Mark Harmon returns to ‘NCIS: Origins’ for bigger Season 3 role
Mark Harmon is all set to make his return to the upcoming ‘NCIS: Origins’ Season 3. He will be seen reprising his role as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. In 2021, Harmon left the series after 18 seasons. However, as of now, he has been confirmed to appear in the upcoming season. According to CBS’s June 30 announcement, the 74-year-old actor will return to the NCIS series. He has been executive producer and narrator for the show since 2024. As the network mentioned, he will be seen in “Present-day mystery tied to his ‘90s Camp Pendleton days in an action-packed story that unfolds all season long.”
The prequel series’ storyline revolves around young Gibbs (Austin Stowell) and his time leading up to ‘NCIS.’ ‘Origins’ is set in everyone’s favorite era, the ‘90s, and stars additional cast members, including Kyle Schmid, Tyla Abercrumbie, Mariel Molino, Caleb Foote, and Diany Rodriguez. Viewers enjoyed Harmon playing the iconic role for 18 seasons on ‘NCIS.’ Back in 2024, when the series premiered, he made a brief appearance, followed by a Veterans Day crossover event between ‘NCIS’ and ‘NCIS: Origins’ in November 2025. It featured younger Gibbs along with his team investigating a small-town death. It was a naval officer’s death case in the ‘90s featured on ‘Origins,’ which was surprisingly reopened in the present day featured on ‘NCIS.’
The third season will have David J. North as the showrunner along with executive producers Sean Harmon, Mark Harmon, Michele Greco, and ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ alum Eric Christian Olsen. It is being produced by CBS Studios. Highly anticipated ‘NCIS: Origins’ is scheduled to air on Tuesdays on CBS, followed by the fall premiere. CBS broke the news via an Instagram post on June 30. The caption reads, “The story he never told enters a new chapter... Mark Harmon will return to NCIS: Origins as Gibbs for all episodes of Season 3.”
In his November 2025 interview with The Wrap, Mark Harmon reflected on reprising his role on the upcoming season. Talking about the role he has been playing, he noted, “People talk about him being in solitude a lot, and I think that’s a very comfortable place for him. He might have had more of a challenge with the public part of (his work) He added, “It’s interesting to be able to reveal a glimpse of how he is living. It’s a very short little bit, but the audience will get a chance to know things about him that they don’t know already.” While referring to the ‘Origins’ creators Gina Lucita Monreal and David North, Mark added, “They’re growing the character, which 20 years ago, is what interested me in doing this in the first place.” At the time, he was not looking forward to doing a TV series and he did not expect to like the character. But that was “good writing.” CBS will soon announce the premiere date for ‘NCIS: Origins’ Season 3.
