Adam Campbell’s return to the NCIS universe as young Donald “Ducky” Mallard on NCIS: Origins will pay homage to the OG character — and drop a few easter eggs for fans of his and Gibbs’ friendship.
“This episode is about the rekindling of old friendships between Gibbs and Ducky,” Campbell, 45, exclusively told Us Weekly on Thursday, October 23, of his upcoming guest appearance on the CBS show.
Fans were initially introduced to Ducky (played by the late David McCallum) as the medical examiner on NCIS in 2003, where he worked alongside Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon).
In 2024, CBS took fans back to 1991 with NCIS: Origins, which documents young Gibbs’ (Austin Stowell) start as an agent, but the majority of his former coworkers have not popped up on the prequel — including a young Ducky.
When NCIS said goodbye to Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard — and paid homage to the late actor David McCallum — fans were quick to notice Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs was nowhere to be found. “When we bring him back, we’re not going to bring him back for two minutes,” coshowrunner Steven D. Binder told […]
Campbell, for his part, noted that the Tuesday, October 28, episode of NCIS: Origins highlights his character Ducky’s relationship with Gibbs’ (Stowell) “quite profoundly” starting 12 years after their first meeting.
“It carries a slightly different tone to the rest of the series,” Campbell, who previously portrayed the younger version of medical examiner Ducky on NCIS, teased. “This episode, particularly, there is levity there. I think it’s also quite a profound episode in terms of what we learn about Franks and Gibbs and Lala.”
The actor noted that Ducky “simply being present” with Special Agent Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid) and Lala Dominguez (Mariel Molino) while performing an autopsy “brings out” something in the characters “that we otherwise might not see.”
Austin Stowell. Erik Voake/CBS
During “The Edge” episode, Ducky, who is stationed at the Washington, D.C. headquarters, is tasked to evaluate how the office at Camp Pendleton in California is running and whether they need an in-house medical examiner of their own.
“He’s more of an uncle [to the San Diego team], but they feel so at ease with him that I think this episode brings out new revelations that I fans of the show will find quite intriguing,” Campbell said.
It didn’t take long for Mark Harmon to share his opinion about Austin Stowell‘s performance as Leroy Gibbs in CBS’ NCIS: Origins. “He gave it to me right away in the room,” Stowell, 39, quipped during an exclusive interview with Us Weekly. “He was vocal about — maybe not what to do — but certainly […]
For fans of the flagship series, there will also be nods to older Ducky (McCallum) and elder Gibbs (Harmon), including the origin story of why Ducky famously talks to the dead bodies on his autopsy table. (McCallum played the original Ducky on NCIS for 20 seasons before his death in September 2023 at the age of 90.)
“He does leave California a slightly changed man because of his new understanding of you know, [his work],” Campbell told Us.
A glimpse at how important Gibbs was in Ducky’s youth is also explored — but not fully revealed.
Adam Campbell and Austin Stowell as Ducky and Gibbs on ‘NCIS: Origins.’ Greg Gayne/CBS
“That [initial] meeting is quite significant in his life, because it’s in that meeting that Gibbs sort of challenges him and suggests he might make a good medical examiner,” Campbell explained. “I don’t think Gibbs puts the same amount of weight on that interaction. And so in this episode, there is, perhaps, in Ducky a slight disappointment, that Gibbs isn’t quite as fond of the reunion as Ducky is.”
Campbell teased that when Ducky wraps up his case in Pendleton, his parting gift to Gibbs will serve as another treat for NCIS fans.
“It is their kind of little private inside joke, really, that they’ve got,” Campbell said of the final scene shared between Ducky and Gibbs. “So there is that kind of a little moment that the writers are harking back to.”
While Campbell isn’t slated for another NCIS: Origins appearance, he teased you can never have too much of Ducky.
“Every show should have more Ducky in it,” he joked. “Even Game of Thrones or Euphoria. It’s essential.”
NCIS: Origins airs on CBS Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET.