What role does Philip Winchester play on NCIS: Origins? Everything to know about his character

Philip Winchester joins NCIS: Origins season 2 as Mason Franks, the estranged older brother of Mike Franks, played by Kyle Schmid. Mason, a rugged Texas cowboy, was long presumed dead after going missing during the Vietnam War, a loss that deeply shaped Mike’s life. However, the shocking season 1 finale revealed that Mason is alive, setting the stage for his dramatic return in episode 4.

Described as an honorable man who has fallen on hard times, Mason is struggling to save the family ranch and turns to his younger brother for help. His reappearance forces the Franks brothers to confront painful memories and unresolved conflicts from their shared past, including Mason’s wartime sacrifice and their years-long estrangement.

Philip Winchester joins the NCIS universe as Mason Franks

Philip Winchester makes his debut in NCIS: Origins season 2 as Mason Franks, the older brother of Mike Franks, portrayed by Kyle Schmid. Mason is introduced as a tough, honorable Texas cowboy who has endured years of hardship. Once believed missing in action during the Vietnam War, Mason’s unexpected return shocks his younger brother and reopens old wounds.

His backstory reveals that he had enlisted in the war to protect Mike from being drafted, a sacrifice that haunted Mike throughout his life. In the present timeline, Mason is struggling to save the family ranch and turns to Mike for help, despite their strained relationship.

In an interview with TVLine dated October 31, 2025, Schmid said the following about the upcoming storyline,

"We painted such a beautiful picture of the Franks brothers in flashbacks last season. And when you have a relationship with your brother that is as close to what that one was in particular, I think no matter what happens in any relationship, there’s always going to be that deep-down love between two people. Now we get to see in Episode 4 what it is that drives the two brothers apart, and it is so heavy, it’s so beautiful."

How Mason’s arrival changes Mike Franks’ journey in season 2

Mason Franks’ reappearance in NCIS: Origins season 2 marks a turning point in Mike Franks’ story. Having lived for years under the belief that his brother died in Vietnam, Mike must now face a complex mix of anger, guilt and love.

Mason’s arrival forces him to confront unresolved emotions tied to his family and his past decisions, including their fractured bond and years of silence. As the brothers attempt to reconnect, their reunion is anything but simple. Mason’s financial troubles and emotional baggage threaten to pull Mike into deeper turmoil.

This storyline also explores how Mike’s guarded nature and difficulty expressing vulnerability stem from these early relationships. 

Schmid told TVLine,

"Well, I think the cool part about that is as an audience, we need to know what has happened between the two of them. Franks isn’t an emotional character. He is, but he’s not. He buries everything deep, and he moves forward with a head of steam, and he hides everything under his anger and his temper, and he’s not the best at conveying his emotions, as we all know. So to see him in a situation where he’s forced to meet eye to eye with probably the only person he’s ever loved beyond Tish, I think, is going to be very interesting."

He added,

"There are reflections of my personal life in this episode that are so personal, and it was such an incredible opportunity to deal with some of my personal emotions that I hadn’t been able to deal with, similar to Franks, where he puts his head down, he buries himself from work, and he just goes full bore. [This episode] was a very ethereal experience and very therapeutic to kind of explore these emotions from a character perspective that mirrored my own life experience so closely."

About Philip Winchester

Philip Winchester is a British-American actor known for his commanding screen presence and action-driven roles. He gained recognition for portraying Sergeant Michael Stonebridge in Strike Back and later joined NBC’s Law & Order: SVU as Assistant District Attorney Peter Stone, a role he originated in Chicago Justice. Winchester’s television credits also include Fringe, Camelot, The Player and Netflix’s Ransom Canyon, where he stars as Sheriff Dan Brigman.

Catch NCIS: Origins on CBS on Tuesdays.