NCIS: Origins and Season 22 Updates: What to Expect

As reported by TheWrap, the first season of NCIS: Origins will consist of 13 episodes. Following the two-part premiere, viewers can look forward to 11 more episodes, with the finale slated for January. Meanwhile, CBS has yet to announce the official episode count for NCIS Season 22, but it’s anticipated to fall between 20 and 22 episodes based on the trend of previous seasons. Notably, Season 21 was limited to just 10 episodes due to production delays from the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes, but Season 22 aims to return to a more traditional format.

Despite initial hints in Season 21 that Katrina Law’s character, Jessica Knight, might be leaving, she will return for Season 22. The premiere introduces a six-month time jump, culminating in Knight rejoining Alden Parker’s team. Fans can expect to see further developments in her relationship with Jimmy Palmer, as the team also grapples with the challenge of uncovering a mole within NCIS. Additionally, a new antagonist, Seamus Dever’s Department of Justice Inspector General Gabriel LaRoche, is set to become the NCIS Deputy Director by the end of the premiere.

In the NCIS: Origins prequel series, Mark Harmon reprises his iconic role as Gibbs, serving as the narrator reflecting on his early days with the Naval Investigative Service (NIS). His presence won’t be limited to the premiere; viewers can anticipate more appearances from Harmon throughout the season, which chronicles Gibbs’ time at Camp Pendleton.

The premiere episode of NCIS Season 22 attracted 6.42 million viewers with a 0.4 rating, while the launch of NCIS: Origins drew in 5.03 million viewers and a 0.3 rating. Both series faced competition from Monday Night Football on ABC, so the performance of the third episode of NCIS: Origins will be crucial in assessing its trajectory.While NCIS: Origins benefits from its timeslot following the original series, it faces an uphill battle to replicate the success of its predecessor, which averaged an impressive 11.84 million viewers in its inaugural season back in 2003. Only time will tell how NCIS: Origins will measure up within the expansive NCIS franchise.