After 18 seasons as the iconic Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs on the hit CBS drama NCIS, Mark Harmon stepped away from the show as a series regular in 2021. But the legendary actor has never truly left the NCIS universe behind, and now he’s returned in a big way.
The new NCIS prequel series, NCIS: Origins, set to debut on October 14th, will feature Harmon reprising his role as Gibbs. And in a twist, Harmon reveals it was his own son, Sean Harmon, who came up with the idea for the new show.
“The idea was Sean’s, and it just made sense that there was a new story to tell,” Harmon told Forbes in a recent interview. Sean previously portrayed a young version of Gibbs in flashback scenes on the original NCIS series.
While Sean Harmon won’t be stepping back into the role of the young Gibbs for the prequel, he is serving as an executive producer on the new show. NCIS: Origins’ first episode will feature his father, though the specifics of his role remain undisclosed.
“Gina [Monreal] and David [North], who are the showrunners, had asked me to do the voiceover, and that was always part of my understanding,” Harmon explained. “After that, the question was, how are you going to do that?” Harmon explained. Is he standing there with his finger on his chin? Is he writing a book?”
Harmon, who will also serve as an executive producer on NCIS: Origins, said he’s thrilled to be back in the NCIS world, even if he’s not the central focus this time around.
“I’m a really distant part of it, because I’m not there to make any big moves or anything; I’m just there to support,” he said.
The prequel series will take viewers back to 1991, shortly after the tragic murder of Gibbs’ wife and child. Sean Harmon fully supports the casting of Austin Stowell as the young Gibbs.
“Playing a character my dad created over many years has been an absolute honor, and it will always hold a special place in my heart,” Sean expressed. “But it was, in truth, something I never really figured I wanted to make a career out of.”
Instead, Sean Harmon said he’s “jazzed to be stepping into an executive producing role and working with my dad in a different way.”
For Mark Harmon, being involved in NCIS: Origins is all about protecting the legacy of the franchise he’s been such a huge part of over the years.
“Is there a story to tell? Definitely. Is it going to be different than people know? Definitely. Gina and David’s association with his show and their representation make me excited “said. “They were the best I ever worked with on that show, and I love what they’ve done and what they’ve worked very hard at and tried to push toward. My job is to try to protect that.”
Harmon acknowledged that the transition won’t be easy, as any changes to the NCIS universe are bound to face scrutiny from the show’s passionate fanbase. But he expressed confidence in the team behind NCIS: Origins and said he’s ready to embrace the challenge.
It will be hard work and you can expect changes. You know that there will be things you can control, things you’re going to have to fight for, and things you can’t control,” Harmon said. “Right now, it feels like we fought for every bit of it, but it feels good.” With Harmon’s involvement and his son’s creative vision, NCIS fans are surely in for a treat when NCIS: Origins premieres this fall.