Gibbs is bringing in a familiar ally as his latest mission pulls him back into the world of NCIS. The franchise is lining up another reunion in NCIS Origins Season 3, giving longtime viewers a reason to keep an eye on the prequel’s latest episodes.
Emily Wickersham’s Ellie Bishop returns in new NCIS: Origins trailer
The new sneak peek reveals Emily Wickersham reprising her role as former NCIS agent Eleanor “Ellie” Bishop. Gibbs needs help protecting someone close to him, but he must keep his operation off the books. Tony DiNozzo, now the agency’s director, connects Gibbs with Bishop, whose own life operates outside official channels (via Soaps.sheknows.com).
“That’s why he called me. My whole life is off the books,” Bishop tells Gibbs in the preview. Gibbs responds with a direct order saying, “Gear up.” Bishop’s reply was, “I never thought I’d hear you say that again.”
Wickersham is heading back into the NCIS universe with a storyline that kicks off in the Oct. 27 episode of NCIS: Origins and continues across multiple installments. Although she departed the flagship show in 2021, Wickersham returned for two episodes last season, including a reunion that brought Bishop and Torres face-to-face amid unresolved complications.
The franchise is also bringing back another familiar face. In the Oct. 20 episode, Michael Weatherly collaborates with Mark Harmon for the first time in a decade. Weatherly reprises Tony, who steps in to assist Gibbs after the former agent stages his own death and heads to Washington, D.C. The mission stems from the NCIS: Origins Season 3 premiere, when an unidentified gunman wounded Gibbs in Alaska and left him with a warning that one more target remained.
David J. North has been building anticipation for the franchise’s upcoming character comebacks. Speaking to TV Insider, the showrunner said the reunions would deliver for audiences watching NCIS: Origins as well as fans who have followed the original series for years. He also stood by that promise, saying he would not have to “eat my words.”
CBS broadcasts NCIS: Origins every Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET and 9 p.m. CT. Wickersham’s Bishop storyline launches Oct. 27.
