Is Mark Harmon Returning To NCIS In 2024? Here's What Gibbs Fans Need To Know

From its 2003 debut, Mark Harmon was the face of the "JAG" spin-off, "NCIS." His work as the stern and dutiful Leroy Jethro Gibbs elevated his stock in the entertainment world and helped make the crime procedural a small-screen favorite. However, like many of his co-stars, he ultimately chose not to see the series through to its still-unforeseeable end. Harmon decided to leave "NCIS" behind early on in Season 19, bidding audiences farewell after 18 years and leaving them to wonder if he'd ever return to the series he became synonymous with.

Now years removed from Harmon's "NCIS" exit, it has come to light that he is returning to the franchise — in a manner of speaking. The "NCIS" saga continues to expand, and one way it's doing so is with a prequel series dedicated to Gibbs' younger years. Titled "NCIS: Origins," the series puts Austin Stowell front-and-center as the youthful version of Gibbs, with Harmon contributing as an executive producer and narrator, presumably as the older Gibbs. At the time of publication, it's a mystery whether viewers can expect Harmon to play his old role in person at any point. And it's also worth noting that he's not the only Harmon who will contribute to "NCIS: Origins."

Through flashbacks, "NCIS" fans have already spent some time with young Gibbs. The most notable example comes from the episode "Everything Starts Somewhere" from Season 18, where it's revealed how he and tenured medical examiner Donald "Ducky" Mallard (Adam Campbell) met decades before the events of "NCIS." In this episode and several others, young Gibbs is portrayed by none other than Mark Harmon's real-life son, Sean, who will contribute to "NCIS: Origins" from behind the camera.

Alongside his father, Sean will serve as an executive producer on the upcoming prequel series, and he seems eager to do so. "I always felt there was a tale worth telling about his earlier years, so I am thrilled to be stepping into a producing role alongside [writers Gina Lucita Monreal and David J. North] and my dad as we tell this story and reveal a new side of this beloved character," he said when "NCIS: Origins" was announced back in January. Sean Harmon also cited the importance of the Gibbs character to him personally, having watched his father develop it over the years and given it a try himself (via Variety).

"NCIS: Origins," the latest addition to the ever-expanding "NCIS" timeline and the platform for Mark Harmon's grand return to the franchise, aims to debut sometime in 2024.