NCIS: Origins season 2 episode 5 recap: The secrets of serenity unraveled by Gibbs

NCIS: Origins season 2 episode 5, titled Funny How Time Slips Away, aired on November 11, 2025. This episode explores a decades-old case that sheds light on Gibbs’ early years in the service. The show follows young Gibbs, played by Austin Stowell, as he develops a sense of justice.

Set in the 1990s, NCIS: Origins season 2 follows the early career of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, investigating cases that would shape him into the iconic agent seen in the original NCIS series.

NCIS: Origins season 2 episode 5 returns to Serenity, California, where a naval officer's suspected death sparks a web of lies and secrets, creating a rich atmosphere and theme. Gibbs' early career is explored while a murder and deception story is told.

Disclaimer: following article contains spoilers from NCIS: Origins season 2 episode 5. Reader’s discretion is required.

In this episode, Gibbs and mentor Mike Franks investigate an apparent accidental death. After investigating, it becomes evident that there is much more to the story. In the episode, young Gibbs discovers Serenity's dark secrets, including a murder and the town's complex dynamics.

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A case of murder and deception in NCIS: Origins season 2 episode 5

A detailed recap of NCIS: Origins season 2, episode 5 (Image via CBS)

Gibbs begins by ruminating on a case from his early military career that has haunted him for decades. In Serenity, California, he and his mentor Mike Franks investigated a fatal car accident involving retired military commander Louis Burke as rookie investigators.

The car had been struck by a train, and initial assumptions pointed to suicide. Although, Gibbs quickly gets the feeling that something isn't right. As the probe goes on, the team finds a web of lies that points to murder instead of suicide.

Also read: NCIS: Origins season 2 episode 4 recap: A brother's plea and personal struggles

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Blood on the car door

While questioning the locals, Gibbs and his team discover that the town's residents are hesitant to provide any real information. They all seem to have a shared reluctance to speak up, and their silence is troubling.

Gibbs discovers a bloody handprint on Burke's car door at a neighborhood store. This clearly indicates that he was forced onto the rails. This new evidence suggests Burke was murdered before the train crash, disproving the suicide theory.

Also read: 7 actors you probably forgot made a cameo in NCIS

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The discovery of Louis Burke's severed arm

A detailed recap of NCIS: Origins season 2, episode 5 (Image via CBS)

As the investigation unfolds, Gibbs and the team make a chilling discovery. While inspecting the wreckage of the car, they find a severed arm with a watch belonging to Louis Burke.

This piece of proof makes people suspicious right away, and the town's story that Burke killed himself starts to fall apart. The witnesses who say they saw Burke sitting in his car before the train hit seem too eager to back up the story that he killed himself, even though their stories seem to be very similar.

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The tensions in serenity and the town's secrets

A detailed recap of NCIS: Origins season 2, episode 5 (Image via CBS)

As the investigation deepens, Gibbs becomes more frustrated with the townspeople's unwillingness to speak the truth. He learns that Burke was a violent man who ridiculed and harassed Serenity residents, including Sheriff Tommy Mulligan.

It becomes clear that many residents of Serenity lived in fear of Burke, and some of them may have had personal reasons to want him gone. Gibbs’ dogged determination to find the truth begins to expose the dark secrets that the town is trying to keep hidden.

Also read: NCIS: Origins season 2 episode 2 recap: Is Gibbs ready for his first interrogation?

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The Sheriff’s confession

After exhausting all leads, the investigation takes an unexpected turn when Sheriff Mulligan confesses to killing Burke, even providing the murder weapon. However, Gibbs doesn’t buy Mulligan’s story. The Sheriff’s sudden willingness to take the fall doesn’t add up, and Gibbs continues to dig deeper.

He discovers a connection between Mulligan and pregnant local store owner Lainey "Birdie" Sims. Birdie had every cause to dread Burke, as he had a history of violence. Birdie shot Burke in self-defense after he threatened her, and Mulligan accepted the blame to protect her.

Also read: NCIS: Origins season 2 premiere recap: What happened to Lala?

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The legacy of the case and Gibbs’ growth

As the episode concludes, Gibbs reflects on how this case shaped his worldview. It was a pivotal moment in his early career, one that influenced his sense of justice and duty throughout his life.

The experience reinforced the idea that sometimes, the truth does not lead to perfect justice, but it is a path that must always be followed. Gibbs reflects on the case years later, stressing how it helped him become the iconic NCIS agent fans know.

Also read: NCIS season 22 brought Gibbs back, but in a very interesting way

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You can watch NCIS: Origins season 2, episode 5 on CBS and Paramount+.

Edited by Rajan Bhattacharya