Iconic locations provide perfect backdrop for 'NCIS: Origins', the much-anticipated NCIS prequel
LOS ANGELE, CALIFORNIA: 'NCIS: Origins' premiered on CBS on October 14, 2024, taking us back to the early career of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, one of television’s most iconic characters. This prequel to the NCIS series explores Gibbs's first steps as a special agent in the Naval Investigative Service (NIS), the organization that eventually became NCIS. Set in 1991, the series features Austin Stowell as a young Gibbs, with narration by Mark Harmon, the actor who made the character famous. Through 'NCIS: Origins', we get a glimpse into the experiences that helped shape Gibbs into the determined, no-nonsense agent he is known to be.
To bring Gibbss' early adventures to life, the show was filmed in real-world locations that fit the military and investigative tone of the story. The production team shot scenes in two key places: San Pedro and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, both in California. These locations helped give the series the authentic, military feel essential to its storyline.
San Pedro, California
San Pedro is a neighborhood in Los Angeles with a strong connection to the sea, making it a great choice for a show that focuses on naval investigations. Its waterfront views and proximity to naval bases allowed the production team to create realistic settings for the early 1990s world of the Naval Investigative Service. Many scenes were filmed around San Pedro's ports and naval facilities, using the area’s historical and maritime background to make the show's investigative scenes feel authentic.
By filming in San Pedro, the creators were able to immerse viewers in a world where the sea and naval activities are central to the story, echoing the real-life roots of Gibbs' career in naval law enforcement.
Camp Pendleton, California
Camp Pendleton, one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the United States, was another crucial location for filming. The vast base, with its military infrastructure, provided the perfect backdrop for scenes featuring Gibbs’s early years in the NIS. The base has a long history of being used for military-related films and shows, and for 'NCIS: Origins', it brought an added layer of realism.
Filming at the actual location where NIS was once headquartered, in repurposed World War II barracks, gave the show an extra touch of authenticity. The series was filmed in early 2024, using these iconic locations to tell the story of Gibbs’s beginnings in the world of naval investigations.
'NCIS: Origins' trailer
