The prequel NCIS: Origins casts its Abby and Ducky replacements for Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Mike Franks’ prequel team. After the divisive cancelation of NCIS: Hawai’i, CBS is once again expanding its top-rated procedural franchise. This time, however, it does a prequel narrative with the origins story for Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs. NCIS: Origins has recast young Gibbs with Austin Stowell, who will play the character in the ’90s, during his first decade in the agency under Mike Franks’ (Kyle Schmid) tutelage. Aside from the pair and Diany Rodriguez’s Vera Strickland, the rest of the squad are new characters.

A new report from Deadline reveals that NCIS: Origins has cast its version of Pauley Perrette’s Abby Sciuto and David McCallum’s Ducky Mallard with Bobby Moynihan and Lori Petty, respectively. Moynihan will portray Woodrow “Woody” Browne, “the wildly overworked senior chemist and director of the NIS Forensic Lab, who compensates for his lack of sleep with an offbeat sense of humor.” Meanwhile, Petty will play Dr. Lenora Friedman, “a seasoned pathologist at the San Diego Medical Examiner’s Office.”

How Friedman & Woody In NCIS: Origins Shapes Gibbs MCRT Original Team

Abby & Ducky Were Part Of Gibbs’ Inaugural Team In NCIS

Ducky and Abby were part of NCIS‘ original team. In fact, their involvement in the Major Case Response Team (MCRT) predated the events of the flagship series, since they were already members of Gibbs’ squad during the show’s flagship backdoor pilot in JAG. Bringing in Moynihan and Petty as Friedman and Browne is a way to fill the void in what’s technically NIS’ version of MCRT. However, aside from their roles in the team, it’s likely also that this is CBS’ way of bringing new but still familiar characters in the upcoming NCIS prequel.

Joining young Gibbs, Franks, Strickland, Friedman, and Browne in the core cast of NCIS: Origins are all fresh characters to the police procedural franchise: Mariel Molino’s Lala, Tyla Abercrumbie’s Mary Jo, and Caleb Martin Foote’s Randy. Gibbs’ experience at Camp Pendleton shapes his unique but effective leadership style in the main NCIS show. As a newly-discharged Marine, his time under Franks will be pivotal in his future. So seeing Gibbs work with people who are reminiscent of Abby and Ducky can be the sentimental reason why he eventually develops a close relationship with Perrette and McCallum’s characters.

Aside from producing NCIS: Origins, Mark Harmon will also serve as the narrator for the prequel. His voice-overs can confirm this idea, offering the project an opportunity to establish its connection to the main show despite not being able to do any crossovers. Ultimately, while NCIS: Origins is really about Gibbs, its ensemble will be integral in its chance to be successful. So, it’s also interesting to see how Franks’ team will operate in comparison to his mentee’s MCRT squad.

Source: Deadline