NCIS: Origins’ Kyle Schmid: Franks Wants ‘Retribution’ in New Episode

NCIS: Origins has just scratched the surface of what makes Mike Franks tick, and actor Kyle Schmid says this week’s episode will give even more insight into the character.

“We get to see this torn-apart version of Mike Franks,” Schmid, 40, exclusively told Us Weekly of the Monday, November 4, episode of the CBS drama.

The actor, who plays NIS Special Agent Mike Franks, teased that in “Last Rites” viewers will see what happens after “Mike promises this woman that he’s going to find her sister and he’s gonna put away her killer. And Mike fails at that.”

During the episode, Franks will come face-to-face with a past foe who is now on death row. During the final hours of the convicted killer’s life, the assailant, named Hope, claims he’ll finally reveal the burial place of his victim — but Franks isn’t convinced.

“Imagine understanding the loss and looking into somebody’s eyes and seeing the absolute pain that they’re feeling having their twin ripped out of their life,” Schmid told Us, referring to the victim’s twin sister, who after six years is still hopeful she’ll get to properly bury her loved one because of Franks’ promise.

Schmid confessed, “I’m not an NCIS agent. I’m not a government worker. I’m not a police officer, but that’s heavy even to me.”

The CBS star revealed that in Monday’s episode, Mike “fails at his job” after making a promise “he never should have made.” That failure will show a softer side to Franks as the broken promise weighs heavily on him.

“I can’t imagine how long it took for him to get over this case in the first place. Like, was it months? How many benders did he go on? Did he just disappear?” Schmid said. “We see how it affects him now. I can’t imagine how it would affect him, you know, six years ago.”

He teased, “We get to see the weight of that, and we get to see Mike get a second shot at retribution. At finding this woman’s sister’s body. At giving her closure.”

Franks, who is known for pushing boundaries and asking for forgiveness rather than permission, will find himself at a crossroads with this case.

“We get to see him and what he’s willing to do and put on the line to right his wrongs,” Schmid shared. “To take responsibility, to have a second shot at being able to give this woman closure. And it means the world to him.”

He noted that the villain being named “Hope” is also very telling in this episode. “Hope is dangerous, isn’t it? Hope is this crazy thing because it sets you up for failure a lot of the time,” Schmid explained. “But it’s also a beautiful, beautiful thing to have in your life. And so they named this character Hope, and it’s just like, ‘God, that was good writing.’”

While searching for closure himself, Franks will butt heads with two of the women in his life, Tishmal “Tish” (Tonantzin Carmelo) and Special Agent Vera Strickland (Diany Rodriguez), the latter of whom was once his partner.

“Franks always has an issue with the women in his life. You know what it is? Franks is a dinosaur,” Schmid teased, noting that his character is “not good at communicating his emotions.”

When it comes to his connection with Tish, who is Franks’ girlfriend, Schmid says the episode will reveal her insecurities in their relationship.

“He’s very much blinded by anything outside of this, like, obsession of his,” Schmid explained, revealing that Tish hints at infidelity on Franks’ part because he’s so committed to the victim’s sister and her search for justice.

That accusation will cause Franks to do inventory on himself. “There’s nobody in this world that can pull Mike back from his moments. The fact that he’s put her in a position where she even thinks that is heartbreaking,” Schmid said. “You need light in the darkness, and Mike very much takes on the weight of the world. And Tish is that thing that brings him back to earth that grounds him.”

Franks and Vera’s dynamic, however, is even more complicated after fans previously learned they were partners and Vera asked to be reassigned. In Monday’s episode, the two will face off over one of Vera’s projects, giving more insight into their friendship.

“There’s history between Vera and Franks that is unexplored. There’s stuff with the folder, you know, which she’s doing for Franks outside of their troubled relationship in the past,” he told Us, noting, “There has gotta be some kind of love between them if she’s still willing to go out on a limb.”

Franks, meanwhile, always “takes care of family,” which Schmid said you will see this week. Schmid, however, teased that Franks won’t stop having problems with ladies on the show.

“I think the issue with Mike and the women around him is quite frankly Mike,” he said with a laugh.

NCIS: Origins airs on CBS Mondays at 10 p.m. ET. New episodes are available to stream on Paramount+ the next day.