Though one spinoff was just canceled, CBS has made an intriguing announcement about the NCIS franchise’s future.
The series, which began as a spinoff of the legal drama JAG, focuses on special agents working for the Naval Cr1minal Investigative Service as they investigate various cr1minal cases involving both the Navy and the Marine Corps.
NCIS, along with CSI and Cr1minal Minds, is regarded one of CBS’ most renowned procedurals, generating numerous spinoffs.
With the current seasons nearly halfway through, CBS has shared some interesting news about the future of the NCIS series.
NCIS and NCIS: Hawai’i have been renewed for seasons 21 and 3, respectively, guaranteeing that the long-running cr1me procedural will continue its lucrative run on the primetime network. CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach issued the following statement regarding the renewals:
“This season, CBS is extending its winning streak by presenting an unprecedented mix of top returning series and new blockbuster shows that are delighting massive audiences on both broadcast and streaming. We have had another amazing season, which is a credit to the stellar work being done by our best-in-class talent in front of and behind the camera, and I believe we will only continue to build on this foundation of outstanding programming as we look ahead to next autumn.”
Why Are NCIS Renewals Important For The Franchise..?
The assurance that the NCIS brand will continue comes just a few weeks after it was confirmed that the first spinoff, NCIS: Los Angeles, would conclude after season 14.
At the same time, viewers have been adjusting to the main NCIS being without Mark Harmon’s Jethro Gibbs following his retirement from the program, with Gary Cole stepping in as former FBI agent Alden Parker to take up the team lead position.
Despite the shift in leads, NCIS has maintained its ratings consistency, whereas NCIS: Los Angeles has witnessed a modest, but not egregious, drop.
The mainstream NCIS series maintains its position as the third-longest-running primetime drama series in the United States, trailing only fellow procedurals Law & Order: Special V1ctims Unit and Law & Order.
During the current season, the Navy cr1me drama surpassed the legendary Western TV series Gunsmoke, whose run was cut short after 20 seasons due to a lack of an appropriate finale.
Aside from the flagship show breaking a big record, the NCIS renewals reflect CBS’ continued faith in at least one spinoff, despite the fact that NCIS: Los Angeles was canceled in January and New Orleans in early 2021.
With an Australian-set NCIS spinoff in the works for both Paramount+ and Network 10, as well as recent crossover events keeping interest high, it appears that the series is not going away anytime soon. New episodes of NCIS season 21 will run Mondays at 9 p.m. EST on CBS, followed by NCIS: Hawai’i the following hour.
