Adam Campbell's return to the NCIS universe as younger Donald “Ducky” Mallard on NCIS: Origins can pay homage to the OG character — and drop a number of easter eggs for followers of his and Gibbs' friendship.
“This episode is in regards to the rekindling of outdated friendships between Gibbs and Ducky,” Campbell, 45, completely instructed Us Weekly on Thursday, October 23, of his upcoming visitor look on the CBS present.
Followers had been initially launched to Ducky (performed by the late David McCallum) because the medical expert on NCIS in 2003, the place he labored alongside Particular Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon).
In 2024, CBS took followers again to 1991 with NCIS: Origins, which paperwork younger Gibbs' (Austin Stowell) begin as an agent, however the majority of his former coworkers haven't popped up on the prequel — together with a younger Ducky.
When NCIS stated goodbye to Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard — and paid homage to the late actor David McCallum — followers had been fast to note Mark Harmon's Leroy Jethro Gibbs was nowhere to be discovered. “After we convey him again, we're not going to convey him again for 2 minutes,” coshowrunner Steven D. Binder instructed […]
Campbell, for his half, famous that the Tuesday, October 28, episode of NCIS: Origins highlights his character Ducky's relationship with Gibbs' (Stowell) “fairly profoundly” beginning 12 years after their first assembly.
“It carries a barely totally different tone to the remainder of the sequence,” Campbell, who beforehand portrayed the youthful model of medical expert Ducky on NCIS, teased. “This episode, significantly, there may be levity there. I believe it's additionally fairly a profound episode when it comes to what we study Franks and Gibbs and Lala.”
The actor famous that Ducky “merely being current” with Particular Agent Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid) and Lala Dominguez (Mariel Molino) whereas performing an post-mortem “brings out” one thing within the characters “that we in any other case won't see.”
Austin Stowell. Erik Voake/CBS
Throughout “The Edge” episode, Ducky, who's stationed on the Washington, D.C. headquarters, is tasked to guage how the workplace at Camp Pendleton in California is operating and whether or not they want an in-house medical expert of their very own.
“He's extra of an uncle [to the San Diego team], however they really feel so comfortable with him that I believe this episode brings out new revelations that I followers of the present will discover fairly intriguing,” Campbell stated.
It didn't take lengthy for Mark Harmon to share his opinion about Austin Stowell‘s efficiency as Leroy Gibbs in CBS' NCIS: Origins. “He gave it to me instantly within the room,” Stowell, 39, quipped throughout an unique interview with Us Weekly. “He was vocal about — possibly not what to do — however actually […]
For followers of the flagship sequence, there may also be nods to older Ducky (McCallum) and elder Gibbs (Harmon), together with the origin story of why Ducky famously talks to the useless our bodies on his post-mortem desk. (McCallum performed the unique Ducky on NCIS for 20 seasons earlier than his dying in September 2023 on the age of 90.)
“He does go away California a barely modified man due to his new understanding of you already know, [his work],” Campbell instructed Us.
A glimpse at how vital Gibbs was in Ducky's youth can be explored — however not totally revealed.
Adam Campbell and Austin Stowell as Ducky and Gibbs on ‘NCIS: Origins.' Greg Gayne/CBS
“That [initial] assembly is kind of vital in his life, as a result of it's in that assembly that Gibbs form of challenges him and suggests he may make medical expert,” Campbell defined. “I don't assume Gibbs places the identical quantity of weight on that interplay. And so on this episode, there may be, maybe, in Ducky a slight disappointment, that Gibbs isn't fairly as keen on the reunion as Ducky is.”
Campbell teased that when Ducky wraps up his case in Pendleton, his parting reward to Gibbs will function one other deal with for NCIS followers.
“It's their form of little non-public inside joke, actually, that they've bought,” Campbell stated of the ultimate scene shared between Ducky and Gibbs. “So there may be that form of a little bit second that the writers are reminiscent of.”
Whereas Campbell isn't slated for an additional NCIS: Origins look, he teased you may by no means have an excessive amount of of Ducky.
“Each present ought to have extra Ducky in it,” he joked. “Even Recreation of Thrones or Euphoria. It's important.”
NCIS: Origins airs on CBS Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET.
