NCIS is one of the biggest crime procedural franchises in the world, and for as long as I've been a fan, I always assumed the flagship series was the favorite. That was up until I saw the question posed online, and learned that opinions on which is the best spinoff vary wildly from person to person.

As we wait for NCIS, NCIS: Origins, and the brand new NCIS: New York spinoff to come to the 2026 TV schedule, Reddit is in a debate on which show is the best. This includes the original series it was a spinoff of, JAG, and it feels like everyone has a different take:

• NOLA is my absolute favorite but Origins is coming for that spot tbh - RedditLeaveMeAlone2o
• NCIS origins, NCIS , Fin. The other spinoffs are lame - NotAUserNamm
• I loved the NCIS Hawaii and I was really surprised it didn’t get at least one more season. I haven’t seen many of the others, I saw the early original NCIS so I’d say that was better then Hawaii but Hawaii was better than original NCIS from after I stopped watching purely because original NCIS had lost my attention - Wild-fleurs
• NCIS, NCIS LA, Never saw the others. I think I saw a couple epsidoes of NOLA and it wasn't for me. - WhatTheJessJedi
• I feel like original NCIS needs to be broken into groups of seasons. Must see in the beginning, not so much now. - lalamarie513

Here I thought everyone was in agreement that the original NCIS was superior to all others! Speaking personally, I was never able to latch on to any of the spinoffs in the way I was the the original, and maintain it's doing things as great as ever with its latest season finale. Now I'm finding out everyone may not be on the edge of their seat waiting to see who was shot between McGee's son and Torres?

Also, for what it's worth, one the commenters above noted the absence of NCIS: Tony & Ziva, conceding that they think of it as a standalone series. But then the lone streaming series of the bunch didn't seem to land at the top of anyone's picks.

The unique thing about this thread is not that people have different favorites. Everyone has their favorite superhero movies or the order they prefer to watch Star Wars. What's interesting to me is that there doesn't appear to be a general consensus, at least in the thread, of which series is the best.

Perhaps the fact that NCIS has so many fans of different shows is evidence that it's somewhat surpassed the need to be accepted as a crime procedural series. It feels like one of those series that'll always be around, which is a good thing in the midst of this shift in how people consume television on a weekly basis. Whether you watch on CBS weekly or decide to throw in on with a Paramount+ subscription after being away for years, all these shows will be there, and still be relatively easy to follow.

As mentioned, a bunch of NCIS shows are headed back to CBS in the fall and are available to stream over on Paramount+. As long as you like seeing bad guys get arrested, you'll be right at home watching all of them and have a blast trying to figure out the killer.

Following the New York Knicks’ long-hoped-for NBA championship win, fans have been in a frenzy. This includes celebrity Knicks fans, as plenty of stars rooted on the team during their historic postseason run. Amid the buzz, though, some TV fans might wonder which fictional characters would be ecstatic about the team's victory. On that note, I never realized how much I needed to know if NCIS: Los Angeles’ Sam Hanna was rooting for the Knickbockers until LL Cool J was asked.

In honor of both the Knicks and the new NCIS spinoff, NCIS: New York, coming to CBS this fall on the 2026 TV schedule, LL Cool J repped his team and his character. In an Instagram video posted by the official NCIS account, the rapper/actor revealed the NBA team Sam regularly rooted for, and I love how the star is taking "creative license" with this part of Hanna's life:

Since LL Cool J himself is a Knicks fan, as if it wasn’t obvious by the video, it’s not surprising that he'd say Sam Hanna is one as well. However, that’s not the only reason Sam would be a Knicks fan. The character is canonically from Brooklyn and, despite living and working in LA for a long time, LL's assertion would suggest he still loves his home team.

Now that Sam will be going back to New York for the new spinoff, I wouldn’t be surprised if he started repping Knicks merch or at least referenced them once in a while. I'd imagine LL would love that amid his full-time return to the NCIS franchise.

As a Bucks fan, I admittedly love the fact that LL Cool J is confirming where Sam’s loyalties lie, and the star's enthusiasm is infectious. What I'm wondering now is if there will be any Knicks references in NCIS: New York, especially following the championship win. It would honestly feel weird if it didn't come up at all, even as part of light banter amongst characters.

Knicks references or not, fans won't have to wait too long for NCIS: New York to arrive. CBS announced in April that it had ordered the new spinoff for the 2026-2027 season, with LL Cool J returning as Sam Hanna. Additionally, Hawaii Five-0 and Alert: Missing Persons Unit star Scott Caan will be starring in the series, However, Caan will not play his Five-0 character, Detective Danny Williams, despite that crossover with NCIS: LA. A premiere date has yet to be announced for the new show, but it will air later this year.

Following LL Cool J's declaration that Sam is a Knicks' fan, I really hope the writers take that to heart and make it canon. And, hey, with Knicks star Jalen Brunson campaigning to be on Law & Order: SVU, maybe the upcoming NCIS spinoff can welcome a member of the team or two?

NCIS: New York premieres this fall on CBS and will be streamable with a Paramount+ subscription.

It’s hard to believe NCIS started as a JAG spinoff, because not only is it one of the longest-running shows on primetime television, but it has also spawned a whole franchise. However, JAG is not the only show we have to give credit to when it comes to the origins of NCIS. We have to thank Law & Order, too. So, yeah, Mariska Hargitay and co. deserve our gratitude.

Since NCIS debuted over 20 years ago, it’s always interesting hearing BTS facts about the show's early days and how different things were back then. It’s even more interesting to learn about how the show came to be. Case in point, longtime executive producer Mark Horowitz reflected on NCIS’ run while appearing on the podcast NCIS: Partners & Probies, telling hosts and stars Brian Dietzen and Diona Reasonover the original pitch for the CBS hit, which took inspiration from a big NBC legal drama:

I love knowing that Law & Order basically had a hand in NCIS, even if it didn’t go in that direction after the backdoor pilots. By the time the JAG backdoor pilots aired, Law & Order was in its 13^th season, while SVU was in its fourth, so both shows, as well as Hargitay, Sam Waterston, and the rest of the cast on the two series, probably had a hand in inspiring the soon-to-be CBS hit.

