NCIS: Origins’ Latest Episode Highlights the Struggles of the Flagship Seriesโ Storytelling
The latest episode of NCIS: Origins continues the trend of highlighting the challenges that the NCIS franchise has been facing, particularly in its flagship series. After returning from its winter break, both the Major Case Response Team (MCRT) led by Alden Parker and Mike Franksโ Camp Pendleton squad have new episodes. This marks a pivotal moment in the franchise’s history, as Origins is the first prequel in the series, which makes crossovers difficult due to the different timelines involved. However, comparing the two series reveals some key insights into their storytelling struggles.
Since Mark Harmonโs departure from NCIS in season 19, the flagship series has been attempting to reinvent itself. Unlike Gibbs, Parker is more open with his agents, something that initially made long-time members like Tim McGee and Nick Torres uncomfortable. As NCIS moves on from its former lead character, Origins is centered around Gibbs in its earlier episodes, but this focus has shifted in 2025. In the past two episodes, the prequel relegates Gibbs to a background role.
In NCIS: Origins episode 12, โTouchstone,โ the main focus is on NIS custodian Kowalski, whose office is ransacked, uncovering a deeper emotional connection to his past experiences during the war. While the investigation into what happened takes up the majority of the episode, Gibbs’ presence feels largely inconsequential to the plot. Heโs partnered with Lala Dominguez, but the story would have moved forward just as effectively without his involvement.
This shift in Gibbs’ role, especially in the context of Origins, underscores a larger issue in the NCIS franchise: as the show continues without its central character, the storytelling feels less cohesive, often sidelining characters who once carried the narrative.
