Origins Will Reveal Lala’s Story Addressed By Prequel Showrunner

NCIS: Origins showrunner addresses when the show will reveal Lala Dominguez’s (Mariel Molino) story. Special Agent Cecilia “Lala” Dominguez is a central character in the NCIS prequel. Taking place six months after the murder of Leroy Gibbs’ first wife and daughter, the show stars Austin Stowell as a young version of Gibbs, while Mark Harmon does the narrative. Lala’s story has been teased since the pilot, where Harmon shares that the show is a story about “her.” Eleven episodes of season 1 have already aired, leaving seven more episodes yet to arrive.

In an interview with Screen Rant, David J. North shared when they’ll address Lala’s story in the series. While the showrunner doesn’t want to give away too much, he confirms that the rest of season 1 will offer some answers. Check out what the showrunner said below:

You’re right, we don’t want to say much, but I will say this: You will learn much more of that this season.

What This Means For Lala’s Story In NCIS: Origins

It’s Some Answers But Not All The Answers

North’s comment confirms that the rest of the season will tie back to the mysteries in NCIS: Origins episodes 1 and 2. However, it also indicates that it’s likely the season won’t reveal the whole story. Lala is the main love interest for Gibbs in the prequel, but in the flagship, she’s not mentioned. The showrunner previously teased the attraction between the two being “a magnetic pole” but the right person at the wrong time, promising that viewers will “know much more” about what’s truly going on by the end of the season.

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While CBS has yet to renew the show for season 2, North has previously shared that he’s optimistic about the series’ renewal, with the networks “in it for the long haul.” While the NCIS prequel series has received mixed reviews from viewers (with a 66% audience approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes), it consistently shows up on the Top 10 TV show charts across platforms, which is a good sign about the show’s popularity. Thus, Lala’s story is likely to answer some questions and serve as a cliffhanger for future seasons.

Our Take On Lala’s Story In NCIS: Origins

NCIS: Origins Needs To Address It Before Everyone Forgets

Lala staring at Franks in NCIS Origins episode 8

NCIS: Origins has already had a heavy focus on Lala, with her being at the center of the story in several episodes. As a more experienced agent, Lala acts as Gibbs’ potential love interest and mentor. On the other hand, the show has been subtle when it comes to their romance arc. So far, there’s very little development in that space, and frankly, it doesn’t really need to go there.

The mystery about Lala’s story is losing its intrigue after each episode, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing. With NCIS: Origins tackling issues like gender inequality and Lala’s personal struggles, it almost feels like they are already addressing the mystery. The show certainly gives more than it promised, but North’s comment seems to indicate that they are planning on giving viewers something even better.

A new episode of NCIS: Origins airs on Monday at 10 pm ET on CBS.