This revelation is even more mind-blowing, knowing that the NCIS and Law & Order franchises are arguably the two most notable television franchises today. Both have had multiple spinoff series, and each franchise has projects that have been on the air for well over two decades.

However, I do have to admit, it does make me sad that they are on separate networks, so we’ll never get to see the franchises crossover.

Anyway, knowing that Law & Order inspired the original concept for NCIS, I do wonder what would have happened had L&O never premiered, or hadn’t become a show until much later. Truly, the butterfly effect is a crazy thing, and I’m certainly glad it worked its magic here. I'm also happy that NCIS ultimately went in the direction it’s currently in, because who knows how long it would have lasted had Law & Order in the Navy stuck around.

The original concept is not all that Horowitz revealed about NCIS’ early days. He also shared on the podcast why the squad walls are so orange, noting that they modeled the set after seeing the interior of a building in LA, and the lighting was just too perfect.

So, even after over 20 years, there’s a lot to learn about NCIS, and fans can go back and watch their favorite episodes, as well as the JAG backdoor pilot during Season 8 of the series, with a Paramount+ subscription. And while you do that, don't forget to say thank you to Law & Order as well.

Brian Dietzen is one of the longest-running actors on NCIS, and that’s continued throughout the 2026 TV schedule. Since the first season of the CBS procedural, Dietzen has portrayed Dr. Jimmy Palmer and, as it stands, it (thankfully) doesn't seem like the actor is looking to step down from that post. And, as if acting in 23 seasons wasn’t enough, Dietzen has also written four episodes and, evidently, it was a somewhat uneasy chat with a producer that led to that responsibility.

For context, Season 19 marked the first installment of NCIS to be written by Dietzen, as it was Episode 13, “The Helpers,” from 2022. He also wrote an episode each for Seasons 20 and 21, including the emotional Ducky tribute episode, “The Stories We Leave Behind.” And Dietzen most recently penned a script for Season 23.

While appearing on the NCIS: Partners & Probies podcast, series executive producer Mark Horowitz mentioned to co-hosts Dietzen and Diona Reasonover, who has also written a few episodes, that they’re the only stars to not only act but write on the long-running procedural. With that, Horowitz questioned them about how they started writing for the show. Dietzen recalled wanting to do right by Jimmy and how that contributed to a discussion with EP Steven D. Binder:

NCIS isn't the first project that Dietzen has written for, as he co-wrote the 2012 family romance dramedy Congratulations and served as co-director. I appreciate how Dietzen really took notice of Jimmy's characterization and realized that his dialogue was not where it should've been. Such honest comments speak volumes to the affection the actor has for his character and the series overall. Nevertheless, I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't have been a little shaken after that talk with Binder.

Thankfully, though, those weren't the last words Binder and Dietzen exchanged with one another on the matter. Ultimately, Dietzen took his collaborator's suggestion to heart, and that culminated in a follow-up chat that was much more relaxed:

The rest is TV history, and I'm so glad it all worked out. As a massive NCIS fan, I'd say it's all the better for having Brian Dietzen's voice in the writers' room.

As Horowitz pointed out, there are a lot of shows on which actors step behind the camera to direct, including NCIS. However, not a lot of them have actors writing episodes as well, and the fact that the military drama has not one but two of them is pretty impressive.

With NCIS is returning for Season 24 this fall following the big cliffhanger, it’s possible that Brian Dietzen could once again write an episode. Of course, nothing has been confirmed, and filming hasn’t even started yet. However, even if it doesn't happen, fans till have a lot look forward to following Season 23. In the meantime, viewers check out the episodes Dietzen wrote by streaming them with a Paramount+ subscription.

NCIS has evolved a lot over its 23 seasons, especially as we've watched so many cast members like Mark Harmon leave. However, one thing that hasn't changed as the show prepares to return to the 2026 TV schedule is those walls in HQ. For over two decades, they've been very orange, and now a producer has finally explained why that's the case.

The orange squad walls have become a staple on NCIS over the years, but I didn't realize there was a whole story behind why the show used them in the first place. I do know that as a viewer, you can't help but notice them. While producer Mark Horowitz was on the podcast NCIS: Partners & Probies, he shared his thoughts on the walls and why they're so iconic... and hated on by people on set.

There are a lot of shows that have a distinct feature that sets them apart from others. For instance, Love Is Blind uses gold wine goblets, and NCIS has very orange walls for the squad room, offices, and hallways at HQ. Even though it seems like too much of the color sometimes, you can definitely tell what show you’re watching as soon as you click onto an episode.

The reason for the orange is deeper than just being distinctive. Horowitz recalled the show’s early days when it was a backdoor pilot on JAG, and he explained the work he did alongside Don Bellisario and Don McGill to bring this story to life. When it came to developing the sets, they found the perfect building, and it came complete with these wild orange walls.

So, this is the full story behind the color, and it's one of the many great BTS facts about NCIS we've gotten over the years. Yes, now I want to go back and rewatch the JAG episodes with a Paramount+ subscription to see what the squad room looked like in those backdoor pilots.

It sounds like they just happened to find that building, and everything fell into place. I'd imagine if they hadn't discovered it, the entire squad room would have been pretty different (and probably less '70s looking). Luckily, it all worked out:

I would like to spend one final minute pointing out the squad room and all of HQ has seen a few interior explosions during the course of NCIS' run. Still, the orange has remained. Will the squad room, hallways and offices ever get a major paint job? Clearly there are some complainers out there who would love to see it, but if I had to put money down, I'd bet the orange will stay as long as the series does.

We know it's not going anywhere. NCIS was renewed for Season 24, and it will return in the fall. Now that this entire saga has been pointed out, my new dream is for the orange walls to be acknowledged on the show proper.

NCIS: Tony & Ziva was canceled at the end of 2025, but could we still see the franchise's favorite showmance on the 2026 TV schedule? I'm not ruling it out completely, especially after spotting an interview with Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo in which it was hinted that there are still more stories to tell between them.

