‘NCIS: Origins’ Premiere Will Feature Appearance By Franchise Star Mark Harmon

It’s not supposed to be about old Leroy Gibbs — this is about his younger self coming up in the Naval Criminal Investigative Service — but Mark Harmon will appear in the premiere episode of NCIS: Origins.

While talking to reporters on Thursday, co-showrunner David J. North said new footage of Harmon was shot for the prequel that launches Oct. 14 on CBS.

“That was a discussion between Mark, myself and Gina Monreal,” explained North about including Harmon. “I hope the audience will be excited to see him after so many years.”

NCIS fans can also count on hearing Harmon as a narrator for each episode. So will he show up for more cameos in the future?

“We are focusing on him telling the story of 1991,” said North of Harmon, who’s also serving as an exec producer on the prequel. “As far as Mark appearing again, we are open to anything.”

NCIS: Origins begins in years prior to the events of NCIS. In the new series, a young Gibbs (Bridge of Spies‘ Austin Stowell) starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks. (On the mothership series, Franks has been a recurring character played by Muse Watson. Franks was fatally stabbed in Season 8 but continued to appear to Gibbs when he needed a sounding board on hard cases.)

After scaling back his onscreen duties, Harmon stepped down from NCIS in 2021 but remains an EP on the mother ship. During the show’s summer press tour appearance in Pasadena, Harmon downplayed his participation on Origins.

“I’m just pleased to be part of it,” said Harmon. “And 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. And how can I help? And if you need my help, great. And if not, that’s okay too. And so far, they’re all doing just fine.”