NCIS has become a massive television institution, with many spinoffs branching out from the original series throughout its 21 years of production. The franchise shows no signs of slowing down, with the announcement of exciting new spinoffs currently in pre-production and the renewal of NCIS season 22. While the spinoffs have a similar tone as they stem from the same flagship series, they comprise key differences that offer unique viewing experiences and strong characters.

NCIS began launching spinoffs in 2009 when it first introduced the cast of NCIS: Los Angeles, but the franchise tradition dates back even further than that. NCIS started as a spinoff of the ’90s military legal procedural JAG, with a two-part special in 2003 serving as the backdoor pilot. The highly successful offshoot made it a no-brainer for the network to explore expanding the franchise even further. With two more series coming to CBS and Paramount+, it’s worth looking at everything that makes each NCIS series stand out against the rest.

8

NCIS

NCIS premiered in 2003 and is currently airing

The franchise’s flagship premiered as its own show in the fall of 2003. Before that, NCIS was launched as a spinoff of the legal drama JAG, with most of the original Major Case Response Team members appearing in the two-part backdoor pilot. JAG followed a legal team that facilitated justice for United States Marine Corps members. The series had a substantial run on TV, airing 10 seasons in total, but NCIS lasted longer than JAG when the older drama ended in April 2005. The origin of NCIS kick-started a trend of backdoor pilots for the franchise.

NCIS was launched in JAG season 8, episode 20, “Ice Queen,” and episode 21, “Meltdown.” The episodes introduced Mark Harmon as Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Pauley Perrette as Abby Sciuto, David McCallum as Donald Mallard, and Michael Weatherly as Anthony DiNozzo. NCIS has since aired for over two decades, with compelling stories expected in season 22 after the shocking events in the season 21 finale. NCIS season 22 will feature McGee and Jimmy, whose actors Sean Murray and Brian Dietzen have been with the show since season 1.

7

NCIS: Los Angeles

NCIS: Los Angeles premiered in 2009 and ran until 2023

NCIS would originate its spinoff legacy by introducing the Office of Special Projects in NCIS: Los Angeles. It was launched in 2009 as a spinoff of the flagship show, and, in some ways, NCIS: Los Angeles was an extension of NCIS itself. The original series introduced the special projects team in a two-part backdoor pilot. NCIS characters travel to Los Angeles in NCIS in season 6, episode 22, “Legend Part I,” and episode 23, “Legend Part II,” to work with the OSP agents, skilled at going undercover and working with the most advanced technology available.

The series introduced beloved characters to the franchise: G. Callen (Chris O’Donnell), Sam Hanna (LL Cool J), Special Agent Kensi Blye (Daniela Ruah), and LAPD-NCIS Liaison Officer Marty Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen). Kensi and Deeks had many memorable episodes as the pair had one of the most charming relationships in the franchise. Viewers even witnessed the pair tying the knot in NCIS: Los Angeles season 10, episode 17, “Till Death Do Us Part.” It was pivotal for NCIS to allow the lead characters to act on their romantic feelings. The Los Angeles-based series was canceled in 2023 after 14 seasons.

6

NCIS: Red

NCIS: Red’s backdoor pilot aired on NCIS: Los Angeles in 2013

Following the development of NCIS: Los Angeles, the series attempted to launch a spinoff that never got off the ground. NCIS: Red was a backdoor pilot that aired on NCIS: Los Angeles in 2013, four years after the California-based spinoff premiered. The NCIS: Red team was introduced in NCIS: Los Angeles season 4, episode 18, “Red,” and episode 19, “Red-2.” The NCIS Red Team is one of several mobile NCIS units designated by color. The series would have featured John Corbett as former Special Agent Roy Haines in the shared NCIS universe.

CBS opted not to pick up NCIS: Red as its own series and would introduce NCIS: New Orleans the following year. Had the series been picked up, it would have marked the dawn of exciting beginnings for the franchise. Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Red Team Paris Summerskill (Kim Raver) would have been the first female lead of an NCIS team depicted in the series. (The honor now belongs to Vanessa Lachey of NCIS: Hawai’i.) It also would have marked the franchise’s first fourth-generation spinoff.

5

NCIS: New Orleans

NCIS: New Orleans premiered in 2014 and ran until 2021

The franchise cemented a location-based spinoff trend when it introduced the cast of NCIS: New Orleans. The series was set up on NCIS season 11, episode 18, “Crescent City Part I,” and episode 19, “Crescent City Part II.” Scott Bakula spearheaded the team of agents as Dwayne Cassius Pride, a former colleague and old friend of Jethro Gibbs. Other team members included Dr. Loretta Wade (CCH Pounder), NCIS Special Agent Tammy Gregorio (Vanessa Ferlito), NCIS Forensic Agent Sebastian Lund (Rob Kerkovich), and Investigative Computer Specialist Patton Plame (Daryl Mitchell).

