Life on Mars?

Come for the nostalgia, stay for Tilda, Portishead, Bowie, 007, and the Oxford comma. Please support my fic writing by supporting my coffee habit!  kofiwidget2.init('Support Me on Ko-fi', '#29abe0', 'J3J51DKKS');kofiwidget2.draw(); var sc_project=12343267; var sc_invisible=1; var sc_security="25ea5a3d"; var sc_https=1;

[the-last-rat-standing]

And then one day you find-

10 years have got behind you*. Or 18. I literally found out that Vance died on NCIS through a recommended exit interview video while I was watching YouTube. o_O That's how long it's been since I had anything to do with NCIS.

I watched the episode and man, if it felt like the end of an era when Mark Harmon left, it really does feel final now. Yeah, I know Sean Murray's holding on with Brian Dietzen clutching Sean's leg, but it's all wispy tendrils to a past that doesn't exist anymore even if they still use Gibbs whenever they need a plot point. It was ironic to hear Vance tell Jimmy it was time to let go, because it felt like the show telling fans that everyone needs to move on at some point when they can't quite do it themselves. Though again, why Gibbs never shows up for these funerals of his closest friends is so shitty. But anyway...

Kudos to Rocky Carroll for pulling off an incredibly moving performance. His growth as Vance over the years was organic and natural. Think of how far he came since the days of Ziva and Jackie! Along the way, he became one of the pillars of the show and part of the backbone that helped prop it up when MH left. He will be sorely missed. (I mean, by anyone still watching the show.)

(*Pink Floyd hits harder when you get older.)

[the-last-rat-standing]

Coming back to this, let me guess- they didn't have an on-screen funeral for him. I'm making this assumption because there was no news of Mark Harmon or Maria Bello coming back for a cameo. You know, the actors of the 2 characters who had the deepest relationships with Leon. LoL!

[the-last-rat-standing]

And then one day you find-

10 years have got behind you*. Or 18. I literally found out that Vance died on NCIS through a recommended exit interview video while I was watching YouTube. o_O That's how long it's been since I had anything to do with NCIS.

I watched the episode and man, if it felt like the end of an era when Mark Harmon left, it really does feel final now. Yeah, I know Sean Murray's holding on with Brian Dietzen clutching Sean's leg, but it's all wispy tendrils to a past that doesn't exist anymore even if they still use Gibbs whenever they need a plot point. It was ironic to hear Vance tell Jimmy it was time to let go, because it felt like the show telling fans that everyone needs to move on at some point when they can't quite do it themselves. Though again, why Gibbs never shows up for these funerals of his closest friends is so shitty. But anyway...

Kudos to Rocky Carroll for pulling off an incredibly moving performance. His growth as Vance over the years was organic and natural. Think of how far he came since the days of Ziva and Jackie! Along the way, he became one of the pillars of the show and part of the backbone that helped prop it up when MH left. He will be sorely missed. (I mean, by anyone still watching the show.)

(*Pink Floyd hits harder when you get older.)

[storybookprincess]

so a very long time ago, my dad worked with an arson investigator

this guy was often one of the first people on the scene following a suspected arson, once emergency services had done what they needed to do. at times, there were also civilians on the periphery. often, they were freaking out, and understandably so; their home or workplace had just, quite literally, gone up in smoke

this investigator wouldn’t try to calm them down. he wouldn’t comfort them or be a shoulder to cry on.

instead, he’d walk up to the person most visibly losing their shit, hand them a fire extinguisher, and say “hey, can you keep an eye out for any other fires, and if you see one, can you put it out with this?”

of course, there was no actual risk of another fire. he wouldn’t be on the scene investigating if there was even a chance that the fire wasn’t completely put out. but the bystander didn’t need to know that

because that person, without fail, would immediately pull it together, take the fire extinguisher, and stand guard. they were, at least temporarily, calm enough for this investigator to do this job

my dad has told me the parable of the fire extinguisher a hundred times, and i think about it a lot. i think about what it says about people and crises. i think about what it says about the grounding power of having a purpose. and i think about the importance of letting someone help me through something, even if that help is just going to be another casserole to throw into the freezer, because useless or not, that fire extinguisher might be the only thing holding them together

[the-last-rat-standing]

I think one of the good things about stepping away from a show and revisiting it years later is how the time lessens the emotions. Or, more to the point, when you step away from a show that left a sour taste in your mouth, you're not caught off-guard by the same ol' tartness.

I make the distinction, because seeing Michael Keaton in the Flash movie after 20+ years was exhilarating, because the character represents such a pivotal, exciting time in my life. On the other hand, NCIS screwed me over so many times with their shitting writing and mind-boggling plot decisions that watching 'Origins' tonight barely moved the needle on my Disappointment Gauge.

First, let me say, it was good to see Mark again. However he left, whatever happened behind the scenes, it was really good to see him. Damn, I missed that guy. And seeing him again will be the thing I take from this episode, because in the end, the rest is all insignificant fiction.

But let me just say a couple of things. (You knew I would!)

What a weird episode. Like 'Deliverance' if it was set in dirt town that'd never seen Big City Folk before. So incredibly trope-y that I was half expecting a little old lady to give Franks and Gibbs an apple pie and a warning to get out of town. (Funnily enough, someone did give them a warning.) The men walking around with a scowls and shotguns. The 3 guys cranked up on meth smashing up shit. The pregnant pretty store owner. The sheriff who doesn't have much to do. Honestly, the only thing the writers missed was not having one of the men spit a big ol' splat of chew on Gibbs' boots.

Congrats to everyone who called it- the "he's not alone" tease was totally a dog. This is how predictable these writers are, I swear to god.

Where did Gibbs get that photo of him and Lala (and the other guy- I don't watch the show enough to know other characters)? He dropped his ass down in Alaska without ever returning to D.C. It wasn't folded, so he wasn't carrying it in his wallet for THIRTY YEARS. How'd it get from wherever it was in his house to Alaska? I realize it's nitpicking, but these are details that make good writing.

