Spoilers ahead for the series premiere of NCIS: Origins (“Enter Sandman”).
NCIS: Origins has premiered on CBS, and Mark Harmon’s role in the first episode has been revealed. It was previously reported that Harmon, who serves as executive producer and narrator on the NCIS prequel, would be returning for the premiere episode on-screen for the first time since he exited NCIS at the beginning of Season 19. While it wasn’t exactly revealed how he would be appearing in the two-hour series premiere, fans finally know.
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Bringing the franchise back in time to 1991, the prequel was took fans on a ride for its series premiere, with characters both old and new for a story that’s never been told, and it was a breath of fresh air for the long-running procedural franchise. Throughout the first hour of the premiere, “Enter Sandman,” Harmon was briefly and occasionally seen as Gibbs near a fire, as the show flashed back to 1991, and he continued to recount his days as a newly-minted agent at Camp Pendleton. It was then revealed at the end of the episode that Gibbs, played by Harmon, was actually writing in what seems to be a journal, which explains how and why he’s just now telling this story and serving as narrator.
Why exactly now he’s choosing to tell this story that he’s never told before is unknown, but it’s likely Harmon will be making another appearance in a future episode that could further explain it. However, since it is focusing on Gibbs in the early ‘90s, focusing on him in the present wouldn’t be the best idea. But it is fun to see him once again since it has been so long. At the very least, having Gibbs writing his story in a journal is the perfect way to explain the events of Origins.
That being said, fans shouldn’t expect Harmon to appear in every single episode or even most episodes if he is appearing in more than one. There is quite a lot to look forward to in NCIS: Origins other than Harmon as the show continues to tell Gibbs’ backstory. Since it does take place not long after he lost Shannon and Kelly, he is going through a lot, and starting a new position isn’t so easy in the midst of everything. It’s going to be an emotional and intense ride, and for it to be a story that’s never been told before, there is no way of knowing just what will happen.
Fans will just have to tune in to new episodes of NCIS: Origins on Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS, following new episodes of NCIS. Mark Harmon as Gibbs will continue telling his story, but it’s going to be a surprise to see if he will ever return on-screen.
