NCIS: Origins Season 3 will finally answer the question Mark Harmon’s Gibbs kept buried for two decades. The show’s creator and stars broke down how the prequel’s biggest mystery shapes both timelines this season.
NCIS: Origins Season 3 will explain Gibbs and Lala’s untold history
NCIS: Origins Season 3 will finally reveal why Gibbs never mentioned Lala, according to an exclusive TV Insider report. Showrunner David J. North confirmed the long-running mystery will receive a definitive answer this season.
Mark Harmon appears onscreen in all 10 episodes of Season 3, stepping back into the role after two previous guest appearances. His narration will be less prominent this time. North described the present-day storyline as “one of the most epic adventures that Mark’s Gibbs has ever been on.”
The season picks up right after the Season 2 finale’s kiss between Gibbs and Lala. North teased that events transpired immediately after that moment. He also promised things between the pair “will continue to advance.”
Austin Stowell, who plays young Gibbs, said his character “feels so strongly about Lala” and wants to ensure he “doesn’t get this one wrong.” Mariel Molino, who plays Lala, noted her character “needs to know that whatever he’s feeling for her is real and true and not just the redhead of the year.”
Harmon acknowledged the weight of the mystery. “I did 20 years of this show and never mentioned her name,” he said. “There’s got to be a reason for that.” He added that Lala “is special, and there’s lots of reasons for that.”
A present-day mystery ties directly to Gibbs’ early ’90s Camp Pendleton days. Randy’s kidnapping from the Season 2 finale serves as the “genesis” for that thread, according to Molino. Bobby Moynihan returns as Woody across both timelines. North revealed that “Woody owes Gibbs a favor, and Gibbs collects when he needs help in the present day.”
Harmon will also step back into the familiar NCIS office this season. North described filming those scenes as “surreal” and said fans “are going to lose their minds.” NCIS: Origins Season 3 premieres Tuesday, October 6 on CBS.
