Celebrity Extra: Austin Stowell
By Dana Jackson
Q: When is the new “NCIS” spin-off happening that centers around Mark Harmon's character when he was younger? I hope they're still going through with it. -- D.D.
A: "NCIS: Origins" is a prequel series that takes place in 1991, when Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon's character in the original "NCIS" series) is a newly minted special agent at Camp Pendleton.
The series is produced by Harmon and his son, Sean. Sean actually played a young Gibbs in flashback scenes on "NCIS," but he won't be reprising the role in the new series. Instead, Austin Stowell ("Catch-22") will star as Gibbs when the show premieres on Oct. 14 with a two-hour special event.
Austin Stowell plays Leroy Jethro Gibbs in “NCIS: Origins.” Photo Credit: Courtesy of CBS
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Q: I was a big fan of the show "Castle" and the great chemistry between the two stars. I've been watching Nathan Fillion on "The Rookie" ever since, but what happened to Stana Katic, who starred opposite him in "Castle"? -- H.S.
A: It's hard to believe that it's been eight years since the humorous crime procedural drama "Castle" finished its run on ABC. Nathan Fillion struck gold with another hit series on the same network, "The Rookie," while Stana Katic starred on the Amazon original series "Abstentia" for three seasons.
Most recently, Katic landed a guest-starring role in the new Fox series "Murder in a Small Town," starring Rossif Sutherland ("Plan B") and Kristin Kreuk ("Smallville"). According to her character's description, Katic plays Zoe Strachan, a woman whose cool exterior hides a personality that can explode in sudden fits of temper. It's possible that she could recur in more than one episode of the series.
One may wonder why Katic hasn't guest-starred opposite her old castmate on an episode of "The Rookie." During the filming of "Castle," it was rumored that Fillion and Katic did not get along on set and that the network even made them go to counseling together, so it's doubtful that we'll see an onscreen reunion anytime soon.
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Q: I saw a commercial for a new sitcom with Reba McEntire, called "Happy's Place." I thought her old show "Reba" was coming back. Is this the same show? -- A.K.
A: "Happy's Place" is a new multi-camera-format NBC sitcom starring country music legend and actress Reba McEntire. No, this isn't a spin-off or a reboot of her hit sitcom "Reba," which ran from 2001-2007 on the WB network. In "Happy's Place," McEntire plays Bobbie, a woman who inherits her father's restaurant and must work alongside her newly discovered, younger half-sister, played by Belissa Escobedo ("Hocus Pocus 2").
One reason you may have thought this was a spin-off is because Melissa Peterman, who played Barbra Jean on "Reba," is also in this show. Fans of "Young Sheldon" will recognize Peterman from her role as neighbor Brenda. McEntire had a recurring role as a hairdresser on "Sheldon," too. "Happy's Place" airs on Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
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