NCIS without Gibbs? That’s a risky move. But NCIS: Origins knows better than to mess with Mark Harmon’s legacy. The show plays by a strict rule to keep longtime fans happy. As the team behind it knows, NCIS fans don’t take kindly to major shake-ups.
One wrong move and the internet will explode. So, they’re walking a fine line: giving us fresh stories while making sure it still feels like Gibbs’ world.
Keeping Mark Harmon’s legacy intact: NCIS: Origins walks a fine line
NCIS: Origins knows better than to mess with NCIS canon (Mark Harmon) – at least, most of the time. The prequel series is walking a fine line between staying true to the original and making necessary tweaks.
One episode revisited a key moment: young Gibbs killing Pedro Hernandez, aligning with how NCIS first presented it. But the show also reworked some details, like Mike Franks meeting Jackson Gibbs earlier than previously shown. As executive producer David J. North put it (via Cinema Blend):
Yeah, there’ll always be those little moments. I think if you went back and watched that scene, you could certainly re-spin it that [Gibbs] just said to [Jackson], “Dad, meet Mike Franks,” reminding him of [Franks]. But yes, if you wanna stick to the actual exact words… We try to stay true to the canon as much as possible.
Certainly when we don’t, people get frustrated, but the reality of it is, unfortunately, NCIS canon doesn’t always stay true to NCIS canon. There’s a lot of different paths that they’ve gone down.
That’s nothing new for NCIS, a show that’s played fast and loose with its own history before. Take Gibbs and Tobias Fornell – initially introduced as strangers but later revealed to be ex-husbands of the same woman. So while Origins respects its roots, it won’t always be a perfect match.
North, a longtime NCIS producer, assured fans they do their homework. They have a whole team tracking continuity, but the priority is telling great stories. And if that means bending canon? So be it.
Mark Harmon swaps Gibbs for Disney magic in Freakier Friday
Mark Harmon may be the voice of NCIS: Origins, but his next gig has nothing to do with Agent Gibbs. Instead, he’s stepping back into a different role – one from a Disney classic.
Harmon is set to reprise his character, Ryan, in Freakier Friday, the sequel to 2003’s Freaky Friday. The original saw Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan body-swapping through a magical mishap, with Harmon playing Curtis’ fiancé. Now, the sequel shakes things up again, bringing back the original cast.
Reuniting with Curtis was a no-brainer for the NCIS alum. He shared,
It’s comfortable with Jamie and always has been. I’ve known her since she was 15 or 16. … Obviously, it’s a different story now, and yet I enjoy time with her. When you look at the long form of life, you’re talking about moments with people and sharing them and being with people you liked being with. That’s always been true about her for me, so I was pleased to do that.
As for NCIS? Harmon doesn’t dwell on the past. But fans can still catch him narrating NCIS: Origins, while he gears up for a very different kind of sequel.
Watch NCIS: Origins on Apple TV+ & Paramount Plus.
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