It’s been more than three years since “NCIS: Los Angeles” ended its 14-season run. However, a new report indicates that one of that series’ stars will be returning to the “NCIS” universe.
Eric Christian Olsen Has Joined ‘NCIS: Origins’
Eric Christian Olsen portrayed Detective Marty Deeks, a liaison officer whose work linked NCIS with the LAPD.
His new role in “NCIS: Origins,” however, has nothing to do with Deeks — and won’t even take place onscreen. Instead, Deadline reports that Olsen has signed on as an executive producer on the “NCIS” prequel that chronicles the early experiences of rookie NCIS agant Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Austin Stowell as the younger version of the character played by Mark Harmon in the original “NCIS”) during the early 1990s.
Harmon is also returning to “Origins,” as both exec producer and actor, reprising Gibbs via voiceover narration.
The Former ‘NCIS: LA’ Star Has Ventured Into Producing
Ever since saying farewell to Deeks in the series finale of “NCIS: Los Angeles,” Olsen has shifted away from acting; Deeks, in fact, was his final on-camera role.
Olsen has, however, been active as a producer. Working through his company, Cloud Nine Productions, he’s served as executive producer for Hulu comedy “Woke,” and is currently an exec producer on CBS procedural drama “Matlock,” starring Oscar winner Kathy Bates.
In a 2025 interview with Assignment X, Olsen revealed how his career shifted from acting to producing. “I started a production pod about seven years ago,” he said. “We had a show, ‘Woke,’ that ran on Hulu for two seasons, but the white whale of development has always been broadcast television. And so, we’ve been diligently selling TV shows for the past six years.”
Olsen has been signed to a first-look deal with CBS Studios since 2018.
As he pointed out, his relationship with CBS has been a long and fruitful one. “I’ve had so many experiences working for CBS for 13 years, and I did think that this was an incredible opportunity and platform to find stories that I was passionate about, and then help build them from the ground up,” he said of his role as producer. “The ability to pivot and help tell stories that I’m so proud of from a producing standpoint and solving complex problems with communication and grace and empathy [is] a wonderful opportunity that I was given from our studio partners and the network.”
His Former ‘NCIS: LA’ Co-Star is Also Returning to the ‘NCIS’ Universe
Meanwhile, fans of “NCIS: Los Angeles” are anxiously anticipating the arrival of a new entry into the franchise, “NCIS: New York.”
CBSRapper/actor LL Cool J will be reprising his role as NCIS agent Sam Hanna in the new series. Hanna, per the synopsis, “returns to his hometown of New York City to their field office, partnering with a roguish agent (Scott Caan) and helping lead a new team as they are tasked with high-stakes missions to defend one of the most vital cities and ports in the world.”
NCIS: Origins Returns in the Fall with Season 3
The third season of “NCIS: Origins” will return to CBS as part of the network’s schedule in the fall. The upcoming season, however, will be shorter than usual, and will consist of just 10 episodes.
That show will air Tuesdays at 10 p.m., part of the CBS all-“NCIS” primetime Tuesday night lineup, following “NCIS” at 8 p.m. and “NCIS: New York” at 9 p.m.
