NCIS: Origins Could Finally Fix Jenny Shepard’s Biggest Mistake—But There’s a Catch

In a different phrasing, here’s how you could present it:

Gibbs’ love interests didn’t always resonate with viewers, but the new series NCIS: Origins might breathe life into at least one of them. Post the season 1 finale of NCIS: Origins, Diane is probably the only love interest fans are thinking about. Nevertheless, there’s potential for more characters to join the cast in guest appearances. And among all future NCIS Directors, Jenny Shepard seems to require redemption the most.

Initially, many admired Jenny when she made her debut, but she lost fans’ favor by seemingly attempting to oust McGee and coming dangerously close to causing Tony’s demise. She was cunningly manipulative in the pursuit of finding her father’s murderer, showing little regret for her actions. However, with a slight exception, there is potential for Jenny to be redeemed once NCIS: Origins enters its second season.

NCIS: Origins’ Timeline Allows The Show To Introduce Young Jenny

They’ve Set Up One Future Gibbs Romance Already

Although Diane and Lara Macy’s appearances in NCIS: Origins are the most recent, the prequel series has previously unveiled younger versions of several key NCIS characters. The main stories revolve largely around Jethro Gibbs and Mike Franks, but Vera plays a significant recurring part with critical impacts on the larger narrative, while Tobias Fornell has been introduced too.

Jenny Shepard could effortlessly be included on this list. Following her father’s murder while he was at the Pentagon, Jenny decided to join NCIS in a quest to find her father’s suspected killer, an arms dealer known as La Grenouille. This journey also brought her into contact with younger Gibbs, although many fans may recall little more than her aggressive tendencies.

Jenny’s NCIS: Origins Story Can Justify Her Revenge Plot

It Was The Crux Of Why So Many People Hated Her

Among all her actions as director, it’s the incident where Jenny arranged for Tony to date La Grenouille’s daughter, which almost got him killed, and then turned the blame on Tony herself, that fans appear most critical of. Despite DiNozzo moving on and generally working amicably with Shepard, this past event remains a point of contention among his followers.

Despite the fact that many disliked her until Jenny Shepard’s demise in NCIS, a prequel series might offer additional insight. Given that she was raised by a high-ranking Pentagon official, it is plausible that she mastered deception as a result. The prequel series, NCIS: Origins, takes place while Colonel Jasper Shepard is still alive. Exploring their relationship could potentially explain how Jenny developed into her future self.

NCIS: Origins’ Introduction Can’t Happen Until A Few Years Later

She Shouldn’t Appear Until NCIS: Origins Season 8

One challenge in developing Jenny’s backstory for the prequel series is that by the time she worked alongside Gibbs in 1999, she had already embarked on her quest for vengeance. Another issue arises due to the fact that the events of NCIS: Origins are meant to correspond with the main series, but Origins itself takes place in 1991. This discrepancy currently seems to prevent Shepard’s appearance in NCIS: Origins from occurring within the current narrative framework.

In other words, it’s important to note that the prequel hasn’t strictly adhered to every detail of the original series, as shown by the slight alteration in Lara Macy’s reasons for investigating Gibbs across NCIS and NCIS: Origins. However, her ultimate goal of seeking promotion remains consistent in both stories. Jenny’s introduction, on the other hand, might need more careful handling during the transition.

How NCIS: Origins Can Feature Jenny Earlier Without Breaking Continuity

Not Every Character Introduction Needs To Involve Gibbs

To this point, every character from the spin-off NCIS: Origins has a connection with Gibbs, but it’s not necessary for him to be present when these characters initially appear. For instance, Jenny could potentially debut in a plotline involving another character like Franks or Wheeler. Given that Washington might have a personal stake in Wheeler’s handling of the Sandman case, this scenario seems plausible.

This scenario might bring Colonel Shepard into the picture, despite him being in California and only being wooed by the Pentagon at that moment. If he hasn’t relocated to Washington yet, he could serve as the connection through which we first see Jenny on NCIS: Origins. No matter how it transpires, let’s hope she receives a bit more attention in future instances.

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2025-07-04 23:51