‘NCIS: Origins’: What to Expect From the Next Gibbs & Ducky Reunion

Adam Campbell as Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard and Austin Stowell as Leroy Jethro Gibbs — 'NCIS: Origins' Season 2 Episode 3 'The Edge'
Greg Gayne/CBS

It sounds like the Tuesday, October 20, episode of NCIS: Origins is a big one for reunions.

CBS released the description for the episode titled “Return of the Mack,” and it reads: “In 1992, Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard (Adam Campbell) helps the team investigate when a young Marine is found murdered on a beach with suspicious markings all over his body. In the present, Gibbs (Mark Harmon) reunites with a familiar face from the past.”

Campbell first appeared as young Ducky on NCIS in flashbacks (and then in the 500th episode). This will be his third episode of NCIS: Origins, with these appearances (like the first, pictured above) showing the early days of what becomes an iconic friendship between Gibbs and Ducky (played by the late David McCallum on the mothership). That will continue in “Return of the Mack” with Austin Stowell and Adam Campbell’s characters.

“We have a really fun episode with him and Gibbs where you’re really starting to see how they work together as a team for the first time, and it’s a lot of fun really seeing how their relationship is evolving,” showrunner David J. North told TV Insider while discussing Season 3 for our in-depth digital cover. “I really think in an episode this season for the first time you’re seeing, wow, that’s how Mark Harmon’s Gibbs and David McCallum’s Ducky became who they were when we met them.”

As for Gibbs’ present-day reunion, we’re definitely intrigued. We know that he’s going to be seeing the older Woody (Bobby Moynihan, in aged-up makeup again) in Episode 2. And North told us that Gibbs will be crossing paths with familiar characters.

What are you hoping to see from Adam Campbell’s return as Ducky? Who do you think Gibbs will be reuniting with in the present? Let us know in the comments section below.

NCIS: Origins, Season 3 Premiere, Tuesday, October 6, 10/9c, CBS




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