Weatherly signaled there was more to cover with Tony and Ziva in a Reels shared by EW, as they spoke about the dynamic between the two that NCIS fans have loved for so long. While readers can revisit the one-off season with a Paramount+ subscription, Weatherly hinted there were stories beyond that adventure worth getting into beyond that:

The good news is that even if NCIS: Tony & Ziva is over, the couple always has the ability to appear in a storyline on the flagship series or even the new spinoff NCIS: New York. I know there are some people hating on the latest series on the way, so maybe bringing back Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo's characters for a guest appearance could smooth the waters.

There weren't enough Tiva fans to support a series on streaming, but surely enough to help give a boost to a new network television spinoff. At the end of the day, the show ending wasn't a result of lost chemistry between its two stars. As Cote de Pablo mentioned how their first day of shooting the spinoff went:

Having seen the two interact at San Diego Comic-Con before NCIS: Tony & Ziva premiered, I can confirm that there's something special about Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo's dynamic. I would love to see them return in future adventures, and maybe there's even room for that on Season 24 of NCIS.

The CBS procedural appears to be hinting at a romance between Nick Torres and Jessica Knight. I think Tony and Ziva would be the perfect couple to mentor two NCIS agents who are thinking about a relationship and letting them in on the ins and outs of doing dangerous work alongside your partner. Maybe they can stop by when Jessica's ex Jimmy Palmer leaves to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro?

Season 24 of NCIS seems like it'll be a jam-packed season, with a big cliffhanger to resolve and a hint that Alden Parker may lean into his darker side. While he's flown the straight and narrow in terms of abiding by the law so far, he helped execute Director Vance's killer when he cut a deal that would've left him walking free instead. I'm curious to see how much the series will lean into that storyline, and who may need to stand in for Parker if he's put on leave. I know two former agents who would be great stand-ins!

NCIS: Tony & Ziva is available to stream on Paramount+. I'm not sure the streamer will be convinced to revive the series after its cancelation, but I'd say the odds of them showing up in another series are better than not.

NCIS recently wrapped its 23^rd season on the 2026 TV schedule, and both Sean Murray and Brian Dietzen remain the only stars who have been along for the ride since the very first season. While neither actor started on the show as a series regular, their respective characters Timothy McGee and Dr. Jimmy Palmer have become a vital part of the NCIS ecosystem. For his part, Dietzen will always give props to the late David McCallum for landing him the role of a lifetime.

In the latest episode of the NCIS: Partners & Probies podcast, which Dietzen hosts with co-star Diona Reasonover, the two spoke to Young Ducky actor Adam Campbell and took some time to remember McCallum, who passed away in 2023 at 90 years old. The late actor's Donald “Ducky” Mallard didn't appear as much in the later seasons, with the character becoming a mentor to Dietzen’s Jimmy, and their relationship off-screen was very much similar. Below, Dietzen credits McCallum for getting him a permanent spot on the show:

It’s pretty crazy that Dietzen was originally supposed to be in only an episode or two of NCIS, at least before the producers realized they had struck gold. The Ducky and Jimmy dynamic was definitely a highlight of the series, especially in the early years, so I’m not surprised to hear that the chemistry was instant between Dietzen and McCallum.

Even after all these years, it’s clear that those first episodes with McCallum meant a lot to Dietzen. To share something so special with someone who he considers a friend and mentor who will always have an impact on him is important. It makes me wonder just how different NCIS would have been had they not had that bond, but it’s a good thing we’ll never have to find out.

McCallum has had quite a lot of influence on NCIS, and not just with keeping Dietzen on. Dietzen previously admitted that his mentor once convinced him to request a stunt double instead of running down a hill for one scene. While Dietzen ended up not using the stuntman as he did the stunt himself, he was still paid for a day’s work, which was the whole point of hiring him, as McCallum pointed out. It was definitely a sweet gesture, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Dietzen continued to use the same trick every once in a while.

It’s unknown how much longer Brian Dietzen plans to be on NCIS, since it's been a long time, but it’s all thanks to David McCallum that he’s even still on the show in the first place. Things would have been different if Jimmy hadn’t stuck around or if he had just stayed on as a recurring character. Some things, luckily, are fate, and that includes Dietzen and McCallum’s instant chemistry. Fans can see that bond on NCIS, streaming with a Paramount+ subscription. Season 24 premieres this fall on CBS.

To this day, Pauley Perrette remains one of NCIS' most notable stars who will almost assuredly never film for the crime procedural again. Fans loved Perrette's portrayal of Abby Sciuto, but the actress left the series due to issues with co-star Mark Harmon. And, even after Harmon's own exit, the chances of Perrette ever returning to the series feel slim. That said, she was recently spotted at a concert with co-star Brian Dietzen, so it seems she's still tight with at least one cast member on the show.

Dietzen posted a picture with Perrette on Instagram, noting that he hung out with his former on-screen crime lab buddy at a recent show in Los Angeles. Check out the sweet photo to see Perrette (as you almost assuredly won't see her on the 2026 TV schedule):

This photo may spark some nostalgia for those who've long enjoyed NCIS. It honestly warms my heart to that Perrette is still tight with someone from CBS' long-running military drama, even if she may never appear on the series again. To start, she's officially retired from acting and, based on the seldom updates she's provided in recent years, she seems quite happy with the decision to step away from the profession.

Given that, I don't imagine we'll see her in any future episodes of NCIS. Of course, fans can still enjoy plenty of old episodes featuring Abby, provided they have a Paramount+ subscription. Still, in an entertainment landscape dominated by nostalgia, there may be a possibility that Perrette reappears in some capacity.

Personally, though, I think it's fine that Perrette hasn't returned, especially since Abby Sciuto got a solid send-off from the series near the end of Season 15. Following the death of Clayton Reeves, Abby left for London to start a charity in his honor, which felt like a noble conclusion for her story. Plus, fans have seen far worse exits for long-running characters in NCIS, including the recent death of Rocky Carroll's Director Vance.

It's also worth mentioning that story-wise, Season 24 might be a bad time for Perrette to potentially return anyway, given Mark Harmon's Gibbs was just linked to a big moment of vigilante justice. Season 23 heavily implied that Alden Parker worked with Gibbs to kill Director Vance's killer, after he cut a deal with the agency to be granted immunity.

