NCIS Origins Season 3 is set to return to CBS on October 6, 2026, bringing Austin Stowell back as a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs and expanding Mark Harmon’s role as the present-day version of the iconic character. The new season will consist of 10 episodes and introduce a mystery that connects Gibbs’ early career with his later life.
The upcoming season follows a number of important developments from the second season. Gibbs and Lala Dominguez have reached a major turning point in their relationship, the future of the Camp Pendleton office is uncertain, and Randy Randolf has been left in a dangerous situation.
The third season will continue building Gibbs’ backstory while giving viewers a closer look at the experiences that eventually shape the character seen in the long-running NCIS series.
NCIS Origins Season 3 Premiere Date
CBS has scheduled Season 3 to premiere on October 6, 2026.
The series will continue airing on Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. ET/PT. New episodes will also be available through Paramount+.
The first episode is titled “Don’t You Forget About Me.”
The October return gives viewers another chapter in the story of Gibbs’ early years as an investigator. The new season will continue using the 1990s setting while adding a larger storyline involving the present-day Gibbs.
CBS has confirmed the third season as part of its 2026-27 programming lineup.
Mark Harmon Gets a Bigger Role
Mark Harmon’s involvement is one of the most notable changes coming with the new season.
Harmon originally became synonymous with Gibbs through NCIS, where he played the character for many years. He later became an important part of NCIS: Origins as narrator and executive producer.
Season 3 will take his involvement further.
Harmon is set to appear as present-day Gibbs throughout all 10 episodes. His character will be involved in a season-long mystery connected to events from Gibbs’ years at Camp Pendleton.
The change gives the series an opportunity to tell Gibbs’ story through two different periods.
Austin Stowell portrays Gibbs during his early career, while Harmon portrays the character later in life. The two timelines will be connected through the mystery introduced during the third season.
This expanded role also gives Harmon more opportunities to appear directly within the story rather than functioning primarily as the narrator.
Austin Stowell Leads the 1990s Story
Austin Stowell will continue playing young Gibbs.
The prequel focuses on Gibbs during the early stages of his NCIS career, long before he becomes the experienced team leader seen in the original series.
At Camp Pendleton, Gibbs works alongside Mike Franks and other agents while learning how to handle difficult investigations.
His relationship with Franks remains especially important because Franks serves as a mentor to the younger agent.
Season 3 will continue following Gibbs as he develops professionally and faces new pressures within the Camp Pendleton operation.
The character remains far from the polished investigator audiences eventually know. His decisions, relationships and experiences during this period help explain how he becomes the Gibbs of the future.
Kyle Schmid Returns as Mike Franks
Kyle Schmid will reprise his role as Mike Franks.
Franks is one of the most influential people in Gibbs’ early professional life. His mentoring relationship with Gibbs has been an important part of NCIS: Origins since the beginning.
The third season will continue exploring that connection.
Franks leads the Camp Pendleton team while Gibbs continues learning the demands of the job. Their different approaches can create tension, but their professional relationship remains central to Gibbs’ development.
The series has already established why Franks becomes such an important figure in Gibbs’ life. Season 3 will continue adding to that history.
Mariel Molino Returns as Lala Dominguez
Mariel Molino is also returning as Special Agent Lala Dominguez.
Lala has developed a close relationship with Gibbs throughout the series. Their connection gradually moved beyond their professional partnership during the first two seasons.
The second-season finale ended with Gibbs and Lala sharing a kiss.
That moment creates a new starting point for their relationship in Season 3.
The upcoming episodes will explore how the two characters handle their personal connection while continuing to work together.
Their relationship will remain tied to the larger story because both characters are part of the same Camp Pendleton team.
The Main Season 3 Cast
Several major members of the NCIS: Origins ensemble are returning.
The confirmed cast includes:
- Austin Stowell — Leroy Jethro Gibbs
- Mark Harmon — Present-day Leroy Jethro Gibbs
- Kyle Schmid — Mike Franks
- Mariel Molino — Lala Dominguez
- Tyla Abercrumbie — Mary Jo Sullivan
- Diany Rodriguez — Vera Strickland
- Caleb Foote — Bernard “Randy” Randolf
The returning cast keeps the focus on the characters who have shaped Gibbs’ early career.
Harmon’s expanded role is the biggest change to the ensemble, giving the season a direct connection to the older Gibbs.
Where Season 2 Left the Characters
The second season ended with several storylines still unresolved.
One of the most important concerns involved the Camp Pendleton office.
The team came under pressure, creating uncertainty about whether the operation would remain intact. That problem will carry into the third season and could affect Gibbs and everyone working alongside him.
Gibbs and Lala also reached a significant personal milestone.
After developing feelings for each other, they finally kissed. Their relationship will now enter a new stage when Season 3 begins.
Randy Randolf also faced serious danger.
His involvement with NIS files and computer-related work eventually resulted in his kidnapping, leaving another unresolved situation for the new season.
These developments give Season 3 several established storylines to continue.
The Future of Camp Pendleton Is Uncertain
The Camp Pendleton office has been the heart of NCIS: Origins since the series began.
It provides the setting where Gibbs develops his investigative skills and builds relationships with the agents who surround him.
Season 3 places that environment under threat.
