Fans are losing it—and for good reason. After years of teases and heartfelt farewells, Mark Harmon is officially stepping back into the boots of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, the stoic heart of NCIS, for a once-in-a-lifetime Veterans Day crossover event: NCIS: Origins. Airing November 11, 2025, on CBS, this 90-minute special isn’t just a reunion—it’s a homecoming that dives deep into Gibbs’ past, unearthing the moments, heartbreaks, and hard lessons that forged the man who became television’s ultimate lawman. With familiar faces, shocking secrets, and the kind of emotional storytelling that reminds us why we fell in love with Gibbs in the first place, it’s the gift no one saw coming. Nostalgia, suspense, and pure television magic, all wrapped in one unforgettable night.
The NCIS universe, which has captivated 20 million viewers weekly since 2003, bid a bittersweet adieu to Harmon’s Gibbs in Season 19’s 2022 finale, where the Marine vet sailed off into retirement after 20 seasons of unyielding integrity. Harmon, 74, stepped away to focus on family and producing, but his shadow loomed large—Gibbs’ moral compass guided spin-offs like NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: Hawaii. Now, Origins resurrects him for a prequel-flavored special, flashing back to Gibbs’ early days as a young Marine investigator in the 1970s. “Gibbs wasn’t born unbreakable—he was built in fire,” Harmon shared at the Veterans Day press preview. “This is his origin story: the losses that hardened him, the loves that lingered, the cases that cracked his code.”
The episode weaves Gibbs’ flashbacks with present-day cameos, bridging eras as NCIS agents uncover a cold case tied to his past—a 1970s murder linked to a corrupt Navy contractor. Sean Murray reprises Timothy McGee, now leading the team, while Wilmer Valderrama’s Nick Torres digs into the archives, unearthing shocking secrets that force Gibbs to confront ghosts from his Marine days. “It’s full circle,” Murray said. “Gibbs shaped us—now we shape his legacy.” Emotional cameos from David McCallum’s Ducky (via archival footage) and a surprise from Pauley Perrette’s Abby Sciuto add layers of nostalgia, blending heartbreaks like Gibbs’ first lost partner with hard lessons in loyalty and loss.
Fans are exploding with excitement: #GibbsReturns trended with 1.5 million posts pre-air, gushing “The comeback we never thought we’d see!” and “Veterans Day perfection—honoring heroes like Gibbs.” Critics previewing episodes praise the “vintage NCIS glow with fresh fire,” calling it “emotional storytelling at its finest.” Harmon’s Gibbs, grizzled but glowering with that trademark intensity, anchors the hour, his rare vulnerability—a glimpse of the man behind the rules—hitting like a gut punch.
NCIS: Origins isn’t mere revival—it’s reverence, tying Gibbs’ silent strength to Veterans Day’s tribute to service. In a franchise of 1,000+ episodes, this special proves: Some legacies aren’t retired—they’re reloaded. As Gibbs whispers, “Rules are rules,” fans whisper back: Welcome home.
