Casting for the role of Vera Strickland in the NCIS: Origins spinoff just created a timeline inconsistency for the franchise that has been seven years in the making. The franchise announced that it would be adding yet another spinoff to the NCIS universe with the creation of NCIS: Origins. The spinoff will premiere in the fall 2024 TV schedule and will explore the backstory of central NCIS character Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
Focusing on his backstory will explore characters who are central to the story of Jethro Gibbs, and that includes Vera Strickland. The character appears in the flagship series and a younger version of the special agent will appear in the cast of NCIS: Origins. While the role of Vera Strickland has been cast, the NCIS: Origins casting follows a trend that creates inconsistencies for the franchise when the entire body of NCIS work is carefully explored.
Vera Strickland’s Actor Diany Rodriguez Already Appeared In The NCIS Universe
Diany Rodriguez Appeared As Agent Garcia In NCIS: New Orleans
When examining the NCISverse as a whole, the young Vera Strickland will look familiar to those who have followed the other NCIS shows. Diany Rodriguez has been cast to play the young special agent and partner of Mike Franks, and it isn’t the actor’s first appearance in the NCIS franchise. Rodriguez already appeared in one of the NCIS universe’s many spinoff shows as a different character seven years ago.
Rodriguez appeared in the cast of NCIS: New Orleans. Diany Rodriguez portrayed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Agent Garcia in NCIS: New Orleans season 4, episode 1, “Rogue Nation.” She was stationed at the New Orleans NCIS office helping to coordinate helicopter movements on an inter-agency operation. In the episode, she was shown interacting with team lead Dwayne Pride (Scott Bakula).
Vera Strickland’s Casting Continues A Trend For The NCIS Franchise
Multiple NCIS: Origins Actors Have Appeared In The NCISverse Before
The casting of Vera Strickland in NCIS: Origins continues an old habit of the NCIS franchise that sees it produce timeline inconsistencies with its casting choices. These inconsistencies are born when roles are cast using actors who have made appearances in the franchise before as different characters. When examined with a watchful eye, these actors appearing as different characters form tears in the logical fabric of the NCISverse.
Diany Rodriguez’s NCIS: Origins casting is part of a trend for the expansion series that sees timeline problems created for the sake of reviving an actor to play another character. This also happened with NCIS: Origins’ Cliff Walker’s casting. The spinoff cast Patrick Fischler for the role of Cliff Walker in NCIS: Origins, even though the actor had appeared once before in the NCISverse as Glen Smith in NCIS: Hawai’i season 1, episode 14, “Broken.” Smith was an agent with the CIA.
The NCIS: Origins casting trope forecasts how the franchise will operate when casting its spinoffs moving forward. The showrunners’ willingness to risk inconsistencies in the NCIS universe timeline with their casting decisions shows that they put more value in casting an actor they know will click in the role. Plus, using characters that have appeared on the show before ensures that they will be at home within the franchise’s brand of police procedural.