Mark Harmon Is Officially Bringing Gibbs Back in a Way ‘NCIS’ Fans Have Waited Years For
The ‘NCIS’ universe has never fully let go of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, even after Mark Harmon stepped away from the flagship series back in 2021. Fans have kept holding out hope that the character who defined the franchise for nearly two decades would find his way back to screen in a meaningful way, rather than just a passing mention.
That patience is about to pay off in a big way. Variety has learned that Harmon will play Gibbs in a season-long arc across the upcoming third season of the prequel series ‘NCIS: Origins.’ Harmon will appear on screen in every single episode of the season, marking the most substantial on camera return for the character since his exit from the mothership show.
Per CBS, Harmon’s storyline centers on a present-day mystery tied to his ’90s Camp Pendleton days, unfolding across an action-packed narrative that runs the entire season. The setup ties directly into the earlier seasons of ‘NCIS: Origins,’ which follow a younger Gibbs, played by Austin Stowell, as he cuts his teeth at the NIS office in Camp Pendleton during the early 1990s.
This will actually be Harmon’s third appearance on the spinoff, but the first time his character is woven into the entire story rather than showing up for a brief cameo. He most recently appeared on screen during the November 2025 crossover event between ‘NCIS’ and ‘NCIS: Origins,’ which revealed that present-day Gibbs was still living quietly in Alaska, now with a dog for company.
Beyond his onscreen return, Harmon has stayed closely tied to the prequel series, narrating every episode as an older version of Gibbs and serving as an executive producer alongside his son Sean Harmon. Harmon played Gibbs for more than 18 seasons on the original ‘NCIS,’ departing in Season 19 when the character chose to remain in a remote part of Alaska instead of returning to active duty.
The timing lines up with how ‘NCIS: Origins’ closed out its second season, which ended with Gibbs and Lala sharing a long-awaited kiss, while another storyline saw team member Randy kidnapped after uncovering something he was not meant to find. Those loose threads should give Season 3 plenty to build on as Harmon’s arc unfolds alongside the younger cast.
The rest of the ‘NCIS: Origins’ ensemble remains intact, with Kyle Schmid, Mariel Molino, Tyla Abercrumbie, Diany Rodriguez and Caleb Foote all returning. Season 3’s executive producers include David J. North, Sean Harmon, Michele Greco and Eric Christian Olsen, with CBS Studios producing.
‘NCIS: Origins’ Season 3 will air Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET this fall on CBS, with episodes also streaming on Paramount+. With Harmon fully back in the fold for an entire season, the prequel finally gets to connect its two eras of Gibbs in a way that feels earned rather than teased. How do you think this Camp Pendleton mystery will reshape everything fans thought they knew about Gibbs’ past?
