CBS Makes ‘NCIS’ History: A Legendary Character Is Finally Back!

The NCIS prequel, NCIS: Origins, launched in 2024 and delves into the life of younger Gibbs. Still, the original NCIS series was the first to explore the Special Agent-in-Charge’s past. Throughout NCIS, younger versions of Gibbs and Ducky appeared. While NCIS: Origins recasts Austin Stowell as the younger Gibbs, Adam Campbell’s younger version of Ducky remains steadfast.

Ducky Returns In Back-To-Back NCIS And NCIS: Origins Episodes

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Ducky makes the rounds in the 2025-2026 TV cycle, with Campbell appearing as the young ME in both NCIS and NCIS: Origins. Ducky first appears with Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) in the 500th episode of NCIS. The character visits his old friend from the afterlife, with NCIS Season 21 having established that Ducky has passed away.

That said, Ducky doesn’t reveal his identity at first, posing as an interrogator played by Adhir Kalyan. He doesn’t want to shock Leon with his identity, but reveals it later after telling Director Vance that Army CID Agent Dolan Thompson (Matt Cook) has killed him, and he’s there to usher his old friend into the afterlife.

Ducky returns the following week in NCIS: Origins Season 2, Episode 13, “Homeward Bound,” with Campbell appearing in the present-day 1990s prequel timeline after recently being made head medical examiner at NCIS headquarters. He comes to California to help his friend, Dr. Témet “Tango” Téngalkat (Julian Black Antelope), with the weekly case centering on human remains from the Payómkawichum tribe.

“Homeward Bound” establishes that Dr. Tango and Dr. Mallard are friends, calling each other every Wednesday night to discuss their weekly cases and eventually, share intimate details of their lives. That’s why Ducky drops everything to help Tango prove that the human remains he found are from the Payómkawichum tribe so that he can give the man a proper burial.

Ducky’s Return Marks A Historic NCIS Milestone

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Ducky’s back-to-back appearances mark a historic moment for the NCIS franchise. It’s the first time Campbell has appeared in two NCIS shows as the young Dr. Mallard over the course of one network TV cycle. The appearances are also close together, one week after the other, underscoring a new era in which Campbell appears robustly throughout the franchise.

NCIS achieved the milestone by creatively incorporating the younger Dr. Mallard into the flagship without utilizing flashbacks. Ducky explains to Vance that manifesting as his younger self is one of the “perks” of the afterlife, implying he can appear at any age now that he’s dead. In contrast, Campbell’s previous NCIS appearances were grounded in flashbacks alongside Gibbs.

Young Ducky is a natural fit for the NCIS prequel, but Dr. Mallard didn’t appear until Episode 3 of NCIS: Origins Season 2. The episode revives Campbell’s character five years after his last NCIS appearance, as Ducky visits Camp Pendleton. The prequel also features younger versions of other NCIS legends, with Shea Buckner playing NCIS: New Orleans‘ Dwayne Cassius Pride.

McCallum’s older version of Ducky also appeared on multiple shows, guest-starring on NCIS: Los Angeles alongside his role on NCIS. That said, Campbell’s double feature stands out, considering he appears in two different periods. Campbell’s recent features also shift his role in the franchise from appearing alongside Sean Harmon’s younger Gibbs to appearing alongside Stowell’s Gibbs and even Director Vance.

Ducky’s role in the NCIS franchise is more relevant than it’s been in years. Though he was once the head medical examiner at NCIS, Ducky eventually stepped back from the role, as Dr. Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen) took his place. After David McCallum died in 2023, NCIS honored the actor in a tribute episode where the character passed away.