NCIS: Origins
The story Gibbs never told.
Created by Gina Lucita Monreal, David J. North
On CBS
A procedural prequel that grounds the NCIS franchise in 1990s military crime investigation, balancing case-of-the-week structure with origin-story character building.
In 1991, years prior to the events of NCIS, Leroy Jethro Gibbs starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office, where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks.
Clusters
Where to watch
Questions people ask
Is NCIS: Origins easy watching? Somewhat. More comforting than 61% of series.
Is NCIS: Origins violent? Somewhat. More violent than 59% of series.
Does NCIS: Origins leave you hopeful? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
Is NCIS: Origins scary? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
Is NCIS: Origins sad? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
Familiar shape, done well.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Like NCIS: Origins
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as NCIS: Origins
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like NCIS: Origins, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like NCIS: Origins, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like NCIS: Origins, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
