Spoiler Alert for NCIS: Origins season 1, episode 10, "Blue Bayou"

NCIS franchise's latest spinoff NCIS: Origins dipped to season lows in November heading into the midseason finale. The show has already been renewed for the first season's second half, which wasn't guaranteed. Now, neither is its sophomore run.

A different NCIS: Hawai'i. Beyond its ratings, though, NCIS: Origins has a reason to end after season 1. Still, seeing how the series handles its sophomore run would be interesting.

NCIS: Origins Already Told All The Important Plots From Gibbs' Past

The Prequel Covered All Of Gibbs' Most Important Flashbacks

NCIS: Origins doesn't need to live to see another season because the prequel has already covered all of Gibbs' most important backstories. Many of Gibbs' most essential stories from 1991 were established in flashbacks in NCIS season 3, episodes 23 and 24, "Hiatus Part I" and "Hiatus Part II." The episodes are great because pivotal flashbacks establish Gibbs' history after transitioning from a Gunnery sergeant to a federal agent. Heading into the midseason premiere, NCIS: Origins' story has already tackled all the essential flashbacks from the double episode.

When Mark Harmon's older Gibbs is in the hospital in season 3, he has a flashback to getting the news that someone killed his wife and daughter. The development causes him to run into an explosion that follows, and the prequel covers this event in NCIS: Origins season 1, episode 4. Another critical moment from NCIS season 3 flashbacks is when Gibbs kills Pedro Hernandez following Franks giving the grieving husband access to the file about Shannon and Kelly's case. NCIS: Origins revisited Gibbs' moment in Mexico and other essential scenes, covering significant ground in recreating pivotal flashbacks.

What An NCIS: Origins Season 2 Might Be About

NCIS: Origins Season 2 Can Get Creative

Despite telling many of his most pivotal stories in the first half of season 1, there's plenty more to cover about Leroy Jethro Gibbs if CBS renews the prequel for NCIS: Origins season 2. Amid old Gibbs' flashbacks about the war and his family in season 3, the character had flashbacks of NCIS Director Jennifer Shepard, whom he had an intimate relationship with after the death of his wife and daughter. NCIS: Origins has yet to cover Jenny's involvement in Gibbs' early years at the agency, although she doesn't factor into his story until later.

A story about McGee's childhood or Ziva's Mossad origins would be a neat development, and it could save the NCIS series that has unsuccessfully focused on Gibbs so far.

Jenny could appear in later seasons of NCIS: Origins if it outlasts its concerning ratings drop. Another option for continuing NCIS: Origins into a second season, now that plenty has been established about Leroy Jethro Gibbs, is to focus on another character. NCIS: Origins could pick a new character to focus on each season, giving its audience a variation of narratives to enjoy. A story about McGee's childhood or Ziva's Mossad origins would be a neat development, and it could save the NCIS series that has unsuccessfully focused on Gibbs so far.

What Are The Chances Of CBS Renewing NCIS: Origins

NCIS: Origins' Renewal Chances Are Fair

NCIS: Origins has a fair chance of renewal for season 2, but it is by no means a guarantee at this point. That said, showrunner David J. North gave an optimistic NCIS: Origins season 2 update, saying that CBS and Paramount+ were "in it for the long haul." While the network hasn't officially commented on renewing the prequel series for its sophomore run, North's comments suggest the showrunners have reason to believe the show will last beyond its first season. Still, anything is possible after the NCIS franchise canceled NCIS: Hawai'i after just season 3.

Between canceling its successful NCIS: Hawai'i spinoff and the dropping numbers for the flagship series, no NCIS show is safe heading into the next TV cycle. While the Navy-focused police procedural was once a television institution, the franchise has lost favor with viewers. At least if NCIS: Origins does see the chopping block after just one season, it will have accomplished what it came to do in of establishing Gibbs' story in the early 1990s while he gets started at Camp Pendleton. Still, it would be fascinating to see NCIS: Origins get creative with another season.

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