Get a First Look at the ‘NCIS: Origins’ Series Premiere [PHOTOS]
Meet young Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
CBS is giving fans an early look at the series premiere of NCIS: Origins. The new images from the NCIS prequel series’ first-ever episode, which airs Oct. 14, show Gibbs in action, along with some members of the fledgling NCIS team.
‘NCIS: Origins’ premieres Oct. 14
NCIS: Origins explores Gibbs’ years as a new agent at the NCIS Camp Pendleton office. The action kicks off in 1991, as Gibbs, who has just returned from Desert Storm and is mourning the death of his wife and daughter, forges his place on the “gritty ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks.”
The show – which features original Gibbs actor Mark Harmon as the narrator – debuts with a two-hour series premiere on Monday, Oct. 14. Austin Stowell steps into the role of young Gibbs, while Kyle Schmid plays Mike Franks. (Muse Watson played an older version of the character on NCIS.)
‘NCIS’ spinoff will feature new and familiar characters
Gibbs appears to dive right into his new role as an investigator in the series premiere, titled “Enter Sandman.” Fans will note that his hat and jacket read “NIS,” not “NCIS.” Before December 1992, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service was known as the Naval Investigative Service.
Diany Rodriguez plays Vera Strickland. Roma Maffia portrayed the character in NCIS Season 11, where it was explained that she was Franks’ one-time partner.
In addition to younger versions of familiar characters, NCIS: Origins will also introduce some new faces, such as field operation support officer Mary Jo Hayes (Tyla Abercrumbie), who is seen here with Mike Franks.
Mariel Molino plays Cecilia “Lala” Dominguez.
Caleb Foote plays Bernard “Randy” Randolf.
Patrick Fischler portrays Cliff Walker.
Austin Stowell says stepping into the Gibbs role is ‘slightly daunting’
The NCIS: Origins cast knows that expectations are high for the new show. Stowell in particular has acknowledged that he has big shoes to fill as he puts his own stamp on the character embodied by Harmon for so many years on NCIS.
“Mark Harmon has done a job that actors dream to do. He’s captured the world and so that is just slightly daunting,” Stowell told TV Insider. “But getting to know Mark has really been paramount to me stepping into these shoes and trying to fill them.”
Stowell said Harmon urged him to trust himself as an actor. But playing a character that’s already so well known is a special challenge, he added. “This is a little different because some things are already in place and an audience knows where this leads years ahead,” he said.
Schmid faced a similar situation as Stowell in playing Franks. He made efforts to change his appearance to look more like Watson. He even adjusted his manner of speaking.
“Taking on a character played by such a wonderful actor is a bit of a challenge. You have to play by a certain set of rules, ‘ he said. “The mustache is a trademark of Muse’s. I wear dark brown contacts every day at work. I took on a dialect coach, so Kyle Schmid now sounds like Mike Franks all the time.”
NCIS: Origins premieres Monday, Oct. 14 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS. The two-hour premiere will also stream live and on-demand for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers and on-demand the next day for Paramount+ Essential subscribers.
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