Gary Cole hinted that Parker's dark side may be explored in NCIS Season 24, which premieres this fall. If that's on the table, I do wonder if Harmon might return as Gibbs should the team look into Parker's role in the murder, considering his sister already suspects he rigged a vehicle to break down, allowing Gibbs to take the shot.

So, all in all, Pauley Perrette's Abby theoretically wouldn't fit into such a narrative smoothly. That aside, though, I'm just glad to see Perrette hanging out with one of her former co-stars and continue to wish her the best in this phase of her life.

NCIS has been through a lot over the course of its 23-season run, and this includes numerous cast changes. Perhaps the biggest casting change came when Mark Harmon exited at the beginning of Season 19, with his departure thought to be the “death knell” of NCIS (at least at the time). Seasons later, Sean Murray has recalled learning about his co-star's decision to leave... and the phone call that made him feel better about it.

Murray has been on NCIS as Special Agent Timothy McGee since the very first season. So, both he and Brian Dietzen, who has been playing Jimmy Palmer since Season 1, have been on hand to witness all the casting changes. While speaking with Dietzen and Diona Reasonover on the Partners & Probies podcast, Murray reflected on the switch-ups, noting change is always hard.

Harmon's exit is one of the biggest changes the show has ever been through, but the McGee actor explained the phone call that made it easier to deal with:

Considering how important a character Gibbs was and how important Harmon was to NCIS, it was probably hard to imagine anyone else coming in as the team’s leader. However, Gary Cole’s Alden Parker has been doing a pretty great job, and Murray seems to have been pretty happy to get that call about his new on-screen boss.

The team has definitely changed up more than a few times, and every time someone new joins, they fit right in. Of course, it’s never easy saying goodbye to a character and seeing someone new come in. However, in Cole’s case, there was no one better to step in after Harmon left. Plus, cycling through team members over the years probably helped Murray come to terms with Harmon’s departure. Knowing Cole would be coming on made it even better.

Unfortunately, the casting changes are continuing. Season 23 of NCIS killed off Rocky Carroll’s Director Leon Vance after 18 seasons, and the season finale might have killed off another beloved character. NCIS is never predictable, and even after all these years, the shakeups are still happening. While it keeps the show fresh, it’s also keeping fans and the cast on their toes.

Meanwhile, Harmon has returned to the NCIS franchise since then. He currently serves as executive producer and narrator on prequel series NCIS: Origins, which follows a young Gibbs. He’s appeared on the show a couple of times, most recently with the NCIS crossover last year. It’s unknown whether he’ll ever return to the Mothership, even if it’s brief, but at least the team is in good hands.

If anything, fans can always watch their favorite Gibbs episodes with a Paramount+ subscription. NCIS Season 24 will premiere this fall on CBS.

NCIS Season 23 ended with Nick Torres having an armed standoff with McGee's son Mateo, and a shot ringing out into the night before the credits rolled. Now, as we wait for the show to return on the 2026 TV schedule, Wilmer Valderrama spoke about that jaw-dropping cliffhanger and warned fans they may not like how it shakes out.

Someone was shot, but did Mateo end up shooting Torres, or was it the other way around? Either outcome isn't great, and while Valderrama recently told People he's not 100% sure if plans are finalized for the storyline ahead of the show's new season, he dropped a hint that not everyone will be happy about what's to come:

Valderrama might not have known what he could or couldn't say, but fortunately, showrunner Steven D. Binder already confirmed that "someone was hit" during the exchange, and no one is dead.

Even then, the potential for drama is huge. Either McGee's son was shot by Torres, or he shot Torres. The consequences of either will upend his life, which actor Sean Murray said he'll enjoy playing as an actor. I do wonder if he may see his son put behind bars, or if the department will do McGee a solid and opt not to press charges.

NCIS Season 23 had another big moment when it was revealed that Alden Parker contacted Gibbs to help kill Director Vance's killer. Gary Cole has hinted we may see a darker side of Parker as we head into Season 24, and I can only imagine what that means.

The main takeaway here is that NCIS did not kill off Wilmer Valderrama's Nick Torres, which I think would've been a major bummer for viewers. He's one of the show's major stars, and killing him off before we see his hinted hook-up with Katrina Law's Jessica Knight would be a shame. I mean, maybe Jimmy would prefer that not happen, but who's to say?

NCIS returns this fall to CBS, with NCIS: Origins and LL Cool J's NCIS: New York appearing on the schedule as well. It's going to be an action-packed fall season for fans of crime procedurals, so make sure to get caught up and see how that Season 23 cliffhanger plays out for Torres!

NCIS Season 23 ended on a wild note, but Sean Murray is excited about what it could mean for Tim McGee. With the 2026 TV schedule promising some resolution to McGee's son pulling a gun on Torres, the actor reveled in what this could mean for his character in the episodes ahead. Now, I really can't wait for the show to return so we can see how this all unfolds.

Murray was a guest on the official NCIS podcast, Partners & Probies. During his conversation with co-stars Diona Reasonover and Brian Dietzen, the hosts mentioned that Season 23 revealed a lot of McGee's past, and of course, ended with a wild cliffhanger that the showrunner had already mildly spoiled a bit. Even so, the actor talked about what we all learned and how he expects that to impact his character going forward:

Can McGee find his center after his son was shot by a fellow agent or the other way around? My guess is he may struggle to find his way, and it's that massive shake-up that delights Sean Murray and keeps him excited for the series decades into playing the character.

While CinemaBlend previously speculated that Sean Murray might be written off of NCIS, it seems like there's still plenty in the tank to cover when it comes to him. It's a good thing too, as he's the one with the closest connection to Gibbs, who sneakily returned to help Alden Parker take care of Director Vance's killer. While Mark Harmon's character didn't appear onscreen, he was alluded to after it was said the killer was a proficient sniper, and Parker cooked up some "fresh Alaskan salmon," presumably having received it from Gibbs.

