To become the effective agent he turns out to be in the present day, Gibbs must learn how to be a sharp investigator who knows when to trust his instincts. To become a leader, he must learn to work well with others. Despite the troubled man NCIS: Origins introduced in the series premiere, Gibbs is all in on the job and is more than willing to learn. In NCIS: Origins Season 1, Episode 3, “Bend, Don’t Break,” a murder case takes him through the investigative process where he learns the dos and don’ts of the game. CBS released some sneak peeks into the episode that find the team in different stages of the investigation. Meanwhile, Gibbs’ dad has some words for Franks, per the official logline below.
“A murder near Camp Pendleton leads Gibbs and the team to a suburban mall in San Diego, where Gibbs takes matters into his own hands. Jackson Gibbs pays Franks an unexpected visit.”
The Making of Leroy Jethro Gibbs
One sneak peek finds the team at a crime scene where the body of the victim was discovered. Lala introduces the facts of the case, and they start brainstorming potential causes of death. However, there’s clear evidence of foul play. “Hell of a beat down this boy took,” Franks says, as Randall clumsily makes his way to the muddy crime scene. In another sneak peek, the quarter arrives in true 1980s movie star style at the mall. According to Lala’s investigation, the victim, Sawyer, spent a lot of time at this mall. This was when malls were huge and a popular hangout spot for young people. They are investigating some shady dealings in which Sawyer was involved in the hopes of finding his killer.
In a third sneak peek, Randall takes Gibbs to an evidence storage room to teach him how to check evidence in. “Fill out in full, I’ll get you a receipt, and make sure you write legibly, or Kowalksi will have your ass,” Granny tells him. Granny reveals that he might not be the evidence custodian for much longer because he’s been tapped to replace a retired K-9 Unit member. “Make sure you write legibly, or I’ll whoop your ass,” Kowalski appears and echoes Granny’s warning. Meanwhile, in the same sneak peek, Franks is at home with his wife when someone knocks on his door. It turns out to be Gibbs’ father, who clarifies that he must talk to Franks, rain or sunshine.
These sneak peeks show Gibbs learning to follow procedure as an NIS Agent, but that doesn’t mean he is ready to ditch his vices yet. He makes a case personal and takes matters into his own hands, which is a huge no-no when working as a team – more so if you haven’t celebrated your first anniversary on the job yet.
Watch the episode on CBS tonight, Monday, October 21. Stream the two-part series premiere on Paramount+.