. However, NCIS firmly established that Gibbs meets most of his Federal friends in Washington, DC. Still, there’s plenty of room for growth.
The spinoff purportedly aims to highlight Gibbs’ life during the early- to mid-1990s. That means some characters — including Jenny (Lauren Holly) and Vance (Rocky Carroll) — will likely be no-shows. However, fans can probably expect to see youthful versions of Rebecca Chase (Jeri Ryan), Dr. Ducky (David McCallum), and Diane (Heather Scobie and Melinda McGraw). That is, of course, assuming the series lasts long enough.