We've learned that this moment will be big for Parker and may reveal that the latest head of the division isn't as squeaky clean as viewers might've thought. I would think that as one of the team's most senior members, it may be on McGee to put Parker in check and ensure that the NCIS team as a whole continues to operate on the right side of the law and not be as corrupt as those they've fought.

NCIS will return to CBS in the fall, and it will be joined by LL Cool J's NCIS: New York. Get ready for all sorts of crime procedural fun when the fall season kicks off, and maybe some real adversity for McGee in Season 24.

Michael Weatherly starred in 13 seasons of NCIS as Anthony “Tony” DiNozzo and, as one of the leads, he took part in some major scenes. Fans would probably agree with the notion that the veteran actor handled that material like a pro. Hilariously enough, though, he found himself thrown for a loop when asked to be in a scene — in a background capacity. Faced with that, however, Weatherly apparently found a very funny way to get himself out of doing a lot of background work afterwards.

NCIS cast members Brian Dietzen and Diona Reasonover recently welcomed the franchise’s longtime recurring actor Joe Spano to their Partners and Probies podcast. The trio covered more than a few topics related to the long-running CBS drama series. Eventually, they reached the topic of filming scenes, with Spano noting that even if someone is a background actor in a scene featuring 40 people, they have to stay put until the work is done. As seen in an Instagram clip, Dietzen then recalled the funny story involving Weatherly:

To be fair, I can understand why Michael Weatherly would be somewhat perplexed by the notion of being asked to shoot a scene only for background purposes. Still, the job is the job, and he did film it, just not the way the crew probably intended, though. What Weatherly ultimately did could be described as A+ trolling, and I’m chuckling just thinking about it. I’m not completely sure he never ever had to do any more background work after that, yet I could surely imagine the production team having cut down on that material for him, at the very least.

Weatherly’s tenure on NCIS’ mothership show has long since ended, though, as he exited the series in 2016. Around that time, Weatherly shared his reasons for deciding to step away from the series (and, no, they don’t involve any background acting obligations). Weatherly shared that the prior exit of co-star Cote de Pablo (who played his on-screen love interest, Ziva David) partially prompted the decision. Aside from that, though, Weatherly also felt as though he’d “stayed at the party for too long” and wanted to try new endeavors.

Both Weatherly and de Pablo did, however, reprise their roles in the spinoff series Tony & Ziva. Unfortunately, the show was ultimately canceled by Paramount+ after only a single season, and fans didn’t hold back their displeasure. Of course, the writers could find a way for the characters to return to the franchise somehow. Weatherly actually joked about doing something along the lines of NCIS: Retirement Home. If Weatherly does return to the franchise as Tony, though, I can’t imagine him doing much background work.

Stream NCIS now using a Paramount+ subscription, and check out Tony & Ziva’s sole season on that platform as well. Additionally, know that the mothership show is set to return to CBS alongside prequel series NCIS: Origins this fall amid the 2026 TV schedule.

The 2026 TV schedule recently marked the end of NCIS Season 23, but the show definitely isn't done for good. CBS' long-running procedural is coming back for Season 24 this fall and will be joined by three spinoffs next season as well. It’s hard to believe the flagship show is still going strong after all this time, and even Mark Harmon is OK admitting his shock over the once-struggling series still being on the air.

Some may not remember (or even know this), but NCIS is actually a spinoff of the military legal drama JAG, which ran for 10 seasons and ended in 2005. NCIS has gone on to become even more successful than its predecessor, spawning a whole franchise, but the Mothership took a while to really find its footing.

It’s known that NCIS struggled very early on, and Harmon, who played Leroy Jethro Gibbs for the first 18 seasons before departing at the beginning of Season 19, recently recalled the struggles. While appearing on Brian Dietzen and Diona Reasonover’s Partners & Probies podcast, Harmon shared what it’s been like seeing NCIS grow and evolve into what it’s become after not knowing how well it would do all those years ago:

The fact that NCIS struggled for ratings early on is not so surprising, as even some of the most popular shows in TV history don't start as overnight success stories. And, of course, the show also had the added burden of being a spinoff an already successful series that could've overshadowed it. Who knew that over 20 years later, NCIS would still be going, and Harmon would be narrating and executive producing a prequel series centered on his character?

Obviously, Harmon had no idea that it would grow into this massive phenomenon. Heck, even Dietzen even revealed that during the early years, whenever Harmon was asked how long he sees the show going, he would just say that he’s hoping for another season.

That being said, even with NCIS heading into its 24^th season, it's hard to say when the end will come. Sure, the show is a staple of CBS, which clearly has a lot of confidence in the franchise since it surprise-ordered yet another spinoff for the 2026-2027 season, NCIS: New York starring LL Cool J. However, the future isn’t always set in stone.

I can only imagine how Harmon and maybe even many others who worked on NCIS in the show’s early years feel seeing what the series has evolved into, given those earlier hurdles. To this day, fans are loving the show, and they may even be rewatching it with a Paramount+ subscription. While it's unknown just how much longer NCIS will go on, at least fans can look forward to Season 24 later this year. Who knows, maybe it’ll go for another 20 years?

While it will make a triumphant return to the 2026 TV schedule this fall, NCIS already wrapped up its 23^rd season. Yes, 24. With this in mind, it's hard to believe, the show still has two cast members who have been around since the first season. While they didn’t start out as core stars, both Sean Murray and Brian Dietzen have been some of the best NCIS characters, and some of the longest-lasting. A lot has changed since the early day, and not just with the actors and their roles. Dietzen recently recalled the procedural’s early days and was flabbergasted at the cost of shooting on literal film.

According to Shot on What?, NCIS was actually shot on 35mm film during its early years before transitioning to Digital over time. Dietzen, who had been on hand during that transition, remembered what it was like when NCIS shot on literal film. He revealed on Daniela Ruah’s episode of the Partners & Probies podcast that while he was aware of the quality of the film, he wasn’t exactly sure how much it was costing production and wanted to be extra careful of his takes:

Even though it’s cool knowing that NCIS was shot on literal film, I can see how that would be stressful for Dietzen and probably other cast members, who probably stuck with the script more and played around less in the early days. Plus, with the show just starting out at the time and struggling early on, the cast likely didn't know if one wrong misstep could have meant big changes. On top of that, it seems like there was extra stress about getting their lines right so they don’t use up so many takes.

