Adam Campbell to Reprise NCIS Role of Young Ducky on NCIS: Origins Season 2

Another NCIS character will appear on the prequel series when NCIS: Origins returns for its second season.

Deadline reports that Adam Campbell will reprise his role as Young Ducky on an episode that will pay special tribute to the late David McCallum. He portrayed Ducky for 20 seasons of NCIS and died at the age of 90 in 2023.

The episode gets its name from McCallum’s “The Edge” and finds Ducky at Camp Pendleton. There, he shadows “the team while they work a case and, in the process, he reconnects with Gibbs after the two crossed paths years earlier. McCallum’s iconic song “The Edge” will also be featured in the episode.”

Campbell has made four appearances as Young Ducky. The first of which was on NCIS Season 12 Episode 3, “So It Goes in 2024,” and the most recent was NCIS Season 18 Episode 2, “Everything Stars Somewhere,” in 2020.

This NCIS: Origins episode will be the first time that Campbell’s Young Ducky appears alongside Austin Stowell as Young Gibbs. Before NCIS: Origins, Mark Harmon’s son, Sean Harmon, portrayed Young Gibbs on seven episodes of NCIS. 

“We wanted to do this episode to honor the memory of our dear friend David McCallum,” NCIS: Origins co-showrunners Gina Lucita Monreal and David J. North said in a joint statement, per TV Line.

“He was a beloved member of the NCIS family for so many years, and we’re incredibly lucky to have the talented Adam Campbell back to bring the younger version of this iconic character to life once again. We even got to feature David’s music in the episode. We’re all very excited and can’t wait for the fans to see it!”

This news comes ahead of NCIS: Origins Season 2 Episode 1, “The Funky Bunch,” which airs on Tuesday, October 14, at 9/8c on CBS. 

During that season premiere, “Gibbs and Franks investigate the disappearance of a young Marine connected to a mysterious compound with a charismatic leader, and Lala’s fate is revealed.” The episode was written by Gina Lucita Monreal and directed by Niels Arden Oplev.

Alongside Stowell as Leroy Jethro Gibbs, NCIS: Origins stars Mariel Molino as Lala Dominguez, Kyle Schmid as Mike Franks, Tyla Abercrumbie as Mary Jo Hayes, Diany Rodriguez as Vera Strickland, and Caleb Foote as Bernard “Randy” Randolf.

David J. North, Gina Lucita Monreal, Mark Harmon, and Sean Harmon executive produce the series. CBS Studios produces.

—

NCIS: Origins Season 2 premieres on Tuesday, October 14, at 9/8c on CBS. 

Follow us on X and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!