NCIS: Origins' dropping ratings are concerning, but there are several things that it can do to save itself.NCIS: Originsis the first prequel in theNCISfranchise, and it follows the story of Leroy Jethro Gibbs shortly after the loss of his wife and daughter in the early 1990s. The show has not followedNCIS' typical procedural format, instead focusing on more developed character arcs for each NIS member. The change in storytelling served as an interesting twist at first but has now led to fewer viewers.
WithNCIS: Originsseason 2still unconfirmed, the show’s dropping ratings are even more worrying. In a ratings list compiled byTV Line,NCIS: Originsreached an audience low as the show neared its midseason finale.The reduced viewership is concerning asNCIS: Originsis still a new show, which means it will have a lot to make up for if it has future seasons. However, there is some hope as there are still several episodes left inNCISseason 1, which gives it room to fix its low ratings.
5NCIS: Origins Needs More Familiar Faces
NCIS Characters Need To Appear More Often In The Prequel
One exciting thing about anNCISprequel is thatcharacters that no longer appear inNCIScan still appear inNCIS: Origins. Having moreNCIScharacters show up in the prequel is also one of the best ways to save the show. ThroughoutNCIS, Mike Franks was one of the most influential characters for Gibbs, and it was clear that they had a strong mentorship turned friendship. Seeing their relationship grow in real time onNCIS: Originsis one of the greatest things about the procedural.
NCIS Makes Mike Franks Eat His Words From Origins
NCIS: Origins has revealed a potential, but amusing, continuity error for NCIS character Mike Franks, who is brilliantly played by Kyle Schmid.
Besides Franks,NCIS: Originshas also reintroduced Gibb’s father, Jackson Gibbs, and a young Tobias Fornell. Fornell’s brief appearance not only acted as a fun moment forNCISfans to see but also helped solveNCIS' oldest plot hole, regarding when exactly Gibbs met one of his best friends.Introducing younger versions of well-knownNCIScharacters onNCIS: Originshelps tie the prequel to the flagship, which could help increase ratings.
4NCIS: Origins Needs To Be About Gibbs
Gibbs' Backstory Was The Premise Behind NCIS: Origins In The First Place
TheNCISprequel may have dropped its ratings becauseNCIS: Originslied about its true story. Rather than focusing solely on Gibbs' life shortly after he joined NIS,NCIS: Originshas expanded its focus to examine all characters on the NIS team, including Randy, Franks, and Lala. In a brief narration, Mark Harmon’s Gibbs even said thatNCIS: Originsis Lala’s story. The change in direction gives the prequel a new spin but means thatNCIS: Originsis not following its original premise of examining Gibbs' life.
NCIS: Originshas tried hard to separate itself fromNCIS, but its unpopularity shows that its attempt to diverge is not working.
Fans ofNCIStuned in to watch Gibbs inNCIS: Origins, so the drop in viewers could be explained by viewers not caring about new characters.NCIS: Originshas tried hard to separate itself fromNCIS, but its unpopularity shows that its attempt to diverge is not working. By returning the show’s focus to Gibbs,NCIS: Originscould increase its ratings.
3NCIS: Origins Needs More Mark Harmon’s Appearance As Old Gibbs
Mark Harmon Could Save The Show
One of the best things aboutNCIS: Originshas been seeingMark Harmon return as Gibbs. After Harmon leftNCISin season 19, it was unclear whether he would ever come back to the franchise. Fortunately,the prequel allowed the actor to reprise his role as Gibbsin a limited role. However, increasing Harmon’s role could be the best way to saveNCIS: Origins' dropping ratings.
Mark Harmon was originally only going to be a narrator onNCIS: Origins. However, his involvement has expanded to include small scenes in Alaska, the location of Gibb’s retirement.
Harmon is synonymous with Gibbsand his appearances inNCIS: Originsgive each scene added emotional weight. As Harmon’s Gibbs writes the story ofNCIS: Originsin his journal, a deeper insight into his character is also revealed. As a result, adding more scenes with Harmon could help decrease the difference between old and new fans watching the show and help increase the show’s popularity.
2NCIS: Origins Needs More Compelling Weekly Cases
NCIS: Origins Should Focus On The Cases At Hand
The excitement ofNCIShas always been about the cases the team comes across weekly. Every spinoff has followed suit, as they all feature a new case every week, with the occasional two-part episode for premieres and finales. The prequelhas been slightly different. While the prequel also features an exciting weekly case,NCIS: Originsseems to focus more on its characters than NIS' work.
Is CBS About To Cancel NCIS?
NCIS season 22’s ratings aren’t looking good. Based on CBS' history of cancelations, what are the chances that it’ll pull the plug on the procedural?
Having more compelling weekly cases could help save the show’s declining ratings. The show could also follow the typical procedural episode format that is present in the otherNCISshows. Having compelling cases in combination with the new format could further tie the prequel back to the flagship and encourage viewers to keep watching.
1NCIS: Origins Needs To Either Go All-In Or Move Away From Its Darker Tone
There Are Too Many Tone Switches Among The Episodes
NCIS: Originshas been noticeably dark at times. The show has not only examined Gibbs' mental state after losing his wife and daughter, but it has also looked at Gibbs' growth in the months following their passing. Whilethe tone shifts between the episodes can help explain Gibbs' character and his changing life, they are also distracting.
Gibbs' Bird Storyline In NCIS: Origins Episode 7 Has A Heartbreaking Meaning
Gibbs' bird storyline in NCIS: Origins episode 7 is one of the happier things to happen to him recently but it also has a dark meaning behind it.
One of the ways thatNCIS: Originscould save its reduced viewership is by sticking to one tone and minimizing its flashback scenes. The show should either maintain its darker tone or get rid of it completely. The back and forth between tones and color filters in scenes can be a bit disruptive, especially as it is not something that happens as often inNCIS.
NCIS: Origins
Cast
NCIS: Origins is set in 1991, preceding the events of the original series. The series introduces Leroy Jethro Gibbs as a new special agent at NCIS Camp Pendleton. Under the leadership of NCIS legend Mike Franks, Gibbs navigates his role within a tenacious, unconventional team.
