NCIS: Origins Season 2 Delivers Big Gibbs Moment, But Raises Concerns About Lala Shakeup

The prequel series is back with new episodes, including Gibbs' first interrogation and a surprising development with Lala Dominguez.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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The NCIS: Origins Season 2 midseason finale ended with a bang, as Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Diane Sterling traveled to Las Vegas on a whim to get married, and a 22-year-old man named Stanley bombed a movie theater. Now the show has returned from hiatus, and Gibbs has done his first interrogation, which didn't go well at first. Meanwhile, Lala Dominguez has formed a surprising bond with Manuel Santiago, a high-ranking gang member, raising concerns about how this will impact her work and personal life.

Why it matters

NCIS: Origins is a prequel series that explores the early careers of the beloved NCIS characters, and the events of Season 2 are shaping up to have major implications for the future of the franchise. Gibbs' struggles with interrogation techniques and Lala's personal entanglement with a gang member could have significant consequences for the characters and the overall story.

The details

In the latest episode, Gibbs put Abe Pruitt, the charismatic leader of The Range, under interrogation. Although Abe initially seemed to have no weaknesses, Gibbs eventually discovered that Abe was married to two women at the same time, a federal crime. Meanwhile, Lala Dominguez has formed a strange bond with Manuel Santiago, the second-in-command of a rival gang. At the end of the previous episode, Lala pulled Manuel inside her apartment and they started making out, despite the obvious risks and complications this could bring.

  • The NCIS: Origins Season 2 midseason finale aired in late 2025.
  • The show has now returned from hiatus and is airing new episodes on the 2026 TV schedule.

The players

Leroy Jethro Gibbs

A young Gibbs who is still learning the ropes of law enforcement and interrogation techniques.

Diane Sterling

Gibbs' love interest who traveled to Las Vegas with him to get married.

Abe Pruitt

The charismatic leader of The Range compound, who manipulated a 22-year-old man named Stanley into bombing a movie theater.

Lala Dominguez

An NIS agent who has formed a surprising bond with Manuel Santiago, the second-in-command of a rival gang.

Manuel Santiago

The second-in-command of the 63rd Street Chicales gang, who has developed a relationship with Lala Dominguez.

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What they’re saying

“Although we'd previously met Abe's wife at The Range, it turns out his ex-wife technically wasn't that just yet, as the divorce hadn't gone through. Meaning, Abe was married to two women at the same time, and as Gibbs learned while he and Diane were in Las Vegas, bigamy is a federal crime.”

— Adam Holmes, Author (cinemablend.com)

“There's no way this doesn't end badly, right? She's a law enforcement officer and he's a high-ranking gang member. Assuming this isn't just a one time thing and Lala and Manuel begin a relationship together, how's Flaco going to react when he learns this? How will her NIS teammates react? This is destined to cause all sorts of problems, but since Lala just learned that the door's basically closed on her and Gibbs ever getting together, I don't blame her for acting impulsively with Manuel.”

— Adam Holmes, Author (cinemablend.com)

What’s next

New episodes of NCIS: Origins will continue to air Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS, where viewers will see how Gibbs' interrogation techniques develop and how Lala's relationship with Manuel impacts her work and personal life.

The takeaway

NCIS: Origins is delivering compelling character development and high-stakes storylines that are shaping the future of the NCIS franchise. Gibbs' growth as an investigator and Lala's personal entanglement with a gang member are raising the stakes and creating new challenges for the beloved characters.