Summary
I’m worried about the opening episode ofNCIS: Originsnow that CBS announced its fall TV schedule. They announced earlier in the year thatthe Leroy Jethro Gibbs characterwould return to the small screen in an origin story spinoff similar toYoung Sheldon.It’s advertised that theNCIS: Originsprequel will explore Gibbs' early days as an NCIS agent when he is freshly assigned to the Camp Pendleton office. While I can’t wait to see the series premiere, it could be as distressing as it is exciting because Jethro Gibbs had more going on in 1991 than they’re advertising.
While it’s rousing to imagine what Gibbs' earliest days may have looked like, they come with a fair amount of baggage.Gibbs pivoted from his military career to NIS(later branded NCIS) due to extreme life circumstances. Anyone familiar with the series knows it’s fair to say that Gibbs' start at Camp Pendleton wasn’t carefree. The change was inspired by trauma, which I hope the writers handle with care in theNCIS: Originsstory.
15 Essential Gibbs Episodes To Watch While Waiting For NCIS: Origins
Here’s 15 essential NCIS episodes for Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs to watch while waiting for the NCIS: Origins spinoff starring Austin Stowell.
NCIS: Origins' Two-Hour Season Premiere Means It Will Probably Cover Shannon’s Murder
NCIS: Origins Will Start In 1991
When I saw the fall television schedule onParade, I noted that two hours were booked for theNCIS: Originsseries premiere. I wasn’t surprised since it’s a new show, requiring time for exposition, but I was worried. TheNCIS: Originsstory is said to begin in 1991. That’s when Gibbs was assigned to the fledgling NCIS office, but that’s just part of what happened to the special agent. It was a big year for Gibbs, full of pivotal events that outweighed his career change. You see,1991 is also the year Gibbs' wife and daughter were murdered.
NCIS: Originswill premiere on Monday, October 14, at 10 p.m. Eastern.
While the synopsis for the series has so far focused on Gibbs' career as a"newly minted special agent,“I believe this update confirms that the series will reach back further in time to introduce the young Jethro Gibbs. The two-hour time slot signals the series will coverwhat happened to Gibbs' wife and daughter inNCIS.I think it’s a pivotal part of the agent’s story that needs to be told; I just hope that the writers respect the weight of Gibbs' trauma and strike the right balance while emotionally appealing to viewers.
Why Casting Jackson Gibbs Confirms NCIS: Origins Will Explore Shannon’s Death
Robert Taylor Was Cast As Jackson Gibbs In NCIS: Origins
Another sign thatNCIS: Originswill show Kelly and Shannon’s murder is that the series has cast someone to portray Gibbs' father, Jackson Gibbs. The original series established that Jethro Gibbs had been estranged from his father for 15 years. This is explained in season 6, episode 4, “Heartland,” one ofthe best episodes ofNCIS.“Heartland” established thatJethro Gibbs last saw his father at Kelly and Shannon’s funeral. If someone has been cast to play Gibbs senior, thenNCIS: Originswill go back at least as far as that event.
Ralph Waite portrayed Jackson Gibbs in the originalNCISseries.
While I could see them opening at the funeral, I could also see them going farther back and envisioning Shannon and Kelly’s murder. This was done in flashbacks in the original series, many contained inNCISseason 3, episode 24, “Hiatus Part II,” when Gibbs relived his life’s most traumatic events while in an unconscious state after experiencing an explosion aboard a Navy ship. It wouldn’t surprise me if the series took an hour from the two-hour premiere to rehash this vital backstory.
What Else To Expect From NCIS: Origins' Premiere
Vera Stickland And Mike Franks Will Return
Once the series has set the scene for the special agent in charge, there are many exciting elements to look forward to inNCIS: Origins.While some of the most critical details of Gibbs' past are known to audiences, the daily ins and outs of his early time as an NCIS agent is uncharted territory.The young Gibbs will work closely with his former partnerand mentor in the series, Mike Franks, andNCIS: Originscast Kyle Schmidfor the role. The series will also return Special Agent Vera Strickland, who worked with Gibbs and appeared in the flagship series.
I’m just hoping for me and anyone else who has lost someone in a car accident that the writing handles Shannon and Kelly’s death tenderly
I just hope that they handle Gibbs' trauma with care. It’s impossible to ignore since it sets the scene for Gibbs' career, so I just want whatever events and emotions they show on screen to feel genuine and be portrayed tastefully. Gibbs' wife and daughter were murdered, but they ultimately died in a car crash. That’s how my father died, and so I’m just hoping for me and anyone else who has lost someone in a car accident that the writing handles Shannon and Kelly’s death tenderly if they choose to portray it on-screen whenNCIS: Originspremieres.
NCIS: Origins
Cast
Set before the original entry in the long-running procedural crime-drama franchise, NCIS: Origins takes place in the 1990s and follows a younger Leroy Gibbs at the beginning of his career. The series will focus more on Gibbs' journey to becoming the star investigator he became in the original series and his relationships with past partners and colleagues.
