Because of David McCallum's death in 2023, NCIS already had a Ducky send-off episode, which features the surprise return of Michael Weatherly's Anthony DiNozzo Jr. The shock cameo was great. That said, it still felt incomplete because Mark Harmon's Gibbs didn't return.

NCIS: Origins revealed more of the backstory of Special Agent Leroy Gibbs ( Austin Stowell) and NIS medical examiner Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard ( Adam Campbell) on tonight’s episode, and it was a surprise how much Gibbs’ friendship meant to Ducky and how little of it Gibbs remembered.

Origins would deliver its own tribute to fan-favorite Donald “Ducky” Mallard, it was hard to know what to expect from this venture or whether Adam Campbell could reprise the role in a way that aligned with this spinoff.

NCIS: Origins Season 2 shakes things up with the arrival of a new face. The third episode of NCIS: Origins Season 2 truly leaves a lasting impact by seamlessly blending the grueling case of murder with the struggles of the personal lives of the characters.

But arguably the biggest reveal came with learning why Ducky talks to bodies, which we saw the late David McCallum did when he was playing him for so many years on NCIS. Origins co-showrunner Gina Lucita Monreal and Campbell opened up to CinemaBlend about telling this “difficult” story and more.

Adam Campbell's "NCIS" character, who has appeared on the mothership in flashbacks as the young version of David McCallum's Ducky, is sent to work with our "Origins" team to see if they need an in-house medical examiner. But the crew at Pendleton is skeptical of his true motives.

"NCIS: Origins" honors David McCallum in a tribute episode Oct. 28 featuring young "Ducky" Mallard's return. USA TODAY gets an exclusive sneak peek.

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