The show had a pretty good run, airing for seven seasons on CBS and featuring many memorable guest stars on NCIS: New Orleans. Despite introducing fan-favorite characters, NCIS: New Orleans aired its final episode in 2021, making it the first successful spinoff in the NCIS franchise to come to an end. The series introduced characters that could return to the franchise, including a promising NCIS spinoff character, Gregorio, who could replace Jessica Knight in the main series.

4

NCIS: Hawai’i

NCIS: Hawai’i premiered in 2021 and ran until 2024

The third spinoff was born in Hawai’i when Vanessa Lachey’s Jane Tennant became the first official female lead portrayed on NCIS. The cast of NCIS: Hawai’i garnered exciting diversity for the franchise, with Lachey’s character also marking the first Asian American lead on NCIS. The cast also featured a relationship between central characters NCIS Junior Special Agent Lucy Tara (Yasmine Al-Bustami) and FBI Special Agent Kate Whistler (Tori Anderson) that brought pivotal LGBTQ+ representation to the franchise.

The introduction of the island-based spinoff marked the NCIS franchise departing from its trend of the flagship series launching spinoffs with backdoor pilots. In 2021, NCIS: Hawai’i premiered on CBS with a cold launch. In 2024, after the announcement that the franchise would be pursuing two new spinoffs based on the original NCIS cast members, CBS made the controversial announcement that NCIS: Hawai’i would not return for season 4. NCIS: Hawai’i’s cancelation marked a massive loss for the NCIS franchise, forgoing the positive representation of lead female characters for other endeavors.

3

NCIS: Sydney

NCIS: Sydney premiered in 2023 and is currently airing

When it opened an NCIS office in Sydney, Australia, the NCIS franchise offered audiences something completely different. The introduction of NCIS: Sydney marked the fourth spinoff for the franchise, and it was the first time that viewers witnessed internationally-based NCIS agents. The series introduced Special Agent in Charge Michelle Mackey (Olivia Swann) as the Team Leader of the Australian Federal Police (AFP)/NCIS Sydney Task Force. She works alongside other NCIS: Sydney characters, including the team’s second-in-command, AFP sergeant Jim Dempsey (Todd Lasance), known as “JD.”

Other characters include NCIS Special Agent DeShawn Jackson (Sean Sagar), AFP liaison officer Constable Evie Cooper (Tuuli Narkle), ex-Austrailian Navy Medic Roy Penrose (William McInnes), and Bluebird “Blue” Gleeson as the team’s forensic scientist. The characters experience a more connected storyline in the Sydney-based series, following a central threat narrative throughout the show. NCIS: Sydney also broke from the NCIS backdoor pilot trend, with the characters introducing themselves on their show when it debuted in 2023. The story will continue for the Aussie-based characters, as NCIS: Sydney was renewed for season 2.

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NCIS: Tony & Ziva

Production on NCIS: Tony & Ziva will begin in summer 2024

The franchise will offer viewers something new with its NCIS: Tony & Ziva spinoff. The limited series will air on Paramount+ and deliver a more serialized narrative, with Tony and Ziva bringing exciting firsts to the NCIS franchise. The story will finally pick up where Tony and Ziva left off after they exited the series in seasons 11 and 13, respectively. Michael Weatherly’s departure occurred in NCIS season 13, episode 24, “Family First,” and it remains one of the most popular episodes ever.

The spinoff could fix a big problem with Tony and Ziva’s NCIS romance with a more streamlined narrative centered on the two characters. While Cote de Pablo returned to NCIS in season 17, the couple had not personally revealed the status of their family on the small screen. When Tony and Ziva were last heard from on the flagship series, they lived in Paris with their daughter, Tali David-DiNozzo. That said, the couple’s reunion was never shown on TV, giving viewers much to look forward to when the show streams.

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NCIS: Origins

NCIS: Origins will premiere in September 2024

NCIS will present something truly unique with its NCIS: Origins spinoff. It marks the first time the NCIS franchise will rewind the clock and take viewers back to examine a character’s past. The series will follow young Leroy Jethro Gibbs as he starts at the NCIS Camp Pendleton office. The series will feature Kyle Schmid as young Mike Franks, Gibbs’ mentor and former partner. The expansion show has already cast critical members of the Pendleton office, like NCIS Special Agent Vera Strickland. The characters will return to CBS in the 2024-2025 TV cycle.

While it has a similar focus on the main characters from the flagship, NCIS: Origins is taking a major risk that NCIS: Tony & Ziva isn’t. Rather than Mark Harmon’s son, Sean Harmon, returning to the role, Austin Stowell was cast as young Gibbs. It will be crucial that the actor offers audiences a performance that strikes the right blend of how Gibbs would have acted after his time in the Marine Corps and before his time at NCIS Headquarters to give viewers a fluid experience. While Mark Harmon will not return as Gibbs, he will narrate the series.