Every NCIS show brings something great to the table, but when comparing the core five shows of the franchise, one rises to the top as the best series. The best show is considered the peak of the NCIS franchise for many reasons, but most of all, because of its consistency and strong characters that keep audiences coming back for more. The first show, NCIS​​​​​​, began in 2003 and is still on the air, meaning the characters on the series today are different from the original cast. However, this doesn’t change the audience’s enduring interest in the characters and story.

Like any good crime procedural, NCIS has an angle that makes it unique, which was reimagined in the following shows. NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, NCIS: Hawai’i, and NCIS: Sydney have all become hallmarks of the story’s universe, and the creators aren’t stopping there. Originally, the NCIS franchise started with JAG in 1995, but the central NCIS universe has eclipsed the success of JAG and its other ancillary connecting shows. Upcoming shows like the Tony and Ziva spinoff and NCIS: Origins will ensure that NCIS will never fade from the memory of viewers and will evolve with the times.

NCIS: Origins updates reveal that the backstory of Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), the longstanding leader of the NCIS team, will be explored with new actors and a new timeline. This is exciting news for audiences who have been missing Gibbs’ presence since Harmon departed in season 19. The basis for every NCIS show is that the central group of characters is part of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, so the crimes they solve are related to the Navy and Marines. Of course, each show has leaned into new territory and explored both typical crimes and military or governmental conspiracies.

5

NCIS: Hawai’i (2021–2024)

It was the sun-drenched spinoff that never found its footing.

NCIS: Hawai’i‘s recent cancelation came as a shock to many fans of the series, but it was never the strongest installment in the NCIS universe. Set against the idyllic titular island, NCIS: Hawai’i also pushed boundaries by having a female Special Agent in charge of the NCIS Pearl Harbor team. Vanessa Lachey stars as Jane Tennant, the lead agent who was a credit to her team and to the NCIS name. Unfortunately, after only three seasons, NCIS: Hawai’i was canceled, despite NCIS: Sydney premiering while Hawai’i was still on the air.

It’s hard to say what NCIS: Hawai’i lacked that the other shows so easily cultivated. It’s true that the crime procedural on network television isn’t as strong a draw as it used to be. Additionally, shows like NCIS: Hawai’i only work because of the built-in audience from the original shows, and at the time of its premiere, better-established interactions of the NCIS universe were currently airing. However, it was finding its footing and slowly picking up speed at the time of cancelation. Despite this, the current realities of television don’t allow any time or room to grow.

CBS cited the cost of production and low viewership numbers to justify its cancelation, but it’s agreed upon that of the NCIS shows, Hawai’i was the weakest in general. Investing in serialized shows like the Tony and Ziva spinoff and hiring a whole new slew of actors for NCIS: Origins had a price tag, and it’s undeniable that audiences are more interested in these stories. Maybe NCIS: Hawai’i will make a return later on, but for now, the series has run its course.

4

NCIS: Sydney (2023–Present)

As the newest NCIS series, it has everything to prove and has been making headway.

It seems that NCIS is moving in the international direction in general, as the Tony and Ziva spinoff will take place in Europe, and NCIS: Sydney sees the joint investigation of a U.S. NCIS team and the Australian Federal Police. One of the best parts of NCIS: Sydney, so far, isn’t the beautiful setting or the new set of international laws to navigate but the built-in tension between the U.S. and Australian teams. This makes it all the more satisfying when the characters learn to trust each other and start acting like a team.

Not only is NCIS: Sydney set in Australia, but it features Australian actors and producers, making it a truly international production. This is no small feat for a series in the NCIS franchise and shows the direction that the creators aim to take future NCIS productions in. As audiences increasingly turn away from network dramas and invest in streaming, CBS and Paramount+ are covering their bases in both arenas. NCIS: Sydney opens the door for further international collaboration and the exploration of new territory for NCIS shows across the world.

However, it’s still early on in NCIS: Sydney‘s run and it remains to be seen how successful the show will be in the long term. NCIS: Hawai’i‘s cancelation doesn’t bode well for the future of classic NCIS spinoffs, but Sydney is proving that it isn’t like the rest. Additionally, NCIS: Sydney already has a great cast with a fun dynamic the audience can appreciate. It will just take time for the show to reach the same heights as the other installments.

