Adam Campbell Set to Return as Young Ducky in NCIS: Origins Season 3

When NCIS: Origins season 3 premieres this fall, fans will once again welcome Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard through the casting of Adam Campbell in the role.

David McCallum originated the beloved character of Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard in the flagship NCIS series from 2003 until his passing in 2023, establishing him as one of television’s most enduring forensic experts. Campbell first portrayed the younger version of Ducky in multiple episodes of the main NCIS franchise before bringing the character to NCIS: Origins in its second season.

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NCIS: Origins showrunner David J. North confirmed Campbell’s return to TVLine following an Instagram post by co-star Mariel Molino, who plays Lala Dominguez in the prequel series. North expressed enthusiasm about Campbell resuming the role, noting that his character’s presence in season 3 will further develop the backstory of how Ducky and Leroy Jethro Gibbs, portrayed by Austin Stowell, formed their iconic friendship.

Let’s just say he comes into a case this year in a way that he hasn’t in his previous two episodes … he sort of just ends up popping up.

Campbell made his NCIS: Origins debut in the episode “The Edge,” where Ducky traveled to Camp Pendleton’s NCIS branch (then known as NIS) to assess whether they required an in-house medical examiner. This marked Campbell’s first collaboration with Stowell, as the younger Gibbs was previously portrayed by Sean Harmon in the NCIS season 18 episode “Everything Starts Somewhere,” which depicted the characters’ initial meeting.

Beyond his NCIS: Origins appearances, Campbell recently returned as Ducky in NCIS season 23’s “All Good Things.” In that episode, rather than appearing in flashbacks, Campbell’s Ducky manifested as a spectral presence encountered by Leon Vance, played by Rocky Carroll, in the afterlife sequence.

While NCIS: Origins season 2 concluded with significant developments including Gibbs and Lala’s romantic moment and Randy’s mysterious kidnapping, season 3 is anticipated to continue these storylines alongside Mark Harmon’s return as the older Gibbs throughout all episodes.

NCIS: Origins season 3 premieres Tuesday, October 6 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS, featuring 10 episodes—a reduction from the standard episode count of previous seasons. The fall television schedule will also include new seasons of NCIS and NCIS: New York.

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