Mark Harmon “There to Help” behind the camera as “NCIS” prequel producer

Mark Harmon is taking a step behind the camera for the coming year NCIS Prequel.

“I'm there to help and talk to them or tell them what I remember from my time in this situation. But that’s her thing,” Harmon, 73, told CBS News in an interview published on Friday, October 11.

Harmon, perhaps best known for his role as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs on the CBS drama series NCIS has been going behind the scenes as executive producer and narrator for the upcoming spin-off prequel for almost two decades. NCIS: Origins. Austin Stowell will star in the new series as a younger version of Gibbs.

“From day one (Harmon) was available,” Stowell told CBS. “He’s so good at making people feel supported on this show.”

Set in 1991, NCIS: Origins will follow Stowell's young Gibbs during his early years as a fledgling NCIS agent, delving deeper into his backstory and personal history.

“This is a chance to really dig into it,” Harmon said Originsand points out that young Gibbs is in “bad shape” at the start of the prequel, as he is still grieving the loss of his wife and child.

Stowell told the outlet, “Loss is something we all struggle with, and for Gibbs, it's something that has torn him to the core.” The prequel will also feature popular locations from the original NCIS Series that premiered in 2003, including Camp Pendleton and Daley's Tavern. (Harmon portrayed Gibbs on screen for 18 years before exiting the original series in 2021.)

Stowell also raved about the opportunity to work on the Paramount lot. “You come here and audition for years and all of a sudden you’re handed a badge with your name on it,” he said, adding that it can be nerve-wracking at times. “I was very confident in what I could bring to the character, and as soon as you walk in the room everything just blows away.”

NCIS: Origins was ordered by CBS in January for the 2024-2025 broadcast season. According to the official summary NCIS: Origins follows Gibbs as he “begins his career as a newly minted special agent in the fledgling NCIS office at Camp Pendleton, where he secures his place on a tough, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks.”

NCIS: Origins Premieres on CBS on Monday, October 14 at 10 p.m. ET.