3

NCIS: New Orleans (2014–2021)

The new setting and interesting characters didn’t make NCIS: New Orleans interesting enough.

The third NCIS series to spark from the initial franchise, NCIS: New Orleans, put a Southern U.S. twist on the format of the original show. Though it was set and shot in the city of New Orleans, the series explored U.S. crimes all over the South, from Louisiana to Texas. After the success of NCIS: Los Angeles, it was paramount that NCIS: New Orleans succeed and prove that NCIS had longevity beyond the first two shows. It also appealed to a new demographic, which is something that each successive NCIS series aimed to do.

From the start, many of the complaints lodged against NCIS: New Orleans was that it tread the same ground as the other two shows and didn’t offer anything original outside of the new location. Scott Bakula led the cast as Dwayne “King” Pride, the Special Agent in charge of the New Orleans NCIS team. His addition to the NCIS franchise came as somewhat of a shock to fans of the actor, as he was best known for his role in sci-fi series like Quantum Leap. However, he became such a standout character that the series concluded with his marriage.

Before NCIS: Hawai’i was canceled, NCIS: New Orleans was the first of the franchise to be canceled, which was a big deal for CBS and the legacy of NCIS in general. Although seven seasons is not a short run by any means, compared to NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles, it didn’t make waves. There was nothing wrong with the series, but it didn’t push boundaries the way it should have or distinguish itself against the many crime procedurals available on TV. It’s possible that NCIS: New Orleans is why the network has been careful to cut costs in recent years.

2

NCIS: Los Angeles (2009–2023)

A fantastic addition to the franchise, but not as good as the original show.

The first follow-up after the explosive success of NCIS was NCIS: Los Angeles, and it’s obvious from its fourteen-season run that the California city was the perfect place to situate the show. Starring LL Cool J and Chris O’Donnell, the stories were frequently male-centric, but this changed as the seasons progressed. Like all procedurals, it faced criticism but was a hit with audiences, cultivating a strong following and becoming a hit for CBS. In the story, the agents in NCIS: Los Angeles specialized in under-cover assignments, which was especially exciting in LA.

There have been a high number of crime movies that take place in Los Angeles, as well as police procedural dramas set in the city on television. NCIS: Los Angeles is aware of its history and the legacy of its setting, and it’s fun to see both the NCIS team and the LAPD team up to solve the intricate crimes. Watching NCIS: Los Angeles is reminiscent of the film noir history deeply entrenched in LA. However, its characters are still modern, and their problems are relevant to contemporary viewers.

As NCIS: Los Angeles began to wind down, it was a well-earned and natural progression. NCIS is still airing and is arguably past its prime at this point. However, NCIS: Los Angeles ran for a long time but understood when it was time to come to an end. The show knew when its characters were ready to move on. Wrapping up neatly with high-stakes investigations and the romantic partnerships audiences were rooting for, NCIS: Los Angeles was satisfying to the very end.

1

NCIS (2003–Present)

The first and best of the franchise, nothing can beat NCIS.

From Jethro Gibbs to Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette), NCIS has had the best characters of the franchise and some of the most important relationships. Though it’s technically a spinoff from JAG, it was NCIS that developed the formula that has come to define the franchise and make it as long-lasting as possible. Even today, when Gibbs and the other iconic characters have moved on, NCIS is still airing because audiences are so dedicated to the series and anxious to see what happens next.

This kind of loyalty is earned, and it takes a show as good as NCIS to make audiences hold out for the next season, even if the previous one has a dip in quality. The series proved that it will always bounce back from a setback, and is unafraid to define itself as a crime procedural, through and through. Though some of the season-long arcs have broken out of this formula and surprised viewers and critics alike, many of the best episodes of the series stick to the traditional format and make it sing.

The number of upcoming spinoff shows is a testament to NCIS and how much audiences adore the characters. From the Tony and Ziva show to NCIS: Origins, there will be no shortage of new series within the franchise to scratch the same itch as the original series. Even as TV has grown and evolved, the original show has maintained its fanbase and kept its promise to deliver fun and exciting television. Though some critics are skeptical of the procedural format, it only takes a glance at NCIS to demonstrate how foolproof it is.