“NCIS: Origins” closed its second season by changing the course of the franchise’s history, and the CBS prequel will return with another major change.
The season 2 finale officially depicted the transformation of the Naval Investigative Service into the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, marking a pivotal moment in the timeline that connects the prequel to the flagship “NCIS” series.
According to Deadline, CBS has confirmed that “NCIS: Origins” will return for season 3, but with a noticeably shorter episode order as the network expands its growing “NCIS” universe.
‘NCIS: Origins’ Finale Officially Brings NCIS to Life
The season 2 finale recreated one of the most significant moments in franchise history.
Throughout the first two seasons, the series followed a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs, played by Austin Stowell, during his early years with the Naval Investigative Service, the organization that eventually became NCIS.
In the finale, Special Agent-in-Charge Cliff Wheeler, played by Patrick Fischler, led an effort to rebrand the agency after reports of misconduct involving military personnel threatened its future.
Working alongside the Camp Pendleton office, Vera Strickland, played by Diany Rodriguez, helped develop the proposal that ultimately changed the agency’s name from NIS to NCIS, placing a stronger emphasis on criminal investigations.
The fictional storyline mirrors the real-life restructuring that created NCIS in 1992.
The finale also introduced another familiar figure from the flagship series.
After Admiral Jacob Cane was removed as director, the Secretary of the Navy appointed Tom Morrow to lead the newly renamed agency. Longtime “NCIS” viewers will recognize Morrow as the first director to oversee Gibbs during the original series.
The episode also advanced the long-awaited relationship between Gibbs and Special Agent Lala Dominguez, played by Mariel Molino, setting up another key storyline for season 3.
CBS Announces Shorter ‘NCIS: Origins’ Season 3
Although CBS has renewed “NCIS: Origins,” the third season will be significantly shorter than its first two installments.
Both season 1 and season 2 consisted of 18 episodes.
Season 3, however, has received an order for just 10 episodes.
The reduced episode count comes as CBS prepares to expand the franchise with another new series.
“NCIS: New York,” starring LL Cool J and Scott Caan, is set to join the network’s lineup, creating another chapter in the long-running procedural universe.
While CBS has not explained the shorter order, the adjustment makes room for the network’s expanding slate of “NCIS” programming during the 2026-27 television season.
Austin Stowell Continues Gibbs’ Early Story
Since premiering, “NCIS: Origins” has explored the early career of Gibbs decades before Mark Harmon introduced the character in the flagship drama.
Harmon portrayed Gibbs for 19 seasons before departing the original series.
Stowell has since stepped into the role, portraying a younger version of the fan-favorite investigator as he begins building the career that eventually made him one of television’s most recognizable agents.
The finale’s official creation of NCIS also strengthens the connection between the prequel and the original series, bringing the timeline closer to the version of the agency longtime viewers know.
Although season 3 will feature fewer episodes, the finale set up several major storylines, including Gibbs’ evolving relationship with Dominguez and the ongoing development of the newly formed NCIS under Director Tom Morrow.
