‘NCIS: Origins’: Adam Campbell on Tapping Into Ducky’s ‘ME Rage’

It’s always good to see Ducky on our screens, from the moment David McCallum started playing the role on JAG, teeing up NCIS. Adam Campbell has easily taken on the role of the younger version — in flashbacks, as the Angel of Death, and now on the prequel, NCIS: Origins, joining the NIS team that includes the younger Gibbs (Austin Stowell) in Pendleton. When he returns this time, it’s to help his new friend, Doc Tango (Julian Black Antelope).

The ME is arrested for stealing human remains, and Ducky is his one phone call. TV Insider spoke with Adam Campbell about the events that ensue from that as well as how Doc Tango helps Ducky. Warning: Spoilers for NCIS: Origins Season 2 Episode 13 ahead!

As Tango explains to Franks (Kyle Schmid), Gibbs, and Ducky, youth rangers found a skeleton and, with the coroner vans all out, he decided to use his own vehicle. Once he saw signs that the bones could belong to one of his ancestors, he just reacted; his goal was to do whatever it took to make sure the person gets a proper burial so their spirit can rest. The local ranger gives them a hard time, and Franks pushes Tango to open up to him about why this is so important. Even after he does — his father dedicated his life to bringing home bones of their ancestors to the reservation, rather than let them be sold to the highest bidder, as too often happened — they still received pushback.

NIS’ investigation leads them to Professor Edwin Wylde, an acquaintance of Ducky’s, and it turns out that he’s been making a fortune off their tribe’s heirlooms, Tango’s mom reveals. Wylde’s partner had tried to steal the skeleton from the lab. And when Wylde has the audacity to call the bones “over-valued” and “old,” Ducky reacts, punching him and calling him an “ignorant toad.”

Campbell thinks that Franks (Kyle Schmid), who hasn’t warmed up to his character as quickly as the others, was “actually quite impressed by this young British eccentric” in that moment. “I think Franks agrees that the victim deserved it. And so maybe Ducky went up in Frank’s estimation there.”

Ducky punching Wylde lands him in an orange jumpsuit alongside Tango, who chalks it up to him being a good friend. Ducky admits that he would be relieved if he was fired for his actions; he’s unsure about his new promotion to chief ME because he’s lonely in D.C. and the job change makes the move permanent. It doesn’t feel like a home yet — he doesn’t even have a couch. Tango offers him advice: get a couch. If he builds a home, people passing by will see the light on, knock on the door, and ask to come onside. And if not, they have their weekly calls.

And so, when Ducky goes back to D.C., after being present as Tango’s ancestor’s remains are returned to his tribe, he gets himself a couch.

But before he goes, Ducky tells Lala (Mariel Molino) about Gibbs building a boat. Mark Harmon‘s Gibbs suggests in voiceover that Ducky probably thought she knew him well enough to answer the question about why he’s building it in the first place. And it seems he’s right — Lala says it’s nice to have one thing that isn’t going anywhere. (This comes after Lala dreams of Gibbs coming to her door, telling her, “I don’t want you to go,” and leaning in for the kiss … only for her to wake before their lips can touch.)

Below, Adam Campbell ponders the future for his Ducky.

We do have to talk about that punch and the ME rage, as we’re calling it, when he reacts to Wylde’s remark about the bones — the punch, the ignorant toad insult, the messy hair. How was tapping into that side of Ducky?

Adam Campbell: Well, it was great. I mean, look, I think he felt a righteous anger. It wasn’t about defending his own honor. It was about defending the honor of his friend and not just Tango, but also Tango’s ancestors. I think Ducky felt enraged by the way that Dr. Wylde spoke about these people. And I don’t know whether Ducky let the heat of the moment get the better of him, but I do think everyone felt like that guy deserved it. I think Ducky maybe was a little hotheaded in doing that, but it seems justified and he was willing to pay the price, which was to sit in jumpsuit for a bit.

I do wonder whether he would do it again. I think maybe if he had the opportunity again, he might maybe be a bit cleverer with his words rather than using his fists, but it also gives us a little bit more insight into Ducky’s background. He was trained in the army, so this wouldn’t be the first time he’s physical with people. He’s not afraid of taking care of himself. I think you don’t see that a lot when he’s wearing his scrubs, but there is a side to him that is physical and I thought it was a really lovely touch that we saw this side of him.

