Warning! Spoilers ahead for the NCIS: Origins pilot.
WhileNCIS: Originsis a great show on its own, its premiere had striking similarities to the originalNCISpilot over 20 years ago.NCIS: Originsis the latest spinofffrom theNCISfranchise, and it will follow Gibbs at the start of his career with NIS before the organization becameNCIS. TheNCIS: Originspremiere had a significantly darker tone than any episode ofNCIS,but it also included several callbacks to the pilot episode that started it all.
NCIS: Originsfeatures Austin Stowell as the young Gibbs, but it will also show Mark Harmon returning to the classic role as he offers a closer insight into Stowell’s Gibbs. Besides the reappearance ofMark Harmon’s Gibbs,NCIS: Originshas also taken inspiration from other classic aspects ofNCISepisodes. As a result, theNCISspinoff has revealed that some things never change.
8FBI Comes In To Fight Over Jurisdiction With NIS/NCIS
NCIS Rarely Gets Along With The FBI
Both theNCISpilot and theNCIS: Originspremiere showed tension between the FBI andNCIS. Asthe FBI is a higher-ranking organization, they declared jurisdiction and priority and attempted to take over the case in both episodes. In the NCIS pilot, the stakes were higher as the death in question was of a commander in the US Navy who had just had lunch with the president shortly before he died. Fortunately,NCISwas able to claim jurisdiction because the death was connected to military personnel. The characters inNCIS: Originswere not as lucky.
NCIS: Origins Lied About Its True Story & How It Can Change Everything We Know About Mark Harmon’s Gibbs
NCIS: Origins isn’t exactly Leroy Jethro Gibbs' story, and its true narrative has the ability to change Mark Harmon’s character’s narrative.
InNCIS: Originsepisode 1, “Enter Sandman,” the team began their investigation as usual before they were rudely and unceremoniously interrupted by the FBI. Even when they had a suspect in custody, they had to dig through records and conduct research to try and find a military connection to the victim or suspect in question.In the end, they succeeded in retaining and charging the suspect, but not without several FBI distractions along the way.
7NCIS: Origins & NCIS First Cases End With A ZNN Broadcast
ZNN, anNCISnews broadcasting channel, appeared in both series' premieres. SeveralNCISspinoffs use ZNN in their episodes, so it made sense to have it appear in the first episode ofNCIS: Originsas well. The use of the fake news channel also acts as a common thread among allNCISspinoffs.ZNN even acts as an inside jokesince it is so similar to the American news channel, CNN.
The use of ZNN is one of the most noticeable similaritiesbetween theNCISpilot and theNCIS: Originspremiere. The channel is important in theNCISuniverse because it reveals how the information thatNCISsees firsthand appears to the public. Certain details are always kept out.
6Gibbs' Independence
Gibbs Has Always Wanted Things Done His Own Way
NCIS: Originshas shown thatGibbs' independence started at an early stage in his career. Throughout the premiere, his boss,Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid), had to constantly remind Gibbs to share his findings and theories with the group. Gibbs is still new to the job, so he likely just needs to warm up to how things work at NIS and will begin to share things more freely as time goes on. However, his desire for independence did not stop there.
Gibbs also started a conflict with Lala Dominguez (Mariel Molino) whenhe wanted things done his way. It took Franks yelling at him to stand down for him to back down. As Gibbs is still a subordinate inNCIS: Origins, he must follow the orders that he is given. However, there is almost nothing stopping him inNCIS. TheNCISpilot also showed Gibbs' independence and desire to do things his way. But with no direct supervisor, at least not one like Franks, he is free to conduct his work the way he wants.
5NIS/NCIS Is A Fringe Agency In Both NCIS: Origins & NCIS
The Agency Is Small But Mighty
Beyond having to often fight for jurisdiction over cases,NCISalso has to fight for recognition. The agency is a very real organization, it is just not as well known. This is the sentiment that both series' premieres revealed. In theNCISpilot, when Gibbs and Tony (Michael Weatherly) try to board the plane that has the dead Navy commander, the security guard almost does not let them in as he does not recognize their badge. Luckily, Ducky saves the day and the security guard lets them all in, but for a moment, there could have been a bureaucratic nightmare.
NCIS: Originsseason 1 takes place in 1991 and the NIS agency will officially become NCIS in 1992.
By the time theNCISpilotoccurs, the organization has existed for several years and the guard’s ignorance could be explained by his inexperience. However, inNCIS: Origins,NCIS has only existed for a short time, making it hard to get other agencies to give them the respect they deserve. Part of this is the reason why Lala was removed from the scene of the crime when she was investigating the dead body inNCIS: Origins. It is a joke in both premieres that NIS/NCISis a low-tier agency.
