Mark Harmon’s NCIS prequel, “NCIS: Origins,” has received a straight-to-series order from CBS and is set to explore the early life of Leroy Jethro Gibbs. A fan-favorite character, Vera Strickland, portrayed by Roma Maffia, will also receive the origin story treatment in the prequel. Strickland, introduced in season 11 of the original NCIS series, was the one-time partner of the late Mike Franks, who will also be featured in a younger version in “NCIS: Origins.” The spinoff, set in 1991, follows Gibbs as a newly minted special agent at NCIS Camp Pendleton. Mark Harmon serves as the narrator and executive producer alongside his son Sean. The series is expected to air during the 2024/25 US TV season.