And for the biggest letdown- as good as it was to see him, I have to ask, what was the point? When Gibbs didn't show up for Ducky's funeral, we were told by Steven Binder that there would have to be a good reason for Gibbs to return... and this was the good reason? Genuinely, what the actual fuck was that about? Two minutes of him sitting in his cabin, writing in a book and talking to a dog? THAT'S what brought Mark back?? I don't get it, man, I really don't.

But as I mentioned at the beginning, I wasn't entirely surprised. I was barely disappointed. Everyone involved in the character and the show (and I'm sad to say, I lump Mark Harmon in that group) gave up on both a long time ago and are just going through the motions now. I may watch the 2nd part someday just to see who did it. But probably not.

(Addendum: By the time I finished this post, the 2nd part was almost over, so I watched. So the killer was some guy we didn't even see in the first episode? Hahahaha!! You know, it's somehow comforting to know the writing is still the same.)

[from-stone-to-hallows]

I saw the TV Line article revealing that it was a dog, and went to your page straightaway to see if you wrote any thoughts. I haven’t watched the episode, and after reading your thoughts, I see I don’t need to. I’m glad we were all right in the thinking that it was probably a fake out and it would be a dog. It’s a relief it was and not some other woman or the one who only exists in Origins.

I’m with you though, what was the point of bringing Mark back for this? I read an interview they did with him recently, and he said it was intriguing and that was why he agreed to make an appearance—but it doesn’t sound intriguing at all. Gibbs can’t come to Ducky’s funeral, can’t pop up for any other important event, but he can pop up to keep writing in that journal, either by a fire or in his house with a dog? It’s just odd. And him having a picture? Yeah, where did that come from? How did he get it in Alaska?

Like you said, the overall conclusion is that the show and the writer’s tricks have not changed. They still continue to do the same baits, the same plots, the same fallbacks.

On Mark being lumped in with the others on not caring, yup, that was the vibe I got in the interview article as well. In fact, his last few episodes on the flagship show, I remember being surprised at how unemotional he was. He really seemed so relieved to just be done. After two decades, I can’t say I blame him. When I watched Freakier Friday this year, it seemed like he was relieved to finally be doing something else. He had spirit again. Bro probably just wants to either be totally done or have new projects and characters.

[the-last-rat-standing]

I was waiting for the episode to be something really meaningful to Gibbs and that's why it was necessary for Mark to show up. But it wasn't. I suppose learning Rule 11 (When a job is done, walk away) has some importance, but I expected this case to be the one he couldn't shake, you know? Like the guy was wrongfully convicted because Gibbs couldn't find evidence to prove otherwise. Maybe the guy dies in prison and his son tracks down Gibbs and begs him to re-open the case to honour his father? Gibbs could've worked remotely with the D.C crew to solve it. If Mark didn't want that much screen time, it could've all been done over the phone. As it was, does Gibbs even know the case has finally been solved after 30 years? How did the guy's son find all the evidence that Gibbs and Franks couldn't find? (Granted, that may have been revealed in the 2nd part I didn't watch.)

[the-last-rat-standing]

I got pulled away from the computer before I could finish the thought. Lol!

Right, so the case- a nothing burger that gave no real reason for Mark's brief return. So why did he return?

Some theories-

'Origins' isn't doing all that great so he thought he might bump up the ratings. (Though the ratings are measured in so many different ways now; I'm not sure what the networks give to advertisers or what numbers the advertisers might look for.) His oldest son is part of the producing team and maybe it's Dad's way of making sure the gravy train stays on track for another season?

He doesn't know what else to do. He's been in the business for over 50 years and has worked pretty much non-stop from the very beginning. It might be all he knows. (Life-wise, not actual knowledge.) I have a lot of teacher mentors who have retired in the last few years, and while that first year is exciting and open and 'freedom!', they're coming into their 3rd and 4th year of retirement and seem a bit lost. They taught for 40 years- had 40 years of structure and routine and direction- but now they're sort of floundering. I wonder if he feels the same. It's clearly one reason why he agreed to do the voice-overs for 'Origins'. It gives him something regular and consistent to do, like he's done for 50 years.

Which probably leads to this point- it's easy. It's what he knows best. I'm not saying he doesn't want to do something new and fresh, but I think there are limitations to what he can do, both because of his age and maybe because of a lack of creative people knocking on his door. He will always be Gibbs, and that's both a positive AND a negative.

I think that last year for him was a bitter one. I don't have direct sources, but it seems to be common knowledge (first reported in The Hollywood Reporter) that CBS held his feet over the fire and said they'd cancel the show if he didn't come back after season 18. I imagine it would be hard to do a job with a smile on your face when you've basically been extorted to do so.

The dog and the photo are classic NCIS writing, aren't they? They literally 'teased' something potentially important to the character, then pulled the football away. Again. I'm sure the producers thought that was the slyest trick in the book when everyone and their dog (no pun intended) knew that it was going to be bullshit. The photo is the NCIS classic technique of introducing something/someone only when they serve the scene, never to be explained or seen again.

You'll never get the full story or a true opinion out of Mark Harmon, and I understand. The majority of these people literally grew up with him in their lives and he sees so many of them as family. I just hope he doesn't actually think this shit is good, because that would be the biggest disappointment from a show that's full of them.

[the-last-rat-standing]

I think one of the good things about stepping away from a show and revisiting it years later is how the time lessens the emotions. Or, more to the point, when you step away from a show that left a sour taste in your mouth, you're not caught off-guard by the same ol' tartness.

I make the distinction, because seeing Michael Keaton in the Flash movie after 20+ years was exhilarating, because the character represents such a pivotal, exciting time in my life. On the other hand, NCIS screwed me over so many times with their shitting writing and mind-boggling plot decisions that watching 'Origins' tonight barely moved the needle on my Disappointment Gauge.

First, let me say, it was good to see Mark again. However he left, whatever happened behind the scenes, it was really good to see him. Damn, I missed that guy. And seeing him again will be the thing I take from this episode, because in the end, the rest is all insignificant fiction.

But let me just say a couple of things. (You knew I would!)

