Way back in NCIS Season 11, the episode “Under the Radar” introduced Vera Strickland, who was played by Roma Maffia and had once been the partner of the late Mike Franks, played by Muse Watson. Vera was never seen on NCIS again, but the Leroy Jethro Gibbs-focused prequel NCIS: Origins is set to feature her as one of the main characters, this time played by Diany Rodriguez . With less than two weeks to go Origins premieres on the 2024 TV schedule , co-showrunner Gina Lucita Monreal shared why it was important to include Vera in the newest of the NCIS shows.
Monreal, who shares showrunning duties with David North, acknowledged to TVLine that throwing Vera Strickland into the NCIS: Origins mix is a deep cut even for longtime NCIS fans, but laid out their rationale for why she needed to be one of the show’s principal players as follows: It is a deep pull, but we looked at the timeline and she would have been there [at Camp Pendleton]. She was described [on NCIS] as Franks’ first partner..
. Vera has some mysterious elements as well, so being able to flesh out a character that was so clearly defined in that one [NCIS] episode has been really fun, for sure. After The Big Mark Harmon NCIS: Origins Announcement, I Am Seriously Looking Forward To Learning What Gibbs Has Been Up To Since His Exit NCIS: Origins’ Austin Stowell Shares How He Almost Missed Learning He’d Been Cast In The CBS Prequel, And Gibbs Would Be Proud By the time Roma Maffia’s Vera Strickland showed up .