NCIS: Origins Season 2 is set to peel back another crucial layer of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, this time heading into territory fans of the original series never got to see. Austin Stowell’s take on the younger Gibbs has already delivered a version of the agent who’s raw, observant, and not yet hardened by years in the field.
Now, with the sophomore season set to air on CBS on October 14, the showrunners are promising a moment that will shape how this version of Gibbs develops into the legend played by Mark Harmon.
According to co-showrunner Gina Lucita Monreal, the team is gearing up to explore Gibbs’ very first interrogation, a part of his career that became second nature in later seasons of NCIS. We’ve seen him get information in the field, push buttons in elevators, and navigate team dynamics with an instinctual edge.
But a real interrogation room scene, where Gibbs takes complete control for the first time, hasn’t happened yet. That’s about to change!
This upcoming scene is about showing how Gibbs learns to own the room. And if Season 1 was any indication, they’re not going to hold back when it comes to making it count.
Gibbs Steps Into the Interrogation Room for the First Time in NCIS: Origins Season 2

NCIS: Origins Season 2 will pick up where it left off, and it is about to throw a young Special Agent Gibbs into a situation he’s never faced before: a full-scale, sit-down interrogation. This is not a scene with casual field questions or hallway tension.
It’s a proper interview room setup, one where the suspect is confined and the agent needs to maintain control without losing focus. According to co-showrunner Gina Lucita Monreal, fans can expect this to be a major turning point for Austin Stowell’s Gibbs.
Gibbs has already shown flashes of what will one day become his signature style. The quiet pauses. The locked eye contact. A firm tone that doesn't need to be yelled. But this time, it won’t be a field stop or a soft lead. It’ll be him alone in a room, pushing someone into telling the truth, with no partner to tag in and no time for second-guessing. This is where the job stops being theoretical and begins to become personal.
The timing for this scene matters. By NCIS: Origins Season 2, Gibbs is still green but learning fast. He's watched Mike Franks work suspects, he’s picked up cues from Lala Dominguez, and he’s made his own mistakes.
Now, the story places him in a position where someone else’s life or freedom hinges on whether he can pull the truth from a stone-faced suspect. There's no official word on who the suspect will be, but this isn’t being written as a throwaway moment. It’s a benchmark in his evolution.
The writers have been deliberate in how they’ve withheld this scene from him in Season 1. While we’ve seen him apply pressure in less formal settings, such as extracting information during high-stress moments or pressuring suspects in elevators, this controlled setting is something different. It forces him to balance instinct with technique. That’s a side of Gibbs that hasn’t fully emerged yet, but the pieces are there.

Co-showrunner David J. North has also emphasized the importance of these “firsts” in establishing the foundation of who Gibbs becomes. This interrogation will likely rely more on emotion and gut feeling than polished skills, and that’s part of its appeal. It shows Gibbs before the routine took over, when every move still felt new, and consequences still hit hard.
Austin Stowell’s performance will carry weight here. He’s not imitating Mark Harmon, he’s building toward him. That’s a fine line, and this interrogation will be the clearest sign yet of how he’s handling that pressure. With CBS confirming the premiere date as October 14, fans won’t have to wait too long to watch the moment unfold.
If done right, it won’t just be an interrogation. It’ll be the scene where Gibbs stops being a rookie and starts becoming someone the rest of the room listens to. NCIS: Origins Season 2 has a lot to offer, but this one scene might be the most important thing it delivers.
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