What a weird episode. Like 'Deliverance' if it was set in dirt town that'd never seen Big City Folk before. So incredibly trope-y that I was half expecting a little old lady to give Franks and Gibbs an apple pie and a warning to get out of town. (Funnily enough, someone did give them a warning.) The men walking around with a scowls and shotguns. The 3 guys cranked up on meth smashing up shit. The pregnant pretty store owner. The sheriff who doesn't have much to do. Honestly, the only thing the writers missed was not having one of the men spit a big ol' splat of chew on Gibbs' boots.

Congrats to everyone who called it- the "he's not alone" tease was totally a dog. This is how predictable these writers are, I swear to god.

Where did Gibbs get that photo of him and Lala (and the other guy- I don't watch the show enough to know other characters)? He dropped his ass down in Alaska without ever returning to D.C. It wasn't folded, so he wasn't carrying it in his wallet for THIRTY YEARS. How'd it get from wherever it was in his house to Alaska? I realize it's nitpicking, but these are details that make good writing.

And for the biggest letdown- as good as it was to see him, I have to ask, what was the point? When Gibbs didn't show up for Ducky's funeral, we were told by Steven Binder that there would have to be a good reason for Gibbs to return... and this was the good reason? Genuinely, what the actual fuck was that about? Two minutes of him sitting in his cabin, writing in a book and talking to a dog? THAT'S what brought Mark back?? I don't get it, man, I really don't.

But as I mentioned at the beginning, I wasn't entirely surprised. I was barely disappointed. Everyone involved in the character and the show (and I'm sad to say, I lump Mark Harmon in that group) gave up on both a long time ago and are just going through the motions now. I may watch the 2nd part someday just to see who did it. But probably not.

(Addendum: By the time I finished this post, the 2nd part was almost over, so I watched. So the killer was some guy we didn't even see in the first episode? Hahahaha!! You know, it's somehow comforting to know the writing is still the same.)

[from-stone-to-hallows]

I saw the TV Line article revealing that it was a dog, and went to your page straightaway to see if you wrote any thoughts. I haven’t watched the episode, and after reading your thoughts, I see I don’t need to. I’m glad we were all right in the thinking that it was probably a fake out and it would be a dog. It’s a relief it was and not some other woman or the one who only exists in Origins.

I’m with you though, what was the point of bringing Mark back for this? I read an interview they did with him recently, and he said it was intriguing and that was why he agreed to make an appearance—but it doesn’t sound intriguing at all. Gibbs can’t come to Ducky’s funeral, can’t pop up for any other important event, but he can pop up to keep writing in that journal, either by a fire or in his house with a dog? It’s just odd. And him having a picture? Yeah, where did that come from? How did he get it in Alaska?

Like you said, the overall conclusion is that the show and the writer’s tricks have not changed. They still continue to do the same baits, the same plots, the same fallbacks.

On Mark being lumped in with the others on not caring, yup, that was the vibe I got in the interview article as well. In fact, his last few episodes on the flagship show, I remember being surprised at how unemotional he was. He really seemed so relieved to just be done. After two decades, I can’t say I blame him. When I watched Freakier Friday this year, it seemed like he was relieved to finally be doing something else. He had spirit again. Bro probably just wants to either be totally done or have new projects and characters.

[the-last-rat-standing]

I was waiting for the episode to be something really meaningful to Gibbs and that's why it was necessary for Mark to show up. But it wasn't. I suppose learning Rule 11 (When a job is done, walk away) has some importance, but I expected this case to be the one he couldn't shake, you know? Like the guy was wrongfully convicted because Gibbs couldn't find evidence to prove otherwise. Maybe the guy dies in prison and his son tracks down Gibbs and begs him to re-open the case to honour his father? Gibbs could've worked remotely with the D.C crew to solve it. If Mark didn't want that much screen time, it could've all been done over the phone. As it was, does Gibbs even know the case has finally been solved after 30 years? How did the guy's son find all the evidence that Gibbs and Franks couldn't find? (Granted, that may have been revealed in the 2nd part I didn't watch.)

[the-last-rat-standing]

I think one of the good things about stepping away from a show and revisiting it years later is how the time lessens the emotions. Or, more to the point, when you step away from a show that left a sour taste in your mouth, you're not caught off-guard by the same ol' tartness.

I make the distinction, because seeing Michael Keaton in the Flash movie after 20+ years was exhilarating, because the character represents such a pivotal, exciting time in my life. On the other hand, NCIS screwed me over so many times with their shitting writing and mind-boggling plot decisions that watching 'Origins' tonight barely moved the needle on my Disappointment Gauge.

First, let me say, it was good to see Mark again. However he left, whatever happened behind the scenes, it was really good to see him. Damn, I missed that guy. And seeing him again will be the thing I take from this episode, because in the end, the rest is all insignificant fiction.

But let me just say a couple of things. (You knew I would!)

What a weird episode. Like 'Deliverance' if it was set in dirt town that'd never seen Big City Folk before. So incredibly trope-y that I was half expecting a little old lady to give Franks and Gibbs an apple pie and a warning to get out of town. (Funnily enough, someone did give them a warning.) The men walking around with a scowls and shotguns. The 3 guys cranked up on meth smashing up shit. The pregnant pretty store owner. The sheriff who doesn't have much to do. Honestly, the only thing the writers missed was not having one of the men spit a big ol' splat of chew on Gibbs' boots.

Congrats to everyone who called it- the "he's not alone" tease was totally a dog. This is how predictable these writers are, I swear to god.

Where did Gibbs get that photo of him and Lala (and the other guy- I don't watch the show enough to know other characters)? He dropped his ass down in Alaska without ever returning to D.C. It wasn't folded, so he wasn't carrying it in his wallet for THIRTY YEARS. How'd it get from wherever it was in his house to Alaska? I realize it's nitpicking, but these are details that make good writing.

And for the biggest letdown- as good as it was to see him, I have to ask, what was the point? When Gibbs didn't show up for Ducky's funeral, we were told by Steven Binder that there would have to be a good reason for Gibbs to return... and this was the good reason? Genuinely, what the actual fuck was that about? Two minutes of him sitting in his cabin, writing in a book and talking to a dog? THAT'S what brought Mark back?? I don't get it, man, I really don't.

