Mark Harmon remains an important component of the NCIS Universe, even though he is no longer starring on the flagship show.
NCIS fans already knew Mark was part of the new prequel show, but nearly everyone thought it would only be behind the scenes. When NCIS fans tuned in for the NCIS: Origins season premiere, there was Mark, resuming the role television audiences have loved for years.
NCIS: Origins is a new show about Young Gibbs. CBS rolled out two episodes on its debut night, giving fans a lot of content to absorb.
Mark serves as an executive producer and the narrator for the show, as Leroy Jethro Gibbs tells stories from his past. Austin Stowell stepped in to play the Young Gibbs and made an immediate impact.
On premiere night, CBS viewers saw Mark sitting by a campfire and jotting portions of his memoir. The episode would shift back and forth between the Young Gibbs in 1991 and the current Gibbs in Alaska.
NCIS fans celebrated Mark’s return as Gibbs, especially since it was unexpected. Hopefully, we see more of him in future NCIS: Origins episodes.
Mark Harmon and Sean Harmon speak about NCIS: Origins
“The idea was Sean’s and it just made sense that there was a new story to tell,” Mark told Forbes about the new NCIS show.
Sean played a Young Gibbs on NCIS during flashback scenes, and many fans thought he was great in the role. He seemed like the obvious choice to play Gibbs again on the new show, but Sean has helped create the show and serves as an executive producer.
“I’m a distant part of it really, because I’m not there to make any big moves or anything, I’m just there to support,” Mark noted, showing that he’s trying to help Sean without becoming the focal point.
Sean Harmon speaks about not playing Young Gibbs now
“It has been an absolute honor to essentially to play a character my dad created over so many years, and it will always be something I hold close to my heart. But it was, in truth, something I never really figured I wanted to make a career out of,” Sean Harmon explained.
“I have a lot of stories to tell and I’m absolutely jazzed to be stepping into an executive producing role and working with my dad in a different way,” Sean added.
Maybe Sean will guest star on the flagship show again if they ever do another flashback episode, but the role may slide over to Austin Stowell if Origins becomes a success.
Previous episodes of NCIS and NCIS: Origins are streaming on Paramount+. The streaming service has past seasons of all the spin-offs, including NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: Hawai’i, and NCIS: New Orleans.
NCIS airs Monday at 9/8c and NCIS: Origins airs Monday at 10/9c on CBS.
All episodes of NCIS are now streaming on Paramount+. Try it FREE!
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