The possibility of the office closing creates a major challenge for Franks and his team. Gibbs must continue doing his job while facing uncertainty about the future of the operation.
The situation also raises the stakes for the characters.
Camp Pendleton is more than just their workplace. It is where Gibbs begins building the professional identity that eventually defines him.
A threat to the office therefore has consequences for his entire career.
The Present-Day Mystery Will Run Through the Season
Season 3 will introduce a continuing mystery involving present-day Gibbs.
Mark Harmon’s character will appear throughout the 10-episode season as the story connects Gibbs’ current life with his experiences in the 1990s.
This creates a different storytelling structure from the earlier seasons.
Most of the prequel takes place during Gibbs’ younger years. The addition of the present-day storyline allows the series to examine how those experiences continue to affect him decades later.
The mystery is expected to unfold over the course of the season rather than being resolved in a single episode.
For longtime NCIS viewers, that creates another connection between the prequel and the original series.
Season 3 Has 10 Episodes
CBS has confirmed a 10-episode third season.
The episode count is lower than Season 2, which featured 18 episodes.
The shorter season allows the story to concentrate on its major developments, including the present-day mystery, the future of Camp Pendleton and Gibbs’ personal relationship with Lala.
The first episode, “Don’t You Forget About Me,” is scheduled for October 6.
At present, detailed titles and descriptions for every episode have not been officially released.
Current Season 3 Schedule
| Episode | Air Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 6, 2026 | “Don’t You Forget About Me” |
| 2 | October 13, 2026 | Not announced |
| 3 | October 20, 2026 | Not announced |
| 4 | October 27, 2026 | Not announced |
| 5 | November 3, 2026 | Not announced |
| 6 | November 10, 2026 | Not announced |
| 7 | November 17, 2026 | Not announced |
| 8 | November 24, 2026 | Not announced |
| 9 | December 1, 2026 | Not announced |
| 10 | December 8, 2026 | Not announced |
The October 6 premiere remains the key date for viewers waiting for the series to return.
How to Watch NCIS Origins Season 3
U.S. audiences will be able to watch the new season on CBS.
Episodes will air weekly on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
The season will also be available through Paramount+.
Viewers who prefer streaming can therefore follow the season online, while traditional television viewers can watch the CBS broadcast.
The weekly schedule means the central mystery will develop over several weeks instead of being released as a complete season at once.
How Season 3 Fits Into the NCIS Timeline
NCIS: Origins is set decades before the main events of NCIS.
The series begins during Gibbs’ early years as an investigator. He is still learning the profession and has not yet become the veteran leader audiences recognize.
Mike Franks plays an important role in that development.
The cases Gibbs handles during his time at Camp Pendleton also contribute to his transformation into the character seen later in his career.
Season 3 continues this exploration while introducing an older Gibbs into the narrative.
The combination of the two timelines provides a way to examine both Gibbs’ beginnings and the person he eventually becomes.
What Makes Season 3 Different
The upcoming season has several elements that distinguish it from the earlier chapters.
The biggest is Mark Harmon’s expanded screen presence.
His appearance in all 10 episodes means present-day Gibbs will be an active part of the season rather than simply a narrator connecting viewers with the past.
The Camp Pendleton storyline also gives the younger Gibbs a significant professional challenge.
Meanwhile, his relationship with Lala enters a new phase after their Season 2 kiss.
These storylines give the season a balance of professional conflict, personal development and the larger mystery involving Gibbs’ later life.
NCIS Origins Season 3: Latest Confirmed Details
As of August 24, 2026, the third season has a confirmed premiere date and a clear production plan.
Here are the most important details:
- Season 3 premieres October 6, 2026.
- CBS will broadcast the new episodes.
- Episodes will air Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
- Paramount+ will stream the season.
- The season contains 10 episodes.
- Austin Stowell returns as young Gibbs.
- Mark Harmon returns as present-day Gibbs.
- Harmon will appear throughout the season.
- Kyle Schmid returns as Mike Franks.
- Mariel Molino returns as Lala Dominguez.
- The Camp Pendleton office faces a potential shutdown.
- Gibbs and Lala’s relationship continues after their Season 2 kiss.
- A season-long mystery connects present-day Gibbs with his past.
The confirmed information points toward a season that remains firmly centered on Gibbs while expanding the storytelling beyond his younger years.
The upcoming episodes will continue showing how the young agent develops under Franks while also revealing more about the older Gibbs and the experiences that shaped him.
What Fans Should Know Before the Premiere
There is already a clear roadmap for the third season, but not every plot detail has been announced.
The confirmed information centers on the October premiere, the 10-episode order, the returning cast and the expanded role for Mark Harmon.
Viewers should therefore be careful with online reports that describe unannounced characters, episode plots or major twists as confirmed facts.
The strongest information currently available comes from the network and official series announcements.
For fans, the biggest takeaway is simple: Gibbs’ past and present are about to become more closely connected.
Austin Stowell will continue carrying the 1990s storyline, while Mark Harmon will bring the present-day Gibbs into the center of a season-long mystery.
That combination could make the third season an important chapter in the ongoing NCIS universe.
Are you looking forward to the return of NCIS Origins and Mark Harmon’s expanded role? Share your thoughts and keep checking back for the latest confirmed Season 3 developments.