But as I mentioned at the beginning, I wasn't entirely surprised. I was barely disappointed. Everyone involved in the character and the show (and I'm sad to say, I lump Mark Harmon in that group) gave up on both a long time ago and are just going through the motions now. I may watch the 2nd part someday just to see who did it. But probably not.

(Addendum: By the time I finished this post, the 2nd part was almost over, so I watched. So the killer was some guy we didn't even see in the first episode? Hahahaha!! You know, it's somehow comforting to know the writing is still the same.)

[the-last-rat-standing]

Hey, quick question- is Mark Harmon in the NCIS episode tonight or just 'Origins'?

[sunshineandlyrics]

Emma Thompson's views on AI on the Stephen Colbert Show, 28 October 2025.

[the-last-rat-standing]

Look at me, back on the NCIS bullshit. LoL!

I made a post yesterday that outlined how quickly things went south in season 18, all in the span of 10 episodes-

Breena died off-screen in episode 7

Jack beats Gibbs to the punch in the I'm-just-going-to-up-and-leave-everything-behind 'plot' by plopping her ass down in Afghanistan, episode 8

Emily dies in episode 9

Bishop leaves her family and team behind to become a super agent in episode 16

But what I didn't mention was how early in season 19 Gibbs left, which really highlights just how fast everything went down. Because imagine if season 18 had been a regular length season? (NCIS normally ran 24 episodes. Season 17 ran 20 because it was shortened by COVID, and season 18 started late, also due to COVID lockdowns.)

Season 18 was 16 episodes, meaning, had it run its usual 24, the Breena/Jack/Emily episodes would've happened before the Christmas break and theoretically, Gibbs would've left in episode 20 (though they probably would've waited until the season finale). How crazy is that?? It just shows you how-- well, I don't know what it shows, to be honest. I was going to say, it showes how anxious the writers were after Mark Harmon gave his notice, but how would that affect the 4 female characters who got the boot? Yes, I know Emily Wickersham and Maria Bello wanted to leave, but just because MH was leaving didn't mean their storylines had to go down the way they did. And why build up that entire Fornell/drug storyline only to kill off Emily? What was the point in killing off Breena, unless the writers had already decided to make Palmer the quasi-romantic lead and needed him to be a widower? (I can't believe I typed that out.)

Man, looking back on that season and the beginning of season 19 is like a fever dream. Four years have gone by and I'm still gobsmacked by just how much of a shitshow it was.

[from-stone-to-hallows]

“Jack, I called you.”

[from-stone-to-hallows]

This was almost 5 years ago. Goodness. Sometimes it feels like those glorious Slibbs days were not that long ago. Bless those of you who like and reblog these posts so that I can remember them and smile at the nostalgia.

[the-last-rat-standing]

I love his laugh there. It's so genuine. Man, I miss them.

[dwaynepride]

you guys remember when fornell had a multiple episode arc about him single handedly taking down this drug ring that had caused his daughter to get addicted and he went through hell to get justice for her and then she just straight up dies later that SAME season from an overdose. how fucked was that.

[the-last-rat-standing]

Oh, season 18 was the bomb, man! Especially if you're a woman!

-Breena died off-camera. (Admit it- you forgot.) -Emily died for no fucking reason at all, except now Fornell's a member of the 'Wife and Daughter Died Club' with bestie Gibbs. -Jack stuffed her go-bag with lollipops and never came back from Afghanistan. -Bishop decided she wanted to abandon her family in Oklahoma (admit it- you forgot them, too) and become a super-secret agent type person for... reasons.

Yes, that all happened in ONE season. A season that had 16 episodes. In fact, Breena's death was episode 7, Jack left in episode 8 and Emily died in episode 9. Good times, good times. And by 'good times' I mean, holy fucking hell.

[mandy426]

‘NCIS: Origins’ To Feature Guest Appearance By Mark Harmon During Crossover Event With ‘NCIS’

'NCIS: Origins' To Feature Guest Appearance By Mark Harmon During Special Crossover Event With 'NCIS'

[from-stone-to-hallows]

Just an anti-Origins rant, so look away if you can’t deal with it 😂. (I apparently only come on here to whine now, I apologize.) I guess I’m curious if anyone else feels the same, but I think all the people on here I used to share these opinions with also never go on here anymore. I’m probably ranting to myself at this point.

I haven’t been able to watch Origins since the first two episodes, because any new Gibbs stuff with it has gone against original canon. I’m glad other people can enjoy it, but to a longtime Gibbs fan who has written and read so much fanfiction and was very into the messy timeline, the new show has just gone against all my Gibbs enjoyment. An article mentioned that Gibbs won’t be alone in this appearance. If the bait is typical like the flagship show always did, then he is with a dog or something, or maybe has a visit from someone in NCIS.

If it is Lala, (who I still refuse to accept as canon) it once again is a slap to the face to any of us original Gibbs fans. To any of us who were invested in Jenny, or Hollis, or Sam, or Jack, or whoever your canon girlfriend preference was for Gibbs. Like, did we all seriously go through 19 seasons of wondering, just for it to be someone that was never once mentioned in all that time? For it to be someone who never existed until Origins and was only created for a new story and more unnecessary drama? Any of us who endured to the end of his time on NCIS know that if he is in Alaska with any woman, it SHOULD be Jack—or at least anyone else we invested time with in the original canon show.

[the-last-rat-standing]

Hallowe'en seems to be a good time for me to rise from the dead and talk about Mark Harmon/NCIS like the good ol' days. Lol!

I will preface this by saying I haven't seen a single episode of 'Origins' and I haven't watched NCIS since MH left, so I have no idea who Lala is, but does it matter? As you say, if she shows up with him, it will go against everything we know of the character during his 19 years of character development. Imagine the idea that he's finally found peace after Shannon with a character no one who doesn't watch 'Origins' will know. The other issue is, how much can we learn about their present relationship in 45 minutes? How much time will be spent on convincing us this is a plot line we should support? Chances are, very little time. So what's the real point? Which is why I'm hoping (and leaning towards) your idea that it will be a fake-out.