4Gibbs' Leadership
Gibbs Is Heavily Inspired By Mike Franks
Both the premieres ofNCISandNCIS: Originsshowed a certain kind of leadership, but through different characters. In theNCISpilot, Gibbs is a strong, loyal, and considerate leader. He might do things unconventionally at times, like when he threatened and accusedCaitlin Todd (Sasha Alexander)for being involved in the murders, but overall, he is a good and professional leader.
In the spinoff, Gibbs is a timid shell of the person he later becomes, but his leadership style inNCISis clearly inspired by Mike Frank’s.
These same qualities are seen in Mike Franks inNCIS: Origins. In the spinoff, Gibbs is a timid shell of the person he later becomes, but his leadership style inNCISis clearly inspired by Mike Frank’s. Franks is also strong and considerate.He is a skilled interrogator, and he works hard at his job. However, he also dabbles in working off the books, as theNCIS: Originspremiere revealed his personal interests sometimes overlap with his professional ones.
3Bureaucracy In The Background
Bureaucracy Is The Leading Obstacle In NCIS
Another common thread in allNCISspinoffs is the mundane bureaucratic obstaclesthat lurk in the background of each episode. The premieres ofNCISandNCIS: Originswere no different. In theNCISpilot, “Yankee White,” Tobias Fornell (Joe Spano) is seen making a phone call with Todd’s supervisor, Secret Service Agent William Baer, to negotiate a deal that the FBI and Secret Service will be in charge of the murder investigation, instead ofNCIS. This occurs in the background, while theNCISteam is working hard on uncovering the killer.
The first episode ofNCIS: Originsalso features some bureaucratic obstacles. The Special Agent in Charge, Cliff Walker, who is played by Patrick Fischler, has to deal with several angry agencies and organizations as he tries to maintain NIS jurisdiction over the case. While most of his conversations happen off-screen,there is a very real threat in the background of the episode that NIS will lose the casebecause of administrative decisions.
2Mark Harmon’s Wisdom
The premieres of bothNCISand its Gibbs spinoff highlight the wisdom that Mark Harmon’s Gibbs possesses. TheNCIS: Originspremiere started off solemn, with Gibbs sharing his thoughts on grief. AsNCIS: Originsfocuses on Gibbs' life shortly after the loss of his first wife and daughter,Harmon’s wisdom comes as a touching tribute to Gibbs' biggest losses.Harmon’s narration is a powerful addition to the spinoff, as he can give additional insight into young Gibbs' state of mind and set the tone for the spinoff.
NCISseason 1, episode 1 introduced the first three Gibbs rules: never let suspects stay together; always wear gloves at a crime scene; don’t believe what you’re told, double check.
TheNCISpilot also highlighted Gibbs' knowledge when it first introducedGibbs’NCISrules. Throughout the episode, Gibbs tells Todd a series of rules he has created, which set up a huge aspect of Gibbs' character in later seasons. After the third rule, Todd jokes, “Should I write these rules in my PalmPilot?” The tone inNCISepisode 1 is comedic and very different from that inNCIS: Origins,but Gibbs' wisdom is present in both.Mark Harmon’s Gibbs has gained a significant amount of experience, which led him to the creation of his rules and his insights on grief.
1Romantic Tension
Both Premieres Hinted At Romantic Relationships
The final similarity between both series' premieres is the romantic tension that is present in both.Gibbs and Todd’s interactions in theNCISpilot are highly chargedwith romantic and sexual tension. This is heightened in the middle of the episode when Todd gets sick, and it is revealed that she was in a relationship with one of the murder victims. She asks if Gibbs will criticize her for being in a relationship with a colleague, to which Gibbs replies, “No,” and the two stare at each other for a moment too long.
A more muted tension exists in theNCIS: Originspremiere between Lala and Gibbs. However, the interest is one-sided at the moment. As Gibbs is still grieving the loss of his family, he does not have the emotional capacity to think of anyone else. But, the conversation between Lala and Vera Strickland (Diany Rodriguez) has hinted at a future connection between Gibbs and Lala. Their conversation together alsorevealed that Lala cares for Gibbsand does not want to see him get hurt, as she still thinks he is not ready for the job since he failed his psych evaluation.
NCIS: Origins
Cast
NCIS: Origins is set in 1991, preceding the events of the original series. The series introduces Leroy Jethro Gibbs as a new special agent at NCIS Camp Pendleton. Under the leadership of NCIS legend Mike Franks, Gibbs navigates his role within a tenacious, unconventional team.
