The original Leroy Jethro Gibbs is about to make a comeback.
Mark Harmon is set to reprise the role he played for 18 seasons during the first crossover event between NCIS and NCIS: Origins set for Nov. 11 on CBS.
The Veterans Day crossover will feature the younger Gibbs (Austin Stowell) and his team investigating the small-town death of a naval officer in the ‘90s on Origins – a case that will be unexpectedly reopened in the present day on NCIS. Because of the crossover, Origins will air for one night only at 8 p.m. ET, followed by NCIS at 9 p.m. ET.
Harmon, an executive producer on both series, has not appeared as Gibbs in CBS primetime since his brief appearance in the Origins pilot last year. He last appeared on NCIS in 2021, when his character decided to leave the agency.
“Four years ago, Gibbs disappeared to Alaska to live a life of solitude,” said co-showrunners and executive producers David J. North and Gina Lucita Monreal in a joint statement. “We know how much fans have missed seeing Mark and have wondered what Gibbs is up to today. Well, on Nov. 11, we’re so excited to announce that Mark Harmon will return as Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the Origins hour of the NCIS crossover event. We don’t want to give too much away, but let’s just say Gibbs is no longer alone.”
“I’m very proud of the storytelling that David and Gina are doing on Origins,” Harmon added in a statement. “They continue to push boundaries and dive deeper into the characters’ backstories. They came to me with an idea for Gibbs that I liked, and it seemed like a good time to check in with him. I hope fans enjoy it.”
Origins follows a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the early ‘90s, prior to the events of NCIS, and is narrated by Harmon. Season two of the drama is expected to delve deeper into the NCIS Camp Pendleton team, led by Mike Franks, as well as Gibbs’ early career as a special agent.
NCIS: Origins is produced by CBS Studios. North, Monreal, Harmon and Sean Harmon serve as executive producers.
