'NCIS: Origins' Prequel Reportedly Adds Another Franchise Veteran

Another NCIS franchise vet might be coming back. According to TVLine, producers for prequel series NCIS: Origins are reportedly going to be introducing a young version of Special Agent Vera Strickland. Roma Maffia appeared as the NCIS Special Agent in Season 11, where it was revealed she was Franks' one-time partner. If this is true, Strickland will be the third familiar face on Origins after Gibbs and Mike Franks.

Strickland only made one appearance on NCIS, on Season 11's "Under the Radar." She seemed to have been very close to Gibbs and even Director Vance when she came to HQ. Since she was retiring soon, she was going to hang around HQ until the time came to process out. Some of her past cases are revealed, including a capture in Panama that she did right alongside Mike Franks. Strickland also mentioned that Gibbs used to be fun, meaning it's likely fans will be able to see that fun side on Origins and just how close Gibbs, Franks, and Strickland were.

With Special Agent Strickland's addition, this likely means that she won't be the last one coming onboard. When fans shared their thoughts on NCIS: Origins, many of them pointed out that it would be a perfect way to bring young Ducky into the mix. Fans have seen young Ducky before, as Adam Campbell portrayed him in four episodes from 2014 to 2016 and 2020. There's also the potential to bring in a young Vance, Jenny Shepard, and maybe even more. A prequel will give the franchise to really dig into backstories and characters that have been so loved for so long. There could also be the possibility of including characters from other NCIS shows, even if it's just for a brief time.

With casting underway for now three NCIS characters, it should be interesting to see who will be taking on these legacies and who else may be added. NCIS: Origins will be taking place in 1991, but it wouldn't be surprising if it did do a flashback here and there to dig even deeper into these stories. The prequel will be premiering during the 2024-25 broadcast season on CBS, so it hopefully isn't much longer until more information is released. In the meantime, go back and watch Strickland's episode of NCIS and the rest of the series on Paramount+ to prepare for NCIS: Origins, coming soon to CBS.