As we inch closer to NCIS: Origins coming back, all eyes are on Lala. We now know that Mariel Molino will return to the series, but the truth is, we don’t know if she will be back alive or for the full season.
The latest update is that Molino was on set, but co-showrunner Gina Lucita Monreal has given a hint that it might not be to rejoin NIS after her NCIS: Origins season 1 car crash. The NCIS: Origins season 1 finale left with her life on the line, and now there’s a good chance that we’ll only get Molino back temporarily.
If I’m honest, this it going to fundamentally change the show, and not necessarily in a good way. It all depends on how NCIS: Origins season 2 handles it.
Lala’s NCIS: Origins season 2 appearance doesn’t guarantee survival
When Monreal shared that Molino was back on set, she didn’t say the exact capacity. In fact, she got cagey, sharing “how you will see her remains a mystery.” At this point, her fate remains the mystery as we go into NCIS: Origins season 2.
There are many ways that the writers could keep Molino in the show for now, but not have her survive the car crash. Plenty of shows have brought a character back for the premiere episode, giving us scenes in the hospital before killing them off. Just look back at Chicago Fire season 8 with Otis!
As we mentioned before, NCIS has brought back ghosts in the past, and that includes for Gibbs. We’ve seen him turn to the ghost of Mike Franks, so it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for him to start seeing ghosts of others important to him. If he blames himself for Lala’s death, he could end up seeing her ghost as NCIS: Origins season 2 starts.
Lala dying will drastically change NCIS: Origins season 2’s direction
However, opting to kill Lala off so early in the series is going to drastically change everything. From the very beginning with Mark Harmon’s voiceover, he’s made it clear that the story is about “her.” In other words, it’s about Lala.
This suggested that while Lala likely dies at some point in the story, it would take some time. For the show to write her out so quickly, it means that NCIS: Origins has a relatively short shelf life. It’s hard to move on to another story when the premise has already been set, especially with the entire season focused on Gibbs and Lala.
Losing Lala is going to lead to a shift in everyone’s storylines, as she was close to multiple people on the team. That’s especially the case if it comes out that she was racing to tell Gibbs some good news about his career. Gibbs’s story will need to focus on someone else, and it’s too early for that. We haven’t even gotten to know Lala and why he ended up so connected to her!
NCIS: Origins season 2 will premiere on Tuesday, Oct. 14 at 9/8c on CBS.