A familiar NCIS star, or a new NCIS Origins star, is rarely forgotten. According to devout fans and crime show enthusiasts, the character of Gibbs will squarely belong to Mark Harmon. In the new NCIS Origins show, Austin Stowell has assumed the role of a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs to mixed online reviews. Many have received Astin Stowell with acclaim, declaring him to be “the best choice” to portray the stoic NCIS star.
The storyline seems to be a compelling prequel to the CBS show that conceived the NCIS franchise, spanning several cities, i.e., Los Angeles, New Orleans, etc., and critics will keep an eye on Origins‘ developments. But how will Stowell develop as a character in his own right in Gibbs’ (Mark Harmon) shadow?
Mirror Image
“Austin is a good kid and a nice actor,” Mark Harmon told Parade on November 13, 2024. “I think back to the original show, say the first four years, and the molding of the show and how many changes there were in those first four years. There were huge changes, and you expect it’s going to be no different on this.”
Harmon is no stranger to the screen and begins the narrative of NCIS Origins, picking up in Alaska on a fishing trip. This is a young Gibbs without the darkness, without the trauma of losing his wife and little girl.
Mirrors show us a reflection, but not an exact one: it is in reverse, and NCIS warranted a look back. According to news sources, Stowell said “he felt like the luckiest man in the world” after the first week of filming for NCIS Origins. “That’s how I feel here. It’s only Week 1. But we’re doing something very special here.”
NCIS Origins‘ Long Shadow
According to Hello! Magazine, Stowell commented, “I don’t think I’ll ever quite get comfortable because, at the end of the day, Gibbs will always be Mark Harmon’s character, and I’m playing the younger version of that.” Once one of the top TV shows, NCIS still enjoys a legacy stretching from 2003 until Harmon left the show in 2021. However, Gibbs’ character casts a long shadow, cutting out any actor’s work for them.
Stowell is now part of the NCIS franchise, the network of twists and turns (remember the romance of DiNozzo and Ziva?) and unexpected events. True to form, NCIS captures the uncertainty of living in the modern world of criminal investigation. A story bigger than all of its players.
