As NCIS approaches the 1,000th episode mark, the franchise is continuing to expand. On top of the flagship series and the currently airing Hawai’i and Sydney offshoots, CBS and Paramount+ are making two more spinoffs, including a prequel. NCIS: Origins will see the return of Mark Harmon -- but in narrator and executive producer roles, as Austin Stowell takes over as a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the '90s-set program. Someone who's spoken with Harmon about the show is his former co-star, Sean Murray, who's giving his personal opinion on the upcoming series.
Sean Murray is currently one of the longest-lasting stars on NCIS, having portrayed Special Agent Timothy McGee since the first season debuted in 2003. The actor worked with Mark Harmon for the bulk of his run on the show, and they've kept in touch since Harmon’s departure at the beginning of Season 19. When Murray told TV Insider that he's talked to his former co-star about the prequel series, he also shared some optimistic thoughts about the production:
I’ve talked to Mark a little bit about it, and I know he’s excited about it. I’m sure the quality control on that one is going to be—I think they’re going to hold on to that one pretty good. I think it’s going to be done really well. I really do.
It’s honestly great to hear the actor be supportive of Origins, and I echo his opinion that the show will do well upon its release. I also really love the fact that Sean Murray and Mark Harmon still talk to each other, and that's a testament to just how close they became while filming. With that, as a fan, I truly hope that Murray's Timothy McGee gets to reunite with the present-day version of Harmon's Gibbs at some point.
Even though he won’t be appearing on NCIS: Origins, the McGee actor has apparently remained in the know when it comes to the production. He went on to explain just how long he's been aware of the project and further gushed over what intrigues him about him:
I was aware of it before it got going. I knew about the initial ideas of it and stuff, but NCIS: Origins sounds to me something that could be very, very cool. I mean, Gibbs in the early days of NIS and back when it was called NIS and not NCIS, I think that will be really interesting, and I’m looking forward to seeing it.
As mentioned, the prequel isn't the only offshoot that 's being developed. Paramount+ subscribers can also look forward to a Tony and Ziva-centric spinoff that will see Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo reprise the titular characters, who will be on the run across Europe. The NCIS franchise is continuing to branch out in some exciting ways, and I'm so here for it!
Since the Gibbs-focused show is expected to air sometime during the 2024-25 season on CBS, there’s a possibility it could pop up somewhere on the 2024 TV schedule. Hopefully, fans don’t have to wait too long for it but, regardless of how long that'll be, I'm confident that it'll be worth the wait. Yes, there are still more than a few details we don't know about the production, and we've yet to even see any actual footage. However, Sean Murray's positive thoughts are enough to make me feel pumped about what's to come.
