When NCIS: Origins was first announced, it was marketed as a prequel story featuring Leroy Jethro Gibbs — the face of the NCIS franchise. Mark Harmon played the role of Gibbs from 2003 — when JAG had its backdoor pilot for NCIS — to 2021 when he exited in NCIS Season 19. Longtime fans were sad to see the beloved character leave, and all hope seemed lost for his potential return. But NCIS: Origins not only features the return of Harmon’s Gibbs in narration but also a quick appearance in the series premiere. As the show recounts the early days of Gibbs (played by Austin Stowell) at NIS, NCIS: Origins established the story would also focus on Lala Dominguez (Mariel Molino) — an original character that the older Gibbs seems haunted by.
Throughout NCIS: Origins so far, the show has focused on Gibbs’ connections to the rest of his NIS team. It may not be what audiences expected, but watching their stories helps inform the person Gibbs will become by the time fans see him in NCIS. With the inclusion of Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid) in NCIS: Origins, the show explores how the fan-favorite duo became such close friends. Franks’ backstory being revealed in NCIS: Origins Episode 11 gave longtime fans something they’ve been waiting to learn throughout NCIS. By having these character-focused episodes on people besides Gibbs, it shows what attributes and lessons Gibbs learns from them and applies to his life. But not every single character in NCIS: Origins needs to have this treatment, and Episode 12 is proof of that.
‘NCIS: Origins’ Episode 12 Fails To Give Gibbs the Spotlight
NCIS: Origins Episode 12 is a strange turn for the series as it focuses more on Richard Kowalski (Michael Harney), the evidence custodian for NIS. The original character hasn’t been featured much in the series and has very few interactions with Gibbs. He also isn’t a character featured or mentioned in NCIS. With how little screen time he’s been given so far, throwing audiences into a whole episode focused on Kowalski’s backstory is a jarring choice. While fans have been praising NCIS: Origins’ character-centric episodes for Lala and Bernard “Randy” Randolf (Caleb Foote), the views for these episodes aren’t reaching the same levels as NCIS Season 22. Based on The Nielsen Company’s report, NCIS: Origins Episode 12 is one of the lowest-viewed episodes of the series with 3.9 million viewers. The rest of the series has fluctuated from 3.4 to 5 million, while NCIS Season 22 has averaged between 4.7 to 6.4 million views.
NCIS: Origins Episode 11 was on the higher end in terms of viewership with 4.1 million views. This isn’t so surprising considering it was the midseason premiere. What made the episode more enticing is that it focused on Mike Franks, a fan-favorite NCIS character, and his mysterious past that was never revealed or discussed in the flagship series. Kowalski is an original character in NCIS: Origins and his role on the team isn’t as notable as the other agents. Because of the lack of screen time and investment, watching Kowalski resign from NIS in Episode 12 wasn’t as impactful as it was meant to be. It’s a bold choice to focus a whole episode on this character when the big draw is supposed to be on Gibbs. Along with highlighting Kowalski, Episode 12 gave the other supporting characters more scenes, as well as introducing a brand new one who’s nicknamed “Basement” because he’s so tucked away. With all due respect, following the NIS evidence custodian isn’t a big draw for fans of the franchise.
Is ‘NCIS: Origins’ Getting a Second Season?
Although NCIS: Origins received a full-season order, a second season is still up in the air, and its viewership so far doesn’t bode well. If NCIS: Hawai’i was canceled in its third season with an average of 4.8 to 5.5 million views, then NCIS: Origins will have to pick up the pace in its remaining episodes. The series is becoming less of a police procedural as a couple of episodes don’t even feature a criminal case. NCIS succeeded in its first season because it had a much smaller supporting cast. The main characters were given more than enough time to be fleshed out before other characters like Tim McGee (Sean Murray) and Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) were introduced to shake up the team’s dynamic.
NCIS: Origins works best when it focuses on Gibbs and his budding relationships with the people around him. Developing the core characters of Gibbs, Franks, Dominguez, and Randy first is the easiest way for audiences to be invested in their stories. Most NCIS spinoffs have ended prematurely, while the flagship series is currently on Season 22. NCIS: Origins has the potential to earn a second season and go on to have a satisfying conclusion when it reaches the NCIS Season 1 timeline. There have been teases of young versions of notable NCIS characters and plotlines that are sure to cause compelling drama. Hopefully, NCIS: Origins gets to explore them before it’s too late.
New episodes of NCIS: Origins premiere on Monday nights on CBS in the U.S., with previous episodes available on Paramount+.