Luckily, when it came time to start doing spinoffs and the show transitioned to Digital, the environment felt a bit more relaxed. Dietzen recalled what it was like doing NCIS: Los Angeles and how laid back things were, and not just because they were filming in sunny LA:

Of course, filming more takes also costs the show money, but it must have felt like a breath of fresh air to at least have the option if needed. It's easy to recall moments when Digital technology changed our lives, but it's very rare that someone worked on a show during the Digital transformation and is still working on that show years later. Dietzen is in a very rare club.

Considering NCIS has been on for over 20 years, it is always interesting hearing about the show’s early days and how different things were back then. I’m just glad Brian Dietzen no longer has to worry about messing up and costing the show money. What a relief.

NCIS said goodbye to Rocky Carroll's Leon Vance in Season 23, when the character's death exposed corruption within the agency. Now, with Vance gone, I thought they'd replace him when the show returns to the 2026 TV schedule. So, I was shocked to learn that the team behind NCIS is in no rush to do that. However, executive producer Steven D. Binder shared why they're doing this, and it makes a lot of sense.

Binder spoke to TV Insider about Carroll's exit and the decision to hold off on rushing in another star as the new director of NCIS. He explained that rather than immediately filling the role and incorporating another character into the mix, he's more content with allowing the series to get back to stories that center more heavily on the core team:

I totally understand that argument, and why NCIS wants to go back to focusing on Torres and Knight's potential romance, and the new dark side we're seeing in Alden Parker. Let's not forget that Jimmy Palmer has plans to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro as well, so there's a lot that the procedural could cover in addition to crime in Season 24.

Steven D. Binder added that the role of NCIS director wasn't even a large role in the series until Rocky Carroll came along as Vance. The fact that he kept appearing was more of a credit to him as an actor than it was the role itself. It makes me all the more curious why they killed him off in the first place, and I know Carroll thought the same thing.

Of course, I've heard many actors say that being killed off memorably is the ultimate way to honor a beloved character. I also understand the mixed feelings an actor might have about liking a consistent recurring role, rather than being killed off to serve the plot. At least Carroll can take solace in the fact that it doesn't seem his exit was to make way for someone else to replace him.

NCIS returns to CBS this fall on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET, with LL Cool J's NCIS: New York coming right after and NCIS: Origins after that. I'm excited for the new series, especially because one NCIS star is already hoping to be a part of it.

Mark Harmon admitted he uses one of Gibbs' rules in his everyday life, but before anyone goes wild thinking about which ones would possibly factor into his real life, it's #9. During what I assumed would be a throwaway interview moment, I was impressed to see him answer a burning NCIS question with zero hesitation, addressing how the notion to "always carry a knife" has served him well.

Harmon was a guest recently on the NCIS podcast Partners & Probies, where co-host and Jimmy actor Brian Dietzen asked the former lead if he followed any of Gibbs famous rules in his everyday life. Here's what Harmon said as he started reaching for his pockets:

The actor went on to say that he never used it as a means of defending himself, clarifying it's a tool he uses and not something he carries for protection. That made me chuckle, considering the 2026 TV schedule gave us at least two examples in which Gibbs murdered someone in cold blood.

NCIS: Origins showed Gibbs' murder of the cartel leader responsible for the death of his wife and daughter, something the flagship show talked about for years. Then the Season 23 penultimate (available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription) heavily implied Gibbs took a break from his retirement to help Alden Parker bring Director Vance's killer to justice.

Mark Harmon is not Gibbs, but I love that elements from the character have made it into his everyday life. I also have to wonder just how many times he's been asked that question to have replied as quickly as he did. Check out the clip below:

In fairness, Harmon recently talked to NCIS: Origins star Austin Stowell about the rules, so maybe they were fresh in his mind. The actor actually confessed he does not have an encyclopedic knowledge of the rules outside of the knife one, so I guess that really resonated with him.

NCIS is finished with its latest season, but fans can watch plenty of old episodes over on Paramount+. There's no better place to learn all of Gibbs' rules, so maybe check it out whilst ordering a pocket knife online.

NCIS's Season 23 finale was wild with a big showdown, but Gibbs' impromptu return may be the thing that impacts Season 24 when the series returns. That's because Alden Parker rang up the former head of the division for an assist to take out a criminal who cut a deal, and the showrunner hinted that it may not be the last time we see something like that.

Steven D. Binder told TVLine that while Parker has largely avoided some of the sins of his predecessor, that may change after he played a key role in the killing of corrupt Army CID director Wayne Rogers. Binder talked about a key moment ahead of Rogers' death, and the hint of what lies beneath the seemingly unassuming Parker:

It's interesting to hear Binder speak on this exchange in particular. Rogers words didn't hold much weight to me in the moment, considering he was the villain responsible for Director Vance's death. That said, it seems it takes a "bad seed" to spot another one.

Steven D. Binder continued, providing a hint of what this means for Gary Cole's character going forward. He's already broken bad once, and it seems like there is a chance we could see him do it again:

While Parker called up Gibbs, who previously killed his wife and daughter's murderer in cold blood, to pull the trigger, he had a role to play as well. The car transporting former director Rogers had the alternator torn out, which caused it to stop. Once stopped, Rogers was taken out by a sniper bullet from long range, immediately causing suspicion within the team that Gibbs was involved. NCIS confirmed as much for the viewer at the end, after Parker offered his sister some "fresh Alaskan salmon," nodding to the idea that Gibbs might've brought some from where fans last saw him.

Gary Cole previously hinted at Parker going outside of the law, adding that it would be out of character for him to do so. According to everything we're hearing right now, however, it seems like that might be who Parker's been all along, and we could see more of that in the new season of NCIS. I'm curious to see to what extent we see this, and just how far he can push it before someone else in the team intervenes.

