Gibbs’ NCIS Prequel Image Already Gets One Thing Wrong About Mark Harmon’s Character

CBS has already started promoting the next NCIS spinoff, but the first NCIS: Origins‘ first image has already gotten one thing wrong about Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs. On the heels of NCIS: Hawai’i’s unexpected cancelation, the network is already filling its scheduling void with a new offshoot come the next TV season. Instead of another expansion show, however, CBS is doing something it has never done before with regard to the police procedural universe, as it delves into its rich history by doing its first prequel series. Appropriately, NCIS: Origins will tackle Gibbs’ start with the agency.

Set in the early ’90s, NCIS: Origins will see the character as he joins Mike Franks’ team at Camp Pendleton on the heels of the death of his first wife and daughter, Shannon and Kelly. Instead of bringing back Sean Harmon who played the version of the role before, young Gibbs has been recast with Austin Stowell. That said, Harmon will still be involved, narrating the events of the show, while also co-executive producing with his son. CBS has started to promote the project during the network’s upfronts, including the unveiling of NCIS: Origins‘ first official image.

NCIS: Origins’ Young Gibbs Has A Different Haircut Compared To Harmons’ Version

Stowell Debuts As Young Gibbs In New NCIS: Origins Image.

The NCIS: Origins‘ promo image debuts Stowell’s look as young Gibbs. Admittedly, it will take some getting used to having someone play the character aside from Harmon. That said, with a solid team behind the series, it’s only fair that judgments are reserved until the show has finally premiered. One aspect, however, that the NCIS: Origins still already gets wrong is Gibbs’ hair. Thanks to several flashback sequences, both earlier and around this time, it was firmly established that the character has always had a short and clean cut. Stowell’s version, on the other hand, wears his hair much longer.

From the get-go, NCIS: Origins already has a big Harmon/Gibbs problem. Since Harmon played the character during the flashbacks around the period that the prequel is covering, it’s quite jarring to see someone else stepping into the role. Unfortunately, CBS and the creatives behind the show have no choice but to recast the role, considering the circumstances surrounding the project. That’s easier to forgive, but at the very least, NCIS: Origins should get Stowell to resemble Harmons’ Gibbs at that point as closely as possible. Getting his haircut correctly shouldn’t be difficult.

Why Gibbs’ Haircut Is So Important To His NCIS Character

Gibbs Was A Man Of Habit.

Harmon’s Gibbs was so many things in NCIS. He was a fearless leader, father figure, and moral compass of the agency. Throughout his years in service, Gibbs functioned following a strict code. Despite the air of mystery around him, he was quite easy to read to people that he constantly worked with. Like his ridiculous obsession with building boats with his own hands, as well as, his penchant for redheads, rules, and coffee, his haircut stood the test of time. It was a physical indication of his unchanging personality, regardless of what came his way.

NCIS: Origins needs to honor that by making sure that Stowell also sports the same haircut. It shouldn’t be that difficult to do this, anyway. No word yet if production for the NCIS prequel series has started, so they may still have time to make some changes. Otherwise, NCIS: Origins can just find a narrative explanation for young Gibbs’ longer hair before cutting it to match Harmon’s established look.