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NCIS: Origins Season 2 recap: What to remember before Season 3 debuts on CBS

The prequel spinoff's third season will arrive fall 2026.

Guides by Avery Kaplan, Contributing writer

Published on Wed Aug 19 2026

Can't get enough of NCIS, CBS's longest-running scripted drama series? Fortunately, the popular police procedural drama has several spinoffs that are coming back for more seasons, including NCIS: Origins Season 3. So what can you expect from the upcoming third season when it debuts on CBS this fall?

What is NCIS: Origins?

Despite the title, NCIS: Origins isn't actually a show about the beginnings of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) office, per se. Instead, it follows a younger version of Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Austin Stowell) as a newcomer to the Naval Investigative Service (NIS) branch at Camp Pendleton, the forerunner to the NCIS. In addition to learning the ropes of that service, Gibbs is also processing the recent death of his wife and daughter. Gibbs was the original lead character of the core NCIS show, and left NCIS - the show and the department - midway through season 19.

Mark Harmon, who originated the role of Gibbs on NCIS, returns to play the older version of the character, who narrates the series. Harmon will appear in every episode of NCIS: Origins Season 3, as part of a season-long present-day mystery that unfolds alongside the 90's prequel storyline.

What happened in the NCIS: Origins Season 2 finale?

The NCIS: Origins Season 2 finale left several storylines in play for the upcoming third season. The episode, "Hollywood Ending," saw the Camp Pendleton NIS branch facing a possible shutdown due to an operational scandal. Meanwhile, Gibbs and Special Agent Cecilia "Lala" Dominguez (Mariel Molino) shared their first romantic kiss. And finally, Special Agent Bernard "Randy" Randolf (Caleb Foote) is kidnapped. In addition to these developments, there was also a development behind the scenes, as co-showrunner Gina Lucita Monreal stepped down at the conclusion of the show's sophomore season.

NCIS: Origins Season 2 will debut on CBS on Tuesday, October 6th, 2026 at 10:00 PM/9:00 PM central, and the episodes will be available for streaming the next day on Paramount+.

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Avery Kaplan: Avery lives and writes in Southern California. She is the co-author of Double Challenge: Being LGBTQ and a Minority with her spouse, Rebecca Oliver Kaplan. Avery is Features Editor at Comics Beat, and you can also find her writing on StarTrek.com, The Gutter Review, Geek Girl Authority, and in the margins of the books in her personal library.