Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Season 1, Episode 6 of NCIS: OriginsWith NCIS: Origins covering Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ (Origins: Austin Stowell, NCIS: Mark Harmon) beginnings with the federal organization back when it was called NIS, it shows a period barely talked about in NCIS. The prequel series also stars younger versions of characters featured in NCIS like Mike Franks (Origins: Kyle Schmid, NCIS: Muse Watson), Jackson Gibbs (Origins: Robert Taylor, NCIS: Ralph Waite), and Vera Strickland (Origins: Diany Rodriguez, NCIS: Roma Mafia). By having these characters, NCIS: Origins gets to show how these relationships in Gibbs’ life get to where they are in NCIS.
With NCIS: Origins taking place in 1991, it's far enough removed from the other series in the NCIS franchise. Since this part of Gibbs' life hasn't been fully explored, it gives the creative team the freedom to draft interesting storylines and introduce new characters. The major twist in the NCIS: Origins series premiere revealed Gibbs is telling a story about Lala Dominquez (Mariel Molino), one of the members of Franks' team at NIS. NCIS: Origins Episode 6 "Incognito" is Lala's first big focused story as she deals with being a capable field agent along with the pressures of being a woman in society. This episode of NCIS: Origins not only delivers great character development and teases future revelations about Lala, but it also manages to sneakily include the introduction of a major NCIS character.
Tobias Fornell Makes His 'NCIS: Origins' Debut
In NCIS: Origins Episode 6, Gibbs and the NIS team are investigating the death of a Petty Officer who worked on classified projects at the Naval Weapons Station. Looking to get more intel on the Petty Officer's files, Franks has Cliff Wheeler (Patrick Fisher) reach out to one of his contacts, FBI Detective Noah Oakley (DaJuan Johnson). When they meet in a Mexican restaurant, Oakley has his subordinate, a young Tobias Fornell (Lucas Dixon), give Franks and Fisher the information they're looking for. Since this is set over a decade before the NCIS series premiere, Fornell isn't the clever and experienced agent that Joe Spano plays him as. Although Fornell's only scene (so far) in NCIS: Origins doesn't include Gibbs, his inclusion in the series is exciting for longtime NCIS fans.
Fornell is the last original NCIS cast member after being featured in the series premiere and a handful of episodes in the first season. He became a beloved character as he would go on to be featured in about one episode every year except in Seasons 17 and Season 22 (so far). Although Gibbs and Fornell would argue a lot, watching them work together on a case was also interesting. Even when they are at odds with one another, it shows a lighter side to Gibbs that he doesn't show to his fellow members at NCIS. With NCIS: Origins following Gibbs during the aftermath of the biggest tragedy of his life, the murder of his wife and daughter, Fornell's introduction to the series opens the door for interesting possibilities.
'NCIS: Origins' Can Fix a Major 'NCIS' Plot Hole
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In NCIS Episode 1 "Yankee White," Gibbs and Fornell argue over case jurisdiction when a Navy Commander dies aboard Air Force One. While it seemed like it was their first time meeting, it was later revealed that Gibbs and Fornell go way back. After Shannon Gibbs' death (Dani J. Scott), Gibbs eventually moves forward and marries a woman named Diane Sterling (Melinda McGraw). But the two get divorced, which is when Fornell enters the picture as he shows an interest in Diane. Gibbs warns Fornell not to marry her, but they go through with it anyway and have a daughter together before they also get divorced. Knowing this now, it's strange to revisit the NCIS series premiere, as Gibbs and Fornell act like they've never met before or address their dramatic history. It's possible that Gibbs and Fornell agreed to never speak about their past if they ever ran into each other again.
With NCIS: Origins getting a full season order, there are opportunities to unpack even more stories from Gibbs' past. Since viewers never got to learn about Gibbs and Fornell's first interaction, NCIS: Origins can show whether Gibbs and Fornell started as friends or if they were already at odds with one another from the very beginning. By establishing NIS has an FBI contact, it allows the series to easily bring in Fornell whenever necessary and give fans the long-awaited answer about Gibbs and Fornell's first meeting.
NCIS: Origins airs Monday nights on CBS in the U.S., with new episodes available the next day on Paramount+.
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