NCIS: Origins Creators Reveal Mark Harmon Key Detail That Will ‘Destroy’ Fans’ Hearts

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The recent episodes of NCIS and NCIS: Origins included a special crossover event, bringing back Mark Harmon as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Harmon played this character for 19 seasons on the original NCIS series.

David J. North and Gina Lucita Monreal, the creators of NCIS: Origins, recently spoke with Entertainment Weekly about a detail Mark Harmon appeared to overlook regarding his famous character. Monreal explained that the crossover episode explores a central part of Gibbs’ personality: his strong commitment to helping victims, which sometimes borders on being all-consuming.

As a big fan, I always loved Gibbs’ famous rule: “When the job is done, walk away.” It was so central to this recent episode! Seeing Mark Harmon, even in a quick appearance during the crossover, recite it at the end of the first part was amazing. Apparently, hearing him say it actually made Sean Murray laugh! Sean told me Mark even shared something afterward – something he thinks fans are going to hate. He even said it might really upset some long-time viewers, which is pretty intense!

I was chatting with Mark Harmon the other day while we were recording his voiceover. We were talking about episode 5, and how much of it revolves around rule number 11 – ‘When the job’s over, walk away.’ It’s amazing how much fans love those rules! I asked Mark if he even knew any of them, and he actually said the only one he remembered was something about a knife! It was so funny – both me and Monreal just burst out laughing. It’s become such a big part of NCIS over the years, it’s great to see how people connect with those rules.

Gibbs Was Known for his ‘Rules’

The naval investigator had a few guiding principles, like trusting your gut – if something feels off, it probably is. He also advised finding ways to work within the system, but not to push things too far, and, jokingly, never touch a Marine’s coffee! Mark Harmon’s character, Gibbs, left NCIS in 2021, but he’s still an important part of the show, even narrating episodes of the Origins series each week. In a recent crossover episode, Gibbs says, “Thirty years go by faster than you think.” He continues, explaining that while memories fade, it’s hard to forget the people affected by the cases. He used to carry pictures of the victims in his notepad, a practice he admits goes against typical advice to emotionally detach from the job and compartmentalize difficult experiences.

I’m really excited about NCIS: Origins! It’s a prequel, and Austin Stowell does a fantastic job playing a young Agent Gibbs. The cast is great too – you’ve got Kyle Schmidt, Tyla Abercrumbie, Mariel Molino, Diany Rodriguez, Caleb Foote, and Patrick Fischler all involved. If you’re an NCIS fan like me, or just curious about the show’s beginnings, you can catch both NCIS and NCIS: Origins on CBS or stream them on Paramount+.

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2025-11-15 20:06