Origins’? EPs Are ‘Sticking to Canon’ for Gibbs’ Love Life

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for NCIS: Origins Season 1 Episode 11 “Flight of Icarus.”]

It’s Mike Franks’ (Kyle Schmid) turn on NCIS: Origins for a deep dive into his backstory.

Flashbacks reveal the early days of the now-NIS legend and his struggles with his boots. He’s drafted, and his brother decides to go with him to Vietnam. In the present-day timeline, Franks must get through a day in — gasp! — Reebok sneakers while Tish (Tonantzin Carmelo) tries to get his boots repaired. (She does!) Meanwhile, Lala (Mariel Molino) is clearly bothered when Randy (Caleb Foote) tries to set Gibbs (Austin Stowell) up on a date.

Below, co-showrunners Gina Lucita Monreal (who co-wrote the episode) and David J. North break down the midseason return and tease what’s ahead.

This episode is really a deep dive into Franks’ backstory, showcasing his and his brother’s relationship, how he ended up in the Marines. Talk about crafting it and how did tying it all in with the boots come about?

Gina Lucita Monreal: The boots are just such an iconic part of this character, and David actually has a funny story about Kyle and how attached he is to these boots because he puts them on, and he really becomes the character. So we had already set up the boots when he talked about them with Tish, and the thought just came about: What happens if he can’t have ’em for a day? And using the boots as a way into his flashback, into his world, it just seems like a fun way to get in and helped us balance the humor with sort of the more darker undertones of the episode. And it was also really exciting to lay the music into this episode. We didn’t know that Bob Dylan would be at such a forefront in pop culture at the moment, and with the biopic and Timothée Chalamet and all of that, it’s just sort of good timing that we just so happen to pick this song is important in Franks’ backstory. So we’re excited for the world to see that as well.

Sonja Flemming / CBS

David J. North: Yeah, I think obviously Bob Dylan’s name is everywhere because of the movie and Timothée Chalamet, but I think we’re going to just put Bob really over the top. I think after this episode, the world’s going to really find out about him. Kidding. [Both laugh] The funny story about Kyle was I went down to set, and he was wearing the Reeboks, and he walked up to me and he was, “No joke, yeah, I don’t want to do this again.” Kyle’s Canadian and he slips into this Texan accent and becomes Franks, but the boots are a huge part of that. And he was really uncomfortable. I was like, “That’s the point, brother.” And he was like, “Oh, okay.” It was hysterical. He was very, very uncomfortable playing the character without his boots. But I think that shows on screen, which was fantastic.

How much more are we going to be hearing or seeing about Franks’ family?

Monreal: We will continue with Franks’ backstory. His brother, as you can see in this episode, is an important piece of his life, so we will touch on that again. But yes, this is just the beginning of Franks’ backstory.

Randy set gives up in this episode, but Gibbs is not ready. The Lala of it aside, we know what’s to come of Gibbs’s love life. So what are the conversations you’re having about Gibbs getting back out there?

North: Well, I think we’re trying to keep it as grounded as possible and the reality of what would happen with his character after suffering such a loss. And obviously, you see the chemistry between Gibbs and Lala and Austin and Mariel on camera, and I mean, I think Gibbs is feeling something, but he doesn’t feel right about feeling that. And so we’re just trying to take it episode by episode and keep it as grounded and as real as possible.

Monreal: While also sticking to canon, which is difficult in its own right, but a fun challenge for us.

I was going to bring that up — because [ex-wife] Diane should be coming in semi-soon, right?

Monreal: Oh, you know your NCIS history. Yes, we’re monitoring Gibbs’ love life very closely and intend to stick to what canon says.

There is the Gibbs and Lala of it, and there’s the story of her that’s been set up. Are we going to be getting all the answers about the story of her and what that means this season?

North: You’ll find out more, let’s put it that way.

You talked about Gibbs’ mental health. He seems at least interested in the veteran support group. What are we going to see coming up there?

Monreal: Again, we wanted to keep this storyline grounded while sticking to canon, so it’s something that we wanted to explore and we do continue to explore Gibbs’ curiosity about this veteran support group in future episodes.

Will we see the start of boat building this season?

North: Well, we already kind of gave a nod and “Blue Bayou” when Gibbs was dealing with another loss in Ruth and he went down to the basement and was building shelves. So I imagine we’ll be working up to boat building at some point soon.

David, you previously said there’s a huge change to Franks and his personal life coming. Is there anything else you can tease about that?

North: No, as far as that, I don’t want to give anything away, but stay tuned. Yeah, it’s going to be a change for Franks to navigate.

What are you enjoying the most about the Franks and Tish’ relationship? I’m really liking it.

Monreal: We love the Franks and Tish relationship. I do. I don’t want to speak for you, David, but I do because of how it balances his character and how he runs things by her and gets her perspective and it sort of makes him feed the world in a different way. They’re fun together, but they also share this sort of deep connection. It’s a relationship that we’re going to explore in the back half of this season.

Are we going to go home more with Randy?

North: I think as far as this season, we’re not discussed that, but yes, in the future we’d love to see more of Randy at home and Junie for sure.

Sonja Flemming / CBS

Are we going to be getting more Gibbs and Randy? It’s a little more lighthearted than I think other parts of the show.

Monreal: Yeah, they have a great chemistry… We love writing those Gibbs/Randy scenes, and Randy himself brings such just a sweet lightheartedness to the show and helps us create this balance, which stays true to the original NCIS, which always, always had humor and undercurrents of family. So Randy is really important in that dynamic, and we love Caleb, so we are excited to explore Randy’s character further.

So this is mysterious Operation Sundown. What can you preview and which member of the team will it affect the most?

North: As far as Operation Sundown, we don’t want to give away too much at all, but it will affect everyone across the board, right, Gina?

Monreal: Yes, everyone, even some of our side characters who you might not expect.

With Vera (Diany Rodriguez) working with Bugs and the second sniper out there, should we be thinking she could end up in danger or should we be looking at other members of the team to possibly end up in danger?

North: I think we’re going to learn much more about Vera and her profiling program and find that her relationship with Bugs, there’s more to it than what we’ve imagined, but as far as being in danger with a second sniper out there, everyone is in danger.

NCIS: Origins, Mondays, 10/9c, CBS