Now, let me get to the real heart of the matter for me-

Do we remember why Gibbs wasn't in the Ducky tribute episode?

"Of course the door is always open [for Harmon]. When we bring him back, we're not going to bring him back for two minutes. It's got to be something special." -Steven Binder

At the time, I said there would be no reason more special than Ducky/David McCallum's death, and I haven't changed my mind. If he couldn't show up for Ducky's funeral, I don't see any reason for him to show up now. It feels a little like a slap in the face, truth be told.

And then it puts the spotlight on all the loose ends that were left behind when he just up and left in the first place. Now, these questions might have been answered on the show already -as I said, I haven't watched it since MH left- so if someone knows these answers, please let me know! But here we are:

-Who has been taking care of Gibbs' house since Ducky died? -Does everyone now know Gibbs is alive? Because the last we saw while Gibbs was still on the show was the press conference tricking the killer (and everyone Gibbs knew) that he was dead. -Does he know Bishop's gone? -Did someone send him a care package of his necessities, or did he literally buy everything new that he didn't have in his go bag? -He's been gone for 4 years, so is that it when it comes to visiting Shannon and Kelly's grave? Don't get me wrong, that would be the healthiest thing for him, but it's not at all what the character has been for the 19 years we knew him. -He literally just up and left (or up and stayed, I suppose). What happened with everything that goes with something like that? As I mentioned, there's his house. But there's also his personal belongings at work. All his personal belongings at home. His truck. His muscle car. Is he now officially retired?

I know it this all sounds mundane, but it's also detail that makes good writing. It's also detail I suspect we won't get and we'll just be expected to sort of gather all the loose ends together ourselves and forget about them. And you know what? I get that. After 4 years, I'm sure the writers have moved on and hope we have, too. It's one reason I stopped watching the show and haven't tuned into 'Origins'- it's part of my own 'moving on' process. But when the show then brings back the character who left with all these questions, I don't know what they expect other than viewers to wonder if we'll finally get answers.

[from-stone-to-hallows]

I’m thrilled to see you back! I’ve always appreciated your feedback on these matters. Like you said, many have moved on. I am never on here and am involved in another fandom these days, but I do get brought back when current Gibbs is involved. I’m glad you have been moving on in other areas of life too.

Lala is the chick in Origins that is apparently the woman he loved and never talked about until now. They have scenes of Mark as Gibbs in the first two episodes sitting around a campfire in Alaska writing about her and that story. It’s such a bizarre plot line after all the years of NCIS and her never existing before.

It is still strange that they never had Gibbs come back for Ducky’s death. He comes back for random scenes in Origins, like the campfire and now this likely fake-out, but not anything important for the original show? This sounds overly dramatic, but I think something happened bts and there are some bad feelings, because none of it has made sense. Not to mention, the way they keep changing Gibbs’ character in Origins and not honoring things we knew before or making up entire new characters and plots.

From what I’ve seen and heard, Gibbs’ house is still there. I think they recently had a scene of McGee in the basement. So I guess it’s just sat there the whole time? Who knows if anyone has been taking care of it. I believe from the random stuff I’ve seen that people know he is alive too, but I’m not positive. I don’t know the answers to most of your questions, and like you said, it’s those small details that matter in writing. It’s the stuff that makes the character and keeps us invested. It’s the stuff that gives us extra fuel to work with for fanfiction.

Which has always been a problem with NCIS from the start. Fanfiction writers never had a consistent timeline, not enough details surrounded by other random details, and things that were said and then completely changed later on. Kate grew up with brothers—oh wait, years after she’s died it turns out she has a sister who will be our temporary therapist and then never be acknowledged again. Gibbs has an Uncle—actually he seems to have no relatives other than his dad who later dies. He worked with Jenny and Ducky and Stan Burley undercover—actually years later we’re going to say it was him and Jenny and Mike Franks, even though it would have been after Mike retired. Gibbs hadn’t seen his father since the funeral—actually in Origins we’re going to have his dad stay with him for a while.

Anyway, needless to say, they always bring up new random things that don’t make sense rather than build on what they’ve already said and done. The only thing that stays consistent is him endlessly mourning his wife and daughter by being a whore and having endless surprise girlfriends, fiancées, and wives.

[the-last-rat-standing]

Because everyone and their dog knew the timeline was going to handcuff the writers, I wouldn't have blamed them if they'd just come out and said, "Listen- we didn't expect the character to be around for 19 years. We were only concerned about getting renewed for the first few seasons, and by the time the show got huge, we'd already fucked up. So we're just going to start 'Origins' with a clean slate. The one constant will be the Shannon/Kelly/Gibbs story; that's it."

Shit, multiverses are all the rage, so just go down that route. 'This is an alternate timeline' or some such bullshit. It would've gotten some criticism, but I truly think anyone who followed the show for 15+ years would've understood. Just come out and say what we all knew- the timeline was a disaster and it made it difficult to write cohesive events that made sense with what we already knew of the character. It'd been that way on the show for over a decade, and they could be forgiven for not wanting to burden the new show with that particular albatross. But instead, as I said in a previous post, they willingly dragged it along with them and somehow managed to make it WORSE.

I will be very interested in seeing 'NCIS' on Tuesday (for the first time in 4 years), but probably not for the reasons the showrunners think.

[bertruce]

I love Mariel Molino. She’s talented, magnetic, she gets the emotional core of her character. I genuinely wish her Lala had a real story arc — she and Mariel deserve that.

But I can’t stand what’s happening in NCIS: Origins lately. When was the last time Gibbs even mentioned Shannon? I swear it’s been a hundred years since we heard her name. How long has it been in the Origins timeline since Shannon and Kelly’s deaths? A year? Two? Against thirty years of grief we saw in the main show — thirty years of pain, silence, sawdust and boats in a basement, coffee cups and ghosts — this feels so hollow.

