Bridging the Generations: The Young Dwayne Pride Arc

​The current 2025–2026 season of NCIS: Origins has seen a significant spike in viewership, largely credited to Mark Harmon’s active role as narrator and executive producer. In January 2026, the series introduced a young Dwayne Pride (the character famously played by Scott Bakula in NCIS: New Orleans).

​Harmon’s narration in these episodes has been described as “deeply emotional,” providing a grizzled, retrospective look at the “Fed Five”—the legendary team of agents that formed the foundation of the NCIS we know today. By lending his iconic voice to these pivotal moments, Harmon is effectively “passing the torch” to Austin Stowell (who plays the young Gibbs) while maintaining the DNA of the original franchise that fans have loved for two decades.