Why Does Ducky Talk To Bodies On NCIS? Origins’ Showrunner And Younger Actor Talk ‘Difficult’ Story And More

by

Warning: SPOILERS for the NCIS: Origins episode “The Edge” are ahead!

Fans of NCIS: Origins have had quite a day! Mark Harmon is set to appear on screen in Origins during its upcoming crossover with NCIS – the first time he’s made a cameo since the prequel series started in October 2024. And just hours later, the episode “The Edge,” which recently aired, featured Adam Campbell reprising his role as a young Donald “Ducky” Mallard, a character we’ve seen in four previous NCIS episodes.

The third episode of Origins revealed a lot about Ducky’s character, explaining why he refers to Leroy Jethro Gibbs by his middle name (a connection to the farmer Jethro Tull) and how he unknowingly sparked Gibbs’ interest in building boats (by giving him a ship in a bottle). Perhaps the biggest surprise was learning the reason behind Ducky’s habit of talking to corpses, a behavior the late David McCallum portrayed for many years on NCIS. Origins co-showrunners Gina Lucita Monreal and Campbell discussed the challenges of telling this story and other details with TopMob.

What Gina Lucita Monreal Said About This Ducky Reveal

Ducky Mallard visited Camp Pendleton to see if the Naval Investigative Service (NIS) needed a dedicated medical examiner. Mike Franks and Cliff Wheeler were initially wary, suspecting Ducky might be looking for a reason to close the office. However, with the current medical examiner, Doc Tango, overloaded with cases, Ducky was asked to perform the autopsy on a woman found frozen in a restaurant freezer. The investigation revealed the woman had been exposed to a bioweapon developed by her employer, and she intentionally froze herself to preserve a sample of the weapon contained within her dental filling.

Watching NCIS: Origins, I loved seeing how Ducky started his habit of talking to the bodies he examined! It wasn’t just about solving the case and helping people like Gibbs and the others – he realized how important it was to connect with the victims, just like he did when they were alive. It was a really touching moment. Gina Lucita Monreal, one of the showrunners along with David J. North, actually explained to me how this all came about…

Initially, figuring out how to portray Ducky’s conversations with corpses was the biggest hurdle. We spent a lot of time developing that aspect of his character and the story. We went through many drafts before landing on the right approach. Adam Campbell’s performance was key – he perfectly captured the moment Ducky realizes he’s been mistaken about the evidence, but can still solve the case by directly acknowledging the victims. It was a tough part to get right, but we’re happy with how it turned out.

It took several days to thaw the victim’s body, delaying the pursuit of justice. During the process, Ducky discovered that standard autopsy procedures weren’t always the most effective. He’s decided to deviate from the methods taught by his mentor, Dr. Walter Magnus, and will now be more vocal while examining bodies at the Washington D.C. NIS office.

What Adam Campbell Said About This Ducky Reveal

Adam Campbell played Ducky Mallard for the first time in the NCIS Season 18 episode “Everything Starts Somewhere,” which showed how his character met Leroy Jethro Gibbs (played in flashbacks by Sean Harmon) back in 1980. In a separate interview, I asked Campbell how he felt when he learned that NCIS: Origins would explore this previously unseen part of Ducky’s history.

What’s really interesting about this episode is that while I initially expected it to focus on how Ducky affects other people, it actually shows his own personal transformation. A key moment happens when he’s in Pendleton – he rediscovers what it was like to work with living patients, and realizes he can find the same kind of connection when examining those who have passed away.

I always wondered why Ducky talked to the bodies, and apparently, figuring that out wasn’t easy for the writers! Gina Lucita Monreal said they eventually landed on a really interesting reason. Then Adam Campbell came in and absolutely nailed the performance, bringing that gentle doctorly bedside manner to his role as the medical examiner in a totally new way. It was so well done, and he really sold the explanation. He went on to say…

He begins to view the bodies not just as physical remains, but as individuals who deserved respect and had families who cared for them. This is a significant shift for Ducky, and it’s something David consistently encourages and develops throughout his time on NCIS.

Considering there’s an 11-year gap between the events in “The Edge” and the introduction of Ducky Mallard in the JAG episode that set up NCIS, fans can hope to see Adam Campbell reprise his role at Camp Pendleton. The next episode of NCIS: Origins, titled “No Man Left Behind,” will introduce Mike Franks’ brother Mason, played by Philip Winchester, and airs next Tuesday at 9 p.m. Eastern on CBS.

Read More

2025-10-29 05:09