I don’t know what other viewers were expecting from Origins, but I wanted canon. I wanted depth. I wanted answers to the questions fans have been asking for over twenty years. I wanted to see Diane — the real Diane, the one who lit up every scene, the woman who was sharp, funny, flawed, and unforgettable. I wanted to understand how Gibbs ever let someone in again after Shannon. How that love even became possible. How a man who built his entire life around loss decided to marry again.

For God’s sake — not because he “fell for Lala” (a woman who doesn’t even exist in the original show!) and married Diane because “it was safer.” That’s a lie. A blatant, painful lie.

In the original show, Gibbs loved Diane. Her leaving shattered him. Even in season 3, he was still doing his little ritual dances around that memory — the boat he had built for her, the one that carried all his grief and love. That wasn’t nothing. Diane mattered to him so deeply that after the divorce, he built that boat and named it after her. The same way he built “Kelly.” That’s how important she was.

And now they’re telling us Diane didn’t matter — while literally showing us that she did. We saw the way he looked at her. The way he opened up to her. The way he knelt down to kiss her. That wasn’t indifference. That was love.

And then — bam! Again, Gibbs is a confused little boy who can’t make up his mind, staring at Lala with that same pathetic, guilty-puppy expression. And the background chorus of Randy and Mary Jo is singing, “He loves Lala,” “He’s only with Diane because it’s was safe.”

That’s not how you write good stories. That’s not how drama works. That’s how you write when you’re doing it last minute, when you’re chasing fanservice, when you can’t show and start telling instead — pouring cheap words into our ears.

That’s not storytelling. That’s gaslighting. Origins is gaslighting us — and it’s an act of violence against canon.

Instead of respect for canon, we got lies. We got fanservice. We got Gibbs rewritten into a soap opera lead. Gibbs — who never wavered between two women (unless one of them was Shannon’s ghost) — suddenly turned into a man with puppy eyes, torn between “the girl he’s marrying” and “the one he can’t stop staring at.”

And the worst part? In episode 4 of season 2, Gibbs literally looks like a guilty puppy — the kind that just peed on the floor and is now glancing around, hoping no one noticed. That’s not character development. That’s character assassination.

Why? Just why? The only answer I can see is the cynical one — marketing. Feed the new viewers the Gibbs–Lala dynamic in the first season, because Diane wasn’t in his life yet during this period.

But come on! They could have just left Gibbs and his grief alone, let him actually grieve in the first season — without Lala. Without cheap fanservice. Let Lala be an independent, strong female character, not the hundred-and-fifth “woman of Gibbs.” That would have been respect for the characters. Lala could have been a character with her own agency, challenges, and growth. Instead, she’s used as a prop to manipulate Gibbs’ storyline, reducing a potentially compelling arc to cheap fanservice.

Writers could have introduced Lala in a way that enriches the story without negating established characters. Show her as a full person, not as a replacement or distraction. Respecting the canon would have created tension and depth — not cheap drama.

I so much loved NCIS. And now... it hurts. It really, really hurts.

Because I’ve given this show years of my life. So much love. So much analysis. We — the fandom — dissected every look Gibbs ever gave, every pause, every word, every scar, every rule. We wrote fics where we tried to fill the gaps canon left behind. We built stories from fragments. And now? The writers of Origins just spit on all of it.

And before anyone says it — I’m not against Lala. I’m not against Mariel. I’m against breaking canon for the sake of cheap drama. I’m against turning Gibbs — our Gibbs — into a wide-eyed teenager who forgot his wife and daughter were murdered.

He’s forty, not fifteen. He’s haunted by grief. He’s the man who built boats to keep from drowning in his sorrow. He’s not supposed to forget.

Gibbs’ grief isn’t just a plot point — it defines his morality, decisions, and relationships. Treating him as confused and emotionally naive erases decades of character development.

You know… this isn’t even young Gibbs, the one we saw in canon played by Sean Harmon. That Gibbs had scars, but he was whole. Remember his meeting with young Shannon at the train station? He was more grown-up there than forty-year-old Gibbs in Origins.

Can you even imagine Sean’s Gibbs acting like a guilty little puppy who just peed on the floor?

And it’s not about Austin — Austin Stowell is a wonderful actor. He’s performing what the writers wrote, what the directors filmed. And it’s a disaster…

This isn’t just disappointment; it’s a betrayal of everything fans have invested in. It tells us that decades of careful storytelling can be overwritten for short-term drama.

NCIS Origins - this isn’t just disappointment. It’s grief all over again — for the show, for the characters, for the version of Gibbs that used to mean something real.

And that’s the thing — I loved the first episodes of Origins. They were deep, grown-up, honest drama. I couldn’t believe our luck — it felt like NCIS was finally honoring its roots, finally treating Gibbs’ pain with the weight it deserves. But now… now I’m this close to giving up.

And I’ve never given up on an NCIS show before — not a single one. Not the original. Not spin-offs. I stood by all of them. I was loyal to every single one.

And now I’m just… broken.

[from-stone-to-hallows]

Thank you for leading me to your post! It’s nice to hear the opinion of a longtime Gibbs and NCIS fan who is actually watching Origins. I fit the former, but not the latter, so me whining about Origins doesn’t mean much when I haven’t actually been tuning in. Your entire post is spot on and truly captures the feelings for us older Gibbs fic writers. Who watched the canon show and invested years into it, and like you said, watched every glance and listened to every word to truly feel and understand the meanings. Origins really has spit on canon Gibbs. I agree with every word you said.

[the-last-rat-standing]

There's a lot to respond to here, but I think, ultimately, we're running into the same 2 problems we had on 'NCIS'- an inevitably muddled timeline and plot lines that bottleneck to lift up the Man Pain.

I haven't watched a single episode of 'Origins', but these 2 issues could be seen coming from a mile away. They never properly dealt with the first issue and they fell back on the crutch of the second issue time and time again. We only saw the exes when we needed to show Gibbs' pain and they were never given more to do than show how 'broken' he was. So broken that the love of 3 wives, a fiancée, a work partner, 2 Army women and multiple love interests couldn't heal him. But this 1 woman on 'Origins' was The One (After Shannon)? This woman who was never mentioned ONE TIME on 'NCIS' in 19 years?

