Robyn Lively’s ‘NCIS: Origins’ Guest Spot Is a Fun ‘JAG’ Throwback & Reunion
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What To Know
- Robyn Lively guest stars as Randy’s mom in the November 18 episode of NCIS: Origins, marking a return to the franchise after her role in the original JAG backdoor pilot for NCIS in 2003.
- Lively’s appearance serves as a nostalgic reunion, as she reconnects with Mark Harmon, who remains involved in the franchise, including as executive producer and narrator for Origins.
- Origins star Caleb Foote shares details about Lively and Harmon’s offscreen reunion.
NCIS: Origins is going to be showing a new side of Bernard “Randy” Randolf (Caleb Foote) in the Tuesday, November 18, episode, and that’s where a guest star that franchise fans will recognize from episodes that aired 22 years ago comes in.
Robyn Lively guest stars as Randy’s mom in the episode titled “Happy Birthday.” But this isn’t her first time in the franchise. In fact, she appeared in the two-part backdoor pilot on JAG for NCIS in 2003, “Ice Queen” and “Meltdown,” as the third agent on the team with Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly).
“That is so crazy,” Foote says when talking with TV Insider about the hour and that fun fact. “It was wild hearing her side of that. And then she got to hang out with Mark a little bit on set, which was just really, really special for them. He made a point to come see her because of that connection from 20-plus years ago. Isn’t that just so crazy?”
Harmon remains part of the franchise despite exiting as a series regular from NCIS in its 19th season (it’s now in its 23rd). He executive produces both the mothership and the prequel, and his voiceover opens and closes Origins each episode.
Lively’s Blackadder blew an operation at the end of the two-parter on JAG, and when NCIS premiered, she was no longer with the team. Instead, Sasha Alexander came in as Kate Todd, originally with the Secret Service, and joined Gibbs and Tony at NCIS by the end of the series premiere. Kate was killed off at the end of the second season, and Cote de Pablo came in as Ziva David (now on her own spinoff, NCIS: Tony & Ziva, with Weatherly). The team has gone through a few changes since.
What did you think of Vivian Blackadder in the JAG episodes? Let us know in the comments section below.
NCIS: Origins, Tuesdays, 9/8c, CBS
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