‘NCIS: Origins’: Caleb Foote Breaks Down Season 2 Finale and Shocking Randy Cliffhanger (Exclusive)

The Season 2 finale of NCIS: Origins has come and gone, and Caleb Foote spoke to PopCulture.com all about it.

In Tuesday’s finale, “Hollywood Ending,” the Camp Pendleton office was in danger of being shut down while the team was working a case.

As they were forced to confront their uncertain futures, the agents had their hands full, especially Franks, who found himself unexpectedly close to a case. At the same time, Origins threw out a surprising twist that was following the agents all episode, and Foote’s Randy paid the price for it in a surprising cliffhanger. It wasn’t all bad, as two agents finally sealed their relationship with a kiss. Take a look at what Foote had to say about the NCIS: Origins finale and what he hopes to see in Season 3.

PopCulture: In the episode, Cliff announces that Camp Pendleton would be shut down, with cases going to San Diego, and everyone transferred to different areas. By the end of the episode, it’s obviously resolved. But were you ever worried that the show would go in a route where the team would be split up and then brought back together? The Mothership has done that on a few occasions, including very recently.

Calb Foote: That’s a good question because NCIS exists in the future, and we know that because there’s been 23 seasons, and I think, like, six or seven spinoffs. And I think what our showrunners have done a really good job of is still raising the stakes because even though we know the outcome, we wanna see how we get there. And how we get there and how we get saved is from this ragtag group of coworkers. And they’re not just coworkers. They’re family. They choose to be family, and it’s kind of amazing to see Gibbs in the future and the amazing agent he is, and what saved NIS Pendleton.

PC: As if the possible shutdown wasn’t enough, the team is trying to focus on a case involving two missing boys who are killed seemingly by Flaco’s guys and stolen wine that connects to Abe Pruitt. This also connects to Franks’ brother Mason, who we find out is later taken hostage by him. Franks, of course, wants to go in by himself, and Randy tries to talk him down. But if Randy were in Franks’ situation with his own family, do you think he would have reacted the same way?

Foote: That’s a really good question. I think what we can all relate to as audience members is family and the lengths you’d go for your family. I think Franks and Randy, they both care for their family. But I think at their core, they are different people, and they would go about it differently. Franks, as we’ve seen, he’s… hotheaded isn’t the word. He’s impulsive. He’s instinctual. I think Gibbs learns to follow and trust his instincts, which he’s so famous for, from having Franks as his boss.

And so I don’t think Randy would have gone about it the same way, but I think the stakes would have been as high, and it would have been as important. I think Randy probably would have gone the negotiation route. “I think we’ll let you all free if you just let Junior and Junior out.” The stakes would have been as high, but the tactic would have been tough.

PC: Speaking of family, will we ever get to see more of Randy’s family in the future?

Foote: I think what makes our show so special is the family element where our team, our unit will go at any lengths to protect each other. And I think what makes us buy in is also seeing us at our homes and seeing what makes our characters who we are. Everything doesn’t exist in Pendleton. You go home with our characters, and we’re definitely gonna see more Junie and Junior. And, hopefully, we don’t see them in Italy.

PC: Of course, luckily, Pendleton will not be shut down after the brain trust came up with NCIS. It was such a surprise as to how and why NIS became NCIS. What did you think of this fun twist in regards to the organization’s future?

Foote: It was so fun because I was in the last scene of that day. I was just watching the verdict my character was doing, and so I was able to see the first two scenes leading up to it. And it was just amazing, that room of such distinct characters interacting with each other that you wouldn’t really often get. Seeing Kowalski talking to Woody was so awesome. It’s just so hilarious that Woody is the guy who’s, like, “NCIS.” And talking to Bobby Moynihan, he was really proud that in this entire megaverse of NCIS that he’s the guy that gets to pitch the “C.” Bobby was honored by that.

PC: Unfortunately, not everything is as great as it seems by the end of the episode, as it ends on a pretty surprising note. It’s revealed that the van Lala thought was following her was actually following Randy, and he’s kidnapped. What was your reaction when you found out that that was how the season was going to end?

Foote: From my actor point of view, selfishly, I was excited to have a cliffhanger centered around me. That was my selfish point of view. As a TV watcher, I was also excited because I was like, “Where the heck is this gonna lead?” As long as Gibbs and Lala don’t feel responsible for it because they’re allowed to pursue their love. I just hope that no characters take on this responsibility and blame. I hope they don’t blame themselves for what happened to Randy.

PC: Do you have any idea of where the story could go or any hopes for the storyline other than Randy gets out of it okay?

Foote: Another one of my selfish activities, I grow a mean beard. And as we come closer, because right now, there’s probably been 12 iterations, and there’s gonna be another 12 before we shoot. And then it’ll probably change before it airs. You know how malleable television is. But I’m gonna pitch to David North the idea of me growing my beard, but that just depends on how long Randy’s in captivity.

PC: Aside from Randy’s hopeful survival, what else do you wanna see in Season 3?

Foote: I wanna see Gibbs and Lala hide their relationship. I wanna see them be very high school about it. I’m expecting little kisses when no one’s looking, maybe not even a little, very passionate. And then we enter, and then I wanna see them trying to cover up their love. I don’t want it to just be like, “Oh, we can’t do this anymore. I can’t believe we kissed once.” I want them to go full crazy over each other, and I wanna see how they’re gonna try to hide that around detectives who are masters of figuring things out.

PC: What are you most excited for fans to see with the Season 2 finale?

Foote: I think fans have been freaking waiting, so I think they’ve just been waiting for that Gibbs and Lala kiss. It’s Jim and Pam from The Office. I think it’s just such a huge will-they-won’t-they? This is the story of her. And I can’t wait for them to finally experience that kiss because Niels [Arden Oplev], our director, did a brilliant job with it. I can’t wait for them to see them kiss.

NCIS: Origins Season 3 premieres this fall and will air on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.