I think the writers felt they had to give Gibbs a love interest on 'Origins' because, well, it's just what you do when you have a male lead, right? But, of course, to shoehorn this love interest into an impossible timeline, so much of Gibbs' story had to be blurred, forgotten or downright ignored, and by doing so, it does nothing but disrespect every character involved in the tapestry of his life. We knew unravelling the timeline would be the show's greatest problem- surely the writers knew it, too. But somehow, they succeeded in... making it worse?!

[myfandomistingling]

Mon Mothma in Andor (Star Wars)

[the-last-rat-standing]

I love them all but the one where she's taking the drink? Man, I feel that in my soul.

[tjalexandernyc]

my wife just said to me "I know it's hard but you need to stick around because there's a new knives out movie coming and we need to see that bisexual ass man play that gay ass detective"

[tjalexandernyc]

and she's Right

[mandy426]

‘NCIS: Origins’ To Feature Guest Appearance By Mark Harmon During Crossover Event With ‘NCIS’

'NCIS: Origins' To Feature Guest Appearance By Mark Harmon During Special Crossover Event With 'NCIS'

[from-stone-to-hallows]

Just an anti-Origins rant, so look away if you can’t deal with it 😂. (I apparently only come on here to whine now, I apologize.) I guess I’m curious if anyone else feels the same, but I think all the people on here I used to share these opinions with also never go on here anymore. I’m probably ranting to myself at this point.

I haven’t been able to watch Origins since the first two episodes, because any new Gibbs stuff with it has gone against original canon. I’m glad other people can enjoy it, but to a longtime Gibbs fan who has written and read so much fanfiction and was very into the messy timeline, the new show has just gone against all my Gibbs enjoyment. An article mentioned that Gibbs won’t be alone in this appearance. If the bait is typical like the flagship show always did, then he is with a dog or something, or maybe has a visit from someone in NCIS.

If it is Lala, (who I still refuse to accept as canon) it once again is a slap to the face to any of us original Gibbs fans. To any of us who were invested in Jenny, or Hollis, or Sam, or Jack, or whoever your canon girlfriend preference was for Gibbs. Like, did we all seriously go through 19 seasons of wondering, just for it to be someone that was never once mentioned in all that time? For it to be someone who never existed until Origins and was only created for a new story and more unnecessary drama? Any of us who endured to the end of his time on NCIS know that if he is in Alaska with any woman, it SHOULD be Jack—or at least anyone else we invested time with in the original canon show.

[the-last-rat-standing]

Hallowe'en seems to be a good time for me to rise from the dead and talk about Mark Harmon/NCIS like the good ol' days. Lol!

I will preface this by saying I haven't seen a single episode of 'Origins' and I haven't watched NCIS since MH left, so I have no idea who Lala is, but does it matter? As you say, if she shows up with him, it will go against everything we know of the character during his 19 years of character development. Imagine the idea that he's finally found peace after Shannon with a character no one who doesn't watch 'Origins' will know. The other issue is, how much can we learn about their present relationship in 45 minutes? How much time will be spent on convincing us this is a plot line we should support? Chances are, very little time. So what's the real point? Which is why I'm hoping (and leaning towards) your idea that it will be a fake-out.

Now, let me get to the real heart of the matter for me-

Do we remember why Gibbs wasn't in the Ducky tribute episode?

"Of course the door is always open [for Harmon]. When we bring him back, we're not going to bring him back for two minutes. It's got to be something special." -Steven Binder

At the time, I said there would be no reason more special than Ducky/David McCallum's death, and I haven't changed my mind. If he couldn't show up for Ducky's funeral, I don't see any reason for him to show up now. It feels a little like a slap in the face, truth be told.

And then it puts the spotlight on all the loose ends that were left behind when he just up and left in the first place. Now, these questions might have been answered on the show already -as I said, I haven't watched it since MH left- so if someone knows these answers, please let me know! But here we are:

-Who has been taking care of Gibbs' house since Ducky died? -Does everyone now know Gibbs is alive? Because the last we saw while Gibbs was still on the show was the press conference tricking the killer (and everyone Gibbs knew) that he was dead. -Does he know Bishop's gone? -Did someone send him a care package of his necessities, or did he literally buy everything new that he didn't have in his go bag? -He's been gone for 4 years, so is that it when it comes to visiting Shannon and Kelly's grave? Don't get me wrong, that would be the healthiest thing for him, but it's not at all what the character has been for the 19 years we knew him. -He literally just up and left (or up and stayed, I suppose). What happened with everything that goes with something like that? As I mentioned, there's his house. But there's also his personal belongings at work. All his personal belongings at home. His truck. His muscle car. Is he now officially retired?

I know it this all sounds mundane, but it's also detail that makes good writing. It's also detail I suspect we won't get and we'll just be expected to sort of gather all the loose ends together ourselves and forget about them. And you know what? I get that. After 4 years, I'm sure the writers have moved on and hope we have, too. It's one reason I stopped watching the show and haven't tuned into 'Origins'- it's part of my own 'moving on' process. But when the show then brings back the character who left with all these questions, I don't know what they expect other than viewers to wonder if we'll finally get answers.

[from-stone-to-hallows]

I’m thrilled to see you back! I’ve always appreciated your feedback on these matters. Like you said, many have moved on. I am never on here and am involved in another fandom these days, but I do get brought back when current Gibbs is involved. I’m glad you have been moving on in other areas of life too.

Lala is the chick in Origins that is apparently the woman he loved and never talked about until now. They have scenes of Mark as Gibbs in the first two episodes sitting around a campfire in Alaska writing about her and that story. It’s such a bizarre plot line after all the years of NCIS and her never existing before.

It is still strange that they never had Gibbs come back for Ducky’s death. He comes back for random scenes in Origins, like the campfire and now this likely fake-out, but not anything important for the original show? This sounds overly dramatic, but I think something happened bts and there are some bad feelings, because none of it has made sense. Not to mention, the way they keep changing Gibbs’ character in Origins and not honoring things we knew before or making up entire new characters and plots.

