NCIS (franchise)


NCIS is a media franchise of American television programs originally created by Donald P. Bellisario and currently broadcast on CBS, all of which deal with military related criminal investigations based on the Naval Criminal Investigative Service of the United States Department of the Navy.
In 2003, NCIS was introduced via a backdoor pilot from the TV show JAG. Over the years, NCIS itself has spawned several spin-offs: NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, NCIS: Hawaiʻi, NCIS: Sydney, NCIS: Origins and NCIS: Tony & Ziva. NCIS: Los Angeles had a proposed spin-off, NCIS: Red, but it was not picked up by CBS.
The main NCIS series, which is the longest-running show of the franchise, premiered its twenty-third season on October 14, 2025.

Series

The first three series, were spun off via a two-part episode from an established series, serving in effect as a backdoor pilot.

''NCIS: Hawaiʻi'' (2021–2024)

On February 16, 2021, it was reported that a potential spin-off set in Hawaii is in the works from NCIS: New Orleans executive producers Christopher Silber and Jan Nash. On April 23, 2021, it was announced that CBS had given the production a straight-to-series order to the spin-off, and reportedly intended to include the franchise's first female lead character.

''NCIS: Sydney'' (2023–present)

On February 16, 2022, Paramount announced that a spin-off set in Sydney, Australia had been ordered by Network 10 and Paramount+; Shane Brennan has been announced as the showrunner for the spin-off, which will be the first set outside of the United States. The series premiered in Australia on Paramount+ on November 10, 2023 and aired on Network 10 from May 15, 2024. It was also announced that in the United States, amid the suspension of other NCIS productions due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes, the series would also begin airing on a delayed basis on CBS from November 14. The series was available for streaming in selected territories internationally on Paramount+. Its second season premiered on 7 February 2025.
The cast is led by Olivia Swann and Todd Lasance, with Sean Sagar, Tuuli Narkle, Mavournee Hazel and William McInnes.

''NCIS: Origins'' (2024–present)

On January 5, 2024, it was announced that a spin-off and prequel series based on Leroy Jethro Gibbs's early days as an NCIS agent was in the works. Mark Harmon is set to reprise his role as Gibbs in a narrator role. The series is set to air during the 2024–2025 season.

''NCIS: Tony & Ziva'' (2025)

On February 28, 2024, it was announced that Paramount+ had ordered another spin-off of NCIS focusing on Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo's characters Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David. On May 7, 2024, the official Instagram for the NCIS franchise presented a call between Weatherly and de Pablo where the spin-off title was confirmed to be NCIS: Tony & Ziva. Production began in June 2024 in Budapest. CBS Studios produces Tony & Ziva. John McNamara is the showrunner and executive produces with Weatherly, de Pablo, Laurie Lieser, Christina Strain, Shelley Meals and Mairzee Almas.
It was cancelled after one season on December 19, 2025.

Crossovers

This is a complete list of crossovers, from only within the franchise. All characters, main, recurring, and shared guest stars, are credited.

Reception

NCIS, voted America's favorite television series in 2011, finished its tenth season as the most-watched television series in the U.S. during 2012–13 United States [network television schedule|2012–13 U.S. network television season]; and is broadcast in over 200 territories worldwide. As of the end of the 2014–15 U.S. network television season, NCIS remains TV's most watched drama series. Spin-off NCIS: New Orleans ended its first season as the second most watched drama on CBS, and the fifth most watched series on TV. NCIS: Los Angeles ended its fifth season as the fourth most watched series on TV, and the second most watched drama.

Games

''NCIS'' (2010)

NCIS is a video game released in 2010 for iOS, published by GameHouse. It's a mix between a hidden object game and a mini-game collection. Gamezebo said that NCIS is about exactly what you would expect from a licensed game on a mobile phone. It's quick, easy, and simple." AppSpy summarized: "Fans of the TV series may feel like they can get something out of this game, but from the corny lines to the poorly gathered evidence, NCIS: The Game from the TV Show is a game that's hard to recommend at all."

''NCIS'' (2011)

NCIS is an adventure game developed by Ubisoft Shanghai and published by Ubisoft for Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, Wii, Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 in 2011. It is based on the original NCIS TV series.

''NCIS: Hidden Crimes''

On September 15, 2016, Ubisoft launched a hidden-object mobile game titled NCIS: Hidden Crimes. Developed by Ubisoft Abu Dhabi in conjunction with CBS Interactive, the game was released for Android & iOS devices.

''NCIS'' TV movies

In the UK, certain NCIS multi-part episodes were edited together to make a combined feature and shown on Channel 5, 5USA, CBS Action and Fox UK. These include:
TitleEpisodes edited togetherAir dateRuntimeSource
The NCIS Movie: Enemies"Enemies Foreign" / "Enemies Domestic"May 20, 20131 hr, 20 mins
The NCIS Movie: Judgement Day"Judgment Day (Part I)" / "Judgment Day (Part II)"June 10, 20131 hr, 40 mins
The NCIS Movie: Legend
"Legend (Part I)" / "Legend (Part II)"June 10, 20131 hr, 45 mins
The NCIS Movie: Kill Ari"Kill Ari (Part I)" / "Kill Ari (Part II)"August 22, 20132 hrs
The NCIS Movie: War on Terror"Engaged (Part I)" / "Engaged (Part II)"February 1, 20141 hr, 20 mins
The NCIS Movie: Payback"Borderland" / "Patriot Down" / "Rule Fifty-One"March 1, 20142 hrs, 35 mins
The NCIS Movie: Shell Shock"Shell Shock (Part I)" / "Shell Shock (Part II)"April 11, 20141 hr, 30 mins
Death Wish "Shabbat Shalom" / "Shiva"April 16, 2014
April 18, 2014
1 hr, 40 mins
The NCIS Movie:
Race Against Terror: Hiatus
"Hiatus (Part I)" / "Hiatus (Part II)"1 hr, 50 mins


Abandoned spin-off

''NCIS: Red''

In November 2012, CBS commissioned a pilot episode for a potential NCIS: Los Angeles spinoff titled NCIS: Red. Written and produced by Shane Brennan, the series would follow "a mobile team of agents who live and work together as they go across the country to solve crimes". On February 6, 2013, John Corbett was cast as retired special agent Roy, the series male lead. Earlier, Miguel Ferrer would join the cast as a series regular, and reprising his NCIS: Los Angeles role, Edwin Hodge had been cast as Kai, an intelligence analyst, Scott Grimes was cast as Dave, Gillian Alexy was cast as Claire, and Kim Raver was cast in the pilot, playing the lead role of Paris. The pilot episode, titled "Red" and "Red-2", aired on March 19 and 26, 2013, during the fourth season of NCIS: Los Angeles. On May 15, 2013, CBS announced that the pilot would not be taken to series. On May 21, 2013, CBS President Nina Tassler stated that "sometimes work and sometimes they don't. Protecting was really important." CBS was reportedly "open to redeveloping the pilot with a new cast attached", though a second franchise appearance by Scott Grimes in 2017 remains the only continuation of Red to date.