NCIS is done for the season, but will return to the 2026 TV schedule in the fall. Sounds like the fall season could get pretty wild, so get ready for what could be a huge season for Alden Parker.

Warning! The following contains spoilers from the NCIS episode "Sons And Daughters." Stream the episode with a Paramount+ subscription and read at your own risk!

NCIS really left fans with a massive cliffhanger, as Nick Torres had a heated standoff with McGee's teenage son in a dark alley. Both men had weapons and, when a gunshot rang out into the night, neither of the characters were visible to viewers. Now, showrunner Steven D. Binder has confirmed two major details about the jaw-dropping moment in the Season 23 finale that I really wanted to know.

It's unknown exactly how Matteo has that gun but, at the very least, TVInsider learned from the showrunner that someone was shot in that NCIS episode. Binder confirmed at least one of the two was hit in the exchange, but cleared the air and confirmed that no one is dead. As for the lack of a causality, the EP explained:

I guess the NCIS writers figured Vance's death was enough, and I'm fine with that. After all, I can't imagine how traumatizing it would be for McGee to find out Torres had to gun down his son, which I fully believe would've happened. I mean, does anyone think Matteo got the drop on one of the team's best agents?

Steven D. Binder also hinted that McGee would obviously feel conflicted over this incident, having to reconcile with his son being involved in some criminal activity. So Matteo is now going from circling a potential internship at the agency to possibly being behind bars when NCIS Season 24 kicks off. Perhaps Parker and crew will find a way to let him off easy, especially since it seems he was acting under orders from elsewhere.

Once again, it seems that some outside force is trying to access the NCIS databases. Fans saw that happen when Sam Hanna last popped by the office, at which point a janitor was blackmailed into getting into the servers. I wonder if something similar explains what's happening with Matteo, and if so, who was watching him in that alley to make sure he got access to the computers?

I'm hopeful the answer will come in Season 24, and maybe we'll get a crossover with NCIS and the new New York-based spinoff? With Diona Reasonover hoping to be involved in the new series and this latest mystery involving computers, I think there's a chance we'll see the two shows cross paths.

NCIS Season 23 is over, but feel free to revisit the season over on Paramount+. Of course, we're expecting the series to return this fall on the 2026 TV schedule, so sit tight while we wait to see how Season 24 kicks off.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the NCIS Season 23 episode "Deal With The Devil." Stream the episode with a Paramount+ subscription, and read at your own risk!

Mark Harmon's Leroy Jethro Gibbs didn't make a physical appearance in the latest NCIS episode, but it was basically confirmed that he played a key role in bringing Director Vance's killer to justice. Now, a couple of days after he killed former CID Wayne Rogers with a sniper rifle, I still can't get on board with what the CBS procedural did.

For those who missed the episode, it was revealed that while it seemed like Rogers would get away with his crime and go into government protection, the car protecting him broke down on the highway. Once stopped, Rogers was killed by a sniper bullet estimated to have been shot from an incredible distance. Immediately, the NCIS team suspected Gibbs, remembering how he avenged his wife's murder. He was the only person they could think of who could make that shot, and quietly, they were thankful he did.

It was all but confirmed in a separate scene, in which Parker's sister came to ask him if he was responsible for Rogers' death. While he deflected, saying he didn't know how to use a sniper rifle, he didn't say anything about the torn-out alternator for the vehicle, which led to the car's breakdown in the first place. He then asked his sister if she wanted some salmon he got "fresh from Alaska," which is where Gibbs retired to. Without explicit confirmation, it's heavily implied that Parker contacted Gibbs and helped set up Rogers' assassination after he almost walked following Vance's death.

Gibbs Playing Hitman To Avenge Director Vance Doesn't Sit Right With Me

I thought it was wild when Gibbs first mentioned on NCIS that he killed a man in cold blood, but given that it was the man responsible for the death of his daughter and first wife, I can let that slide. What feels more shady is a call-in hit on Wayne Rogers, who is only connected to the late Director Vance through his actions. His actions might've gotten Vance killed, but he did not directly murder him.

I've appreciated Alden Parker for believing in the justice system, but now he's been corrupted and fallen victim to vigilante tactics. It puts him at risk of being labeled a criminal himself, and it felt like a reckless move he didn't have to make. Rogers did threaten him and his sister, saying he could track them down whenever they wanted in the future. Still, I'd like to think there were other ways it could've been handled.

It's Even Worse The NCIS Team Largely Seems To Acknowledge What Happened

What makes Gibbs sniper kill worse is just how readily the NCIS team accepts it. No one is outraged by what happened, nor is there any sort of conversation about needing to at the very least interview their former leader for an alibi to prove he wasn't a part of it.

I get that this is fictional television, but I don't like the real-world implications of law enforcement at any level turning a blind eye to an obvious crime because it serves their best interest to do so. NCIS is the good guys, and catching the bad guy at the cost of their own morality just feels like an icky reality.

Maybe this was done to give a nod to NCIS: Origins, and keep the mythos of Gibbs relevant as the other spinoff tells his story. In any case, it just has me feeling some sort of way, and I'm hoping there's some resolution to it in a future episode.

NCIS closes out Season 23 on CBS on Tuesday, May 12th at 8:00 p.m. ET. While the spring 2026 TV schedule is closing out, summer is on the way, which is still plenty exciting for those who love great television, so check out what's on tap.

For over 20 years, NCIS has been a staple on CBS, and it’s grown into a massive franchise that is going strong to this day on the 2026 TV schedule. NCIS: Los Angeles was the first spinoff and longest-running spinoff, ending with 14 seasons in 2023. However, Daniela Ruah believed that the fan-favorite series wouldn’t even get off the ground.

