NCIS: Origins has revealed that Mike Franks went back on his word in NCIS in an amusing change of character. In NCIS: Origins, Franks is the leading Special Agent of NIS and the direct superior officer to Gibbs. He is also instrumental in forming the newbie’s future NCIS career, which is helped by the fact that Franks has a soft spot for Gibbs and refers to him as “probie,” a reference to his probational status with the team. As established in the flagship, Franks will also act as a strong mentor for Gibbs throughout the NCIS spinoff.
While NCIS: Origins episode 6 featured less of Franks than usual, the episode did reveal valuable information about his character. While investigating a murder, the NIS team learn that the victim had stolen secret military information and was planning on selling it to a high bidder. Fortunately for NIS, the FBI steps in and arrests the buyer before the deal can go through, which lets Gibbs and Lala go undercover as the buyers and recover the information before it gets out. The episode also revealed a continuity error for Franks’ NCIS: Origins character.
Mike Franks Declares He Doesn’t Like Mexican Food In NCIS: Origins
He Passes On A Plate Of Tacos In NCIS: Origins Episode 6
Franks’ amusing continuity error happens during a casual work meeting at a Mexican restaurant with him, his supervisor, Cliff Walker, and FBI detective Noah Oakley. Franks and Walker meet with Oakley to ask for help with catching the buyer before he can purchase the stolen intelligence and disappear. When Franks is offered a plate of tacos to try, he declines, saying he “doesn’t like Mexican food” in NCIS episode 6, “Incognito.”
The scene ends with Wheeler’s FBI connection lighting up the mood by revealing he was always going to help NIS and that the buyer was already in custody. He just wanted someone to pay for his lunch. He looks at Wheeler, who then nods towards Franks, who begrudgingly picks up the bill. Franks’ admission of his distaste for Mexican food seems like a continuity error based on where he ends up in the flagship NCIS.
NCIS Revealed That Mike Ended Up Retiring In Mexico
Frank Could Have Grown To Love Mexican Food
Franks’ comment in “Incognito” is particularly amusing after realizing that he ends up in Mexico after retiring from his career at NCIS. At some point between NCIS: Origins and NCIS, Franks decides to retire to a secluded and peaceful life in Mexico, where he is surrounded by Mexican food. At one point, Gibbs even stays with him in his seaside home, until Mark Harmon’s character decides to return to MCRT.
Kyle Schmid’s Mike Franks is still years away from Muse Watson’s version of the character in NCIS.
What seems like a potential continuity error could also just be a change in character, depending on how NCIS: Origins plays the character’s arc moving forward. Kyle Schmid’s Mike Franks is still years away from Muse Watson’s version of the character in NCIS. His change in taste could also be representative of the time that has passed between the two shows.