Well, if we see Ducky get mad about something, it’s for the right reasons. That’s the thing.

Yeah, that’s a great way to put it. Yeah, he only gets angry about things that are actually justified. You’re right.

So last time he came to Pendleton, he was the one to help pretty much everyone. And yes, he helps Doc Tango here, but it feels more like it’s a bit about Ducky being helped in this episode as well because of what he says about being in DC, being chief ME, not having friends, getting that great advice from Dr. Tango, and then he does get a couch. And I love seeing the corgi at the end also.

Yeah, me too.

So is DC now starting to feel like it’s a home at the end there when we see him sitting there on the couch, do you think?

I think Ducky is doing what his good friend Tango has told him to do, which is to make the very best of the situation you’re in. You’re in DC, you’ve got this new job now, you’ve taken over from the previous medical examiner, now you’re head ME, you’re going to be in DC, so let’s make this place a bit more permanent than it’s felt. And so I think Ducky’s being obedient really to his friend, and he gets a couch and I think he’s going to maybe open the doors literally and figuratively a bit more in his life to let other people in. But he does really miss his friends in California. He feels a real connection, not only to Tango, but especially to Gibbs. And I think a part of him does long to be there.

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I also loved the bits about his mother’s social life.

Yeah. I mean, it’s really sad, but clearly his mother is far more socially active than he is. Now I wonder, maybe Ducky’s too busy, but it does beg the question, well, why aren’t you making more of an effort to reach out to others? Maybe you could go along with your mother to the bridge games.

I loved what we got of Gibbs and Ducky’s friendship here. The “Duck” that could have been “Doc,” but seems to be the beginning of that nickname for him. And then also that hug as he’s leaving. It seems like that hug and the warmth in general from Gibbs this time maybe surprised Ducky a bit, given how things ended last time?

Yeah, I think it’s a big relief to Ducky that Gibbs has really let his guard down with him. I think they do have a real friendship now. There is a deep connection. I think the fact that Gibbs opened up about his boat building as well, Ducky feels honored to be included in Gibbs’ short list of close friends. And I think likewise, Gibbs, I think, is really keen to be a friend to Ducky. I think Ducky learns a lot about himself on this trip to California. I think he’s faced with the reality of what life is like for him in DC. And he’s always sort of blamed his mother for being the lonely one, but I think Ducky realizes that it’s actually him who’s struggling to put roots down. And it is a big step moving to a different country and starting again.

And actually, I can relate to that as a former Brit living over here. It is a big step to change your culture and change your way of life a little bit. But it’s exciting to see how Ducky will expand on that.

Ducky tells Lala that Gibbs is building a boat, and Mark Harmon’s voiceover has his Gibbs speculating that Ducky thought Lala knew Gibbs well enough to answer the question about why he’s building it in the first place. What has Ducky been seeing in Gibbs and Lala, the same thing that everyone else is?

That’s a really good question. I really don’t know. I don’t know how on the ball Ducky would be with a relationship like that. I don’t know if it would be a shock to him or whether he kind of sees everything. I really don’t know. It’s interesting. I haven’t seen the episode, but I don’t know whether that’s kind of indicated with those little looks they have at the end. But I think Ducky’s more intrigued by, what the heck is Gibbs doing? I’m interested in why Gibbs is building this boat. And obviously, it becomes clear that it does have a function for Gibbs.

What can you say about us seeing you again on NCIS: Origins or NCIS? What would you like to explore on either? Or, hey, what would you think about a young Ducky spinoff? Because I would love to see that.

Meredith, can you write it for me? We can both be exec producers. Let’s do it. No, I really don’t know. I’m just thrilled to be used whenever I get used. It is the best phone call in the world to have NCIS on the other end to say, “We’d like you to come back.” So any opportunity is just the best for me. It’s my favorite character I’ve played, and it’s a huge privilege to carry on what David did. So yeah, I mean, it’s been a great year in that sense for me because I’ve been able to play him again, and I just absolutely love it, and I do hope for more opportunities.

NCIS: Origins, Tuesdays, 9/8c, CBS