From what I’ve seen and heard, Gibbs’ house is still there. I think they recently had a scene of McGee in the basement. So I guess it’s just sat there the whole time? Who knows if anyone has been taking care of it. I believe from the random stuff I’ve seen that people know he is alive too, but I’m not positive. I don’t know the answers to most of your questions, and like you said, it’s those small details that matter in writing. It’s the stuff that makes the character and keeps us invested. It’s the stuff that gives us extra fuel to work with for fanfiction.

Which has always been a problem with NCIS from the start. Fanfiction writers never had a consistent timeline, not enough details surrounded by other random details, and things that were said and then completely changed later on. Kate grew up with brothers—oh wait, years after she’s died it turns out she has a sister who will be our temporary therapist and then never be acknowledged again. Gibbs has an Uncle—actually he seems to have no relatives other than his dad who later dies. He worked with Jenny and Ducky and Stan Burley undercover—actually years later we’re going to say it was him and Jenny and Mike Franks, even though it would have been after Mike retired. Gibbs hadn’t seen his father since the funeral—actually in Origins we’re going to have his dad stay with him for a while.

Anyway, needless to say, they always bring up new random things that don’t make sense rather than build on what they’ve already said and done. The only thing that stays consistent is him endlessly mourning his wife and daughter by being a whore and having endless surprise girlfriends, fiancées, and wives.

[the-last-rat-standing]

Re: Lala and Alaska fires- ah, I see. A complete fabrication and retcon for a character we've invested 19 years in. Wonderful.

Listen, we all knew from the very start that the chronology for 'Origins' would be all out of whack, because it was all out of whack in the original! But this introduction of Lala is a completely unnecessary misstep in the timeline. There are so many other things they could go back and try to fix; why introduce yet another chronological problem?? Or maybe they just thought, "Fuck it- we already know it's screwed," so in for a penny and all that?

Just makes me want to write Slibbs, though. Lol!

[mandy426]

‘NCIS: Origins’ To Feature Guest Appearance By Mark Harmon During Crossover Event With ‘NCIS’

'NCIS: Origins' To Feature Guest Appearance By Mark Harmon During Special Crossover Event With 'NCIS'

[from-stone-to-hallows]

Just an anti-Origins rant, so look away if you can’t deal with it 😂. (I apparently only come on here to whine now, I apologize.) I guess I’m curious if anyone else feels the same, but I think all the people on here I used to share these opinions with also never go on here anymore. I’m probably ranting to myself at this point.

I haven’t been able to watch Origins since the first two episodes, because any new Gibbs stuff with it has gone against original canon. I’m glad other people can enjoy it, but to a longtime Gibbs fan who has written and read so much fanfiction and was very into the messy timeline, the new show has just gone against all my Gibbs enjoyment. An article mentioned that Gibbs won’t be alone in this appearance. If the bait is typical like the flagship show always did, then he is with a dog or something, or maybe has a visit from someone in NCIS.

If it is Lala, (who I still refuse to accept as canon) it once again is a slap to the face to any of us original Gibbs fans. To any of us who were invested in Jenny, or Hollis, or Sam, or Jack, or whoever your canon girlfriend preference was for Gibbs. Like, did we all seriously go through 19 seasons of wondering, just for it to be someone that was never once mentioned in all that time? For it to be someone who never existed until Origins and was only created for a new story and more unnecessary drama? Any of us who endured to the end of his time on NCIS know that if he is in Alaska with any woman, it SHOULD be Jack—or at least anyone else we invested time with in the original canon show.

[the-last-rat-standing]

Hallowe'en seems to be a good time for me to rise from the dead and talk about Mark Harmon/NCIS like the good ol' days. Lol!

I will preface this by saying I haven't seen a single episode of 'Origins' and I haven't watched NCIS since MH left, so I have no idea who Lala is, but does it matter? As you say, if she shows up with him, it will go against everything we know of the character during his 19 years of character development. Imagine the idea that he's finally found peace after Shannon with a character no one who doesn't watch 'Origins' will know. The other issue is, how much can we learn about their present relationship in 45 minutes? How much time will be spent on convincing us this is a plot line we should support? Chances are, very little time. So what's the real point? Which is why I'm hoping (and leaning towards) your idea that it will be a fake-out.

Now, let me get to the real heart of the matter for me-

Do we remember why Gibbs wasn't in the Ducky tribute episode?

"Of course the door is always open [for Harmon]. When we bring him back, we're not going to bring him back for two minutes. It's got to be something special." -Steven Binder

At the time, I said there would be no reason more special than Ducky/David McCallum's death, and I haven't changed my mind. If he couldn't show up for Ducky's funeral, I don't see any reason for him to show up now. It feels a little like a slap in the face, truth be told.

And then it puts the spotlight on all the loose ends that were left behind when he just up and left in the first place. Now, these questions might have been answered on the show already -as I said, I haven't watched it since MH left- so if someone knows these answers, please let me know! But here we are:

-Who has been taking care of Gibbs' house since Ducky died? -Does everyone now know Gibbs is alive? Because the last we saw while Gibbs was still on the show was the press conference tricking the killer (and everyone Gibbs knew) that he was dead. -Does he know Bishop's gone? -Did someone send him a care package of his necessities, or did he literally buy everything new that he didn't have in his go bag? -He's been gone for 4 years, so is that it when it comes to visiting Shannon and Kelly's grave? Don't get me wrong, that would be the healthiest thing for him, but it's not at all what the character has been for the 19 years we knew him. -He literally just up and left (or up and stayed, I suppose). What happened with everything that goes with something like that? As I mentioned, there's his house. But there's also his personal belongings at work. All his personal belongings at home. His truck. His muscle car. Is he now officially retired?

I know it this all sounds mundane, but it's also detail that makes good writing. It's also detail I suspect we won't get and we'll just be expected to sort of gather all the loose ends together ourselves and forget about them. And you know what? I get that. After 4 years, I'm sure the writers have moved on and hope we have, too. It's one reason I stopped watching the show and haven't tuned into 'Origins'- it's part of my own 'moving on' process. But when the show then brings back the character who left with all these questions, I don't know what they expect other than viewers to wonder if we'll finally get answers.