Network television is entering a very interesting era. Audiences are starting to get fatigued with the huge array of streaming services on offer. What’s more, they are looking for long-form storytelling that matches the traditional formula they are used to from TV programming. While the likes of Disney+ and Netflix are still popular, those limited, single-season runs, with 6 to 8 shorter episodes, are growing tiresome. Fans are hoping to see something more procedural, or at least for more variety to be on offer. They are thus turning back to cable and network TV in the hope of getting back to the old ways of production. That provides these studios with an incredible opportunity, and audiences should not be surprised to see more reboots, spinoffs, and original ideas in the works as these companies fight for this ever-growing section of the audience.
For CBS, NCIS has always been a particularly prominent franchise to rely upon. Procedural emergency dramas akin to Grey’s Anatomy have been performing spectacularly both on TV and on streaming platforms. It’s logical that CBS would, therefore, go back to a tried and tested formula to continue reaping its benefits. NCIS has always been a multitude of things, with the police and military procedural bringing together moments of action, intense romance, aspects of crime thrillers and significant dramatic twists, thus keeping audiences entertained since 2003. There’s something rather timeless about NCIS, and perhaps that’s why it is still relevant today. Fans will be thrilled to know that yet another spinoff has been in the works, which looks to do something a little different with the franchise. How the viewer base reacts to this departure from the norm remains to be seen though.
NCIS: Origins Takes the Franchise In a New Direction
With So Many Spinoffs, a New Idea Was Needed
NCIS has been pretty linear in its storytelling thus far. Each new spinoff usually takes place after the last, focusing on a different roster of characters, usually in a new location. It’s rare to go back, and while all the shows, of course, exist within the same universe, there is a sense that with each new title, a completely different audience could tune in and not need to know anything about what came before. That formula is changing somewhat with this latest edition, though, with NCIS: Origins acting as a prequel.
It was the original NCIS in 2003 that first drew audiences to the concept, and it has grown exponentially ever since. But to capitalize on that early popularity, CBS are going back to the themes of the original NCIS, creating an origin story for Leroy Jethro Gibbs. The Special Agent was a star in that original run, and the character will be narrating his own journey as he gained his footing within the organization. There will naturally be other cameos and connections throughout this origin tale, but CBS is also willing to create new characters and arcs to engage new fans, too.
- There are 1007 episodes and 46 Seasons across the NCIS franchise.
- Hawaii Five-O once crossed over with NCIS.
- The franchise also shares a universe with the likes of MacGyver and Magnum P.I.
- There are 3 video games inspired by NCIS: NCIS (2010), NCIS (2011) & NCIS: Hidden Crimes (2016).
NCIS: Origins must be many things for many people, both encouraging newcomers and welcoming long-time fans with a balancing act that will surely be hard to muster. Narratively, the show is said to take place in the NIS Camp Pendleton office, where Gibbs, who is new to his role, finds his place within an unlikely team led by the NCIS legend Mike Franks. It’s a premise with a lot of room to grow, and fans will see how the show finds its feet in the early episodes, which may become something more.
So, in the NCIS timeline, NCIS: Origins will be the very first port of call for audiences and thus encourages fans to watch through the entire run in chronological order. Despite the fact that NCIS aired in 2003 initially, NCIS: Origins will actually take place some time before, in 1991. This also gives the showrunners plenty of room to dive into further seasons if the series proves itself to be a hit. They have cleverly not backed themselves into a corner, leaving enough room until the familiar NCIS then comes into the picture.
Key Cast & Crew are Returning
It Wouldn’t Be an Origin Show Without Some Familiar Faces
For NCIS: Origins to be truly effective, it needs some familiar faces to lend their talents to the piece. Noticeably, almost all the known characters that will appear have been recast to line up with the time difference. It’s hardly an origin story, after all, if the actors that portray the characters look older than their initial appearance. Fans can have fun spotting the known names as they emerge on the screen, and it should be interesting to see how many of these operatives earned their stripes in the early days.
However, there is one noticeable returner who truly brings the show together. With the series focusing on Leroy Jethro Gibbs, it seemed as if there would have to be a few more nods to the original NCIS run. Well, the executives have managed to come up with a great plan that gently introduces viewers to this new world. Mark Harmon, who portrayed Gibbs in that first run, will be returning as an older version of the character. In a break from convention, Harmon will be providing the narration for the show, allowing fans to keep track of what’s happening and giving them a view into Gibbs’ mind. With Harmon playing the retired operative, there’s also a chance to gain more of an insight into what happened next in the story.
Ceci Bear, J. Bird Productions, Wings Productions and CBS Studios will all be producing on the show, with many of those studios involved in previous seasons of NCIS. While it was Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill who first created the series, this latest version is being executive produced by Mark Harmon, Sean Harmon, Gina Lucita Monreal, David J. North, and Niels Arden Oplev.
Interestingly, both North and Monreal have become modern mainstays of the production team across the NCIS series, meaning the origins spinoff is in capable hands. What’s more, Mark Harmon will be providing his expert knowledge of the iconic character alongside his son, Sean Harmon, who portrayed a younger version of Gibbs in flashbacks of the original show. This truly has become a family affair, therefore, with a crew that has a huge amount of respect for the character and this world.
The Show Will Play to the Franchise’s Core Audience
Despite The Changes, Fans Can Expect More of the Same
The series will be shot on digital, in contrast to the earlier techniques used on the original NCIS. Despite the best efforts to ensure that the series looks of its time, the production value will seem a lot more modern compared to the first NCIS run. NCIS: Origins will also run on CBS like its counterparts but will likely be sold off to a streaming service soon afterward. The likes of Disney+ and Paramount+ have already hosted the franchise, and NCIS: Origins will be a massive get for one of them.
Even though so much is changing, especially the departure from the formula and focus on origin stories, there will still be plenty of familiar elements for long-term fans. NCIS: Origins is set to have a full-season run and will not be treated as a limited series. It will also seemingly continue production as it goes to air, like so many conventional shows, allowing the storylines to slowly adapt based on the audience’s perception. That’s a far cry from the streaming platforms’ approach to creative decision-making.
NCIS: Origins is set to launch on October 14th, 2024, and will be a massive part of the scheduling wars against networks like ABC, who are also pushing their procedural dramas for the Fall. The first three episode titles have been confirmed, with Episodes 1 and 2 forming the “Enter The Sandman” arc before Episode 3 moves into the one-off “Bend, Don’t Break.” Both Episodes 1 and 2 will launch on the same day as the big premiere. The pilot is directed by Niels Arden Oplev, with Gina Lucita Monreal and David J. North on writing duties.
NCIS: Origins is heading for the screen and audiences should be excited to see how this change of pace will influence the near two-decade-long franchise. The series will prove to be a vital testing ground for some of the other unusual NCIS spinoffs that CBS is cooking, with the traditional idea of moving from location to location shifting with the debut of NCIS: Tony & Ziva, which will likely replace NCIS: Origins, down the line. This is an important chapter in a franchise that has proven to be able to reinvent itself, but with no confirmation of a sequel series getting the greenlight just yet, for the time being, fans may just have to treat NCIS: Origins as a one and done departure from the usual path.