Ruah appeared on the podcast NCIS: Partners & Probies, hosted by NCIS stars Brian Dietzen and Diona Reasonover, where she talked about her experience on NCIS: LA and the overall franchise. The actress, who portrayed Special Agent Kensi Blye, recalled auditioning for LA and how she had some doubts about the show’s potential because of CBS’ lineup:

CBS always seems to have quite a lot of procedurals on its lineup, so it’s understandable why Ruah wasn’t sure if the network would want to pick up another one, especially a spinoff to an already-successful procedural. It’s a good thing she was wrong and that she eventually decided to go to the audition. Because not only did she think CBS wouldn’t order it, Ruah also almost didn’t go to the audition until her agent pushed her to:

She went on to explain how her audition went and how she was in New York for the audition, and it was in a “very, very small room.” The audition ended up being an action sequence, one from the two-part backdoor pilot, “Legend,” during Season 6 of NCIS. She never held a gun, and at the time, they had wrist mics, so Ruah had to talk into it while moving around a tiny room, saying dialogue and using her hands as a gun. As if that wasn’t enough, she also recalled how she had a long monologue that she was nervous about as a first-timer for pilot season, and she kept messing up.

Luckily, the rest is history. Ruah got the callback, she got cast as Kensi, and NCIS: Los Angeles managed to go for 14 seasons, over 300 episodes. Ruah also met the love of her life on set, David Olsen, the older brother and stunt double of her on-screen love interest Eric Christian Olsen. So again, it’s a very good thing she was wrong about CBS not picking up the show.

While NCIS: LA ended almost three years ago, Ruah still remains a big part of the franchise. She previously appeared in the 1,000^th episode in 2024 and has directed some episodes of NCIS and NCIS: Hawai’i. With her former co-star, LL Cool J, making a permanent return with NCIS: New York, who knows what this could mean for Kensi? Unfortunately, NCIS: LA is not streaming with a Paramount+ subscription, but the rest of the franchise is available on the streamer.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the NCIS episode "Bad Impressions." Stream the episode with a Paramount+ subscription and read at your own risk!

As LL Cool J's Sam wraps up his time on NCIS, a star of the show has signaled her interest in appearing on his upcoming New York spinoff. Diona Reasonover shared her hopes that Kasie will show up to aid Sam once in a while once the show is off and rolling on the 2026 TV schedule.

Reasonover's comments come after an episode in which Kasie and Sam teamed up in an attempt to prove she wasn't responsible for a murder. They were successful, and while the episode ended with her deleting her program that could've made her a billionaire, she seemed to have zero regrets. Sam said his goodbyes, but the actress told TVInsider she'd be open to a reunion on his New York spinoff:

While there are some haters out there regarding the NCIS spinoff, it seems Diona Reasonover is hoping her Kasie can get a bit of extra screen time on the upcoming CBS procedural. I'm right there with her in hoping, because I loved how Sam and Kasie teamed up in the latest episode.

After Kasie realized someone was using her EDNA program to try to frame her for murder, Sam smuggled her out of the area to visit her ex-girlfriend, Joanna. Sam played the role of mediator between the two, which ultimately led to them successfully getting the notebook that exonerates her. I can't wait to see if the "talking stick" he used in their meeting comes into play in the spinoff, and if Kasie can show up to speak to its effectiveness.

Even if Kasie doesn't get a chance to appear on the NCIS spinoff, I think she needs more storylines in general. Her standalone episode and others where she takes center stage are great, and I've been saying this for years. Send Diona Reasonover to the New York set!

I credit a lot of this episode's entertainment to Sam, who LL Cool J plays a big part in bringing to life. Whether it's taking Kasie to meet an ex or encouraging Jimmy Palmer to open up to the rest of the NCIS team, his positivity has left a shining mark on the team in just two episodes. He'll be a great lead of the new series, and maybe even mentor a few younger agents on that show as well.

NCIS continues with new episodes on CBS on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Sam is finally done with his layover and on his way to Dubai to go help out a friend, and I can't help but wonder if that's entirely unrelated to the sideplot or it's going to factor into the New York story as well.

As one of the original cast members of NCIS, Michael Weatherly has gone on to be quite a franchise fan-favorite character. While DiNozzo departed the long-running procedural after Season 13, he made a long-awaited return with the short-lived Paramount+ spinoff NCIS: Tony & Ziva. He (unfortunately) had to say goodbye to the franchise for the second time, but what will he miss about filming as part of the NCIS family?

Fans have been wondering what Michael Weatherly will do next after the sudden and surprising cancelation of Tony & Ziva. He hasn't publicly commented yet, but if there's one thing we know about the actor, it's that he loves a good TV schedule. He said as much back in the day when he told reporters what he'd miss about working on NCIS (via People):

Weatherly departed NCIS back in 2016 at the end of Season 13, marking the end of an era for the series. At the time he reiterated he'd miss the "structure" the series offered, and while filming a TV series is considered a grind by some, he really seems to have relished it throughout his career.

In fact, Weatherly didn’t have to wait too long to get back into that grind and those long hours filming. He filmed NCIS for 13 years straight, then was honestly quick to get back to that structure. The same year he departed NCIS, he landed the lead role as Dr. Jason Bull in CBS’ Bull, which ran from 2016 to 2022. Shortly after that cancelation, the Tony & Ziva was announced in 2024.

Of course, the consistency with the schedule was not all that Weatherly misses when it comes to making TV. As previously mentioned, he is one of the original cast members of NCIS, making his first appearance in the two-part JAG backdoor pilot. It was definitely hard to get used to NCIS without Tony DiNozzo, and Weatherly knew his exit on the show would be hard at the time.

Weatherly spent a few years teasing to fans that Tony’s return was imminent, and it finally happened with the Ducky tribute episode in 2024. Then there’s NCIS: Tony & Ziva, which was announced not long after this return. It was clear he was as happy as ever to get to play Tony again alongside Cote de Pablo, who returned as Ziva David. He was candid about the spinoff’s cancellation being heartbreaking as well. It's clear his home is on a TV set.

Hopefully, the cancellation isn’t a permanent goodbye for Tony DiNozzo. The great thing about a franchise like NCIS is that you never know who could pop up, whether past characters or someone from a spinoff. There is no end in sight for the franchise, so there are plenty of chances for him to step back into Tony’s suit. For now, fans can always watch their favorite Tony moments with a Paramount+ subscription by watching NCIS and NCIS: Tony & Ziva.

By now, a little birdie may have told you there’s another NCIS series coming to the 2026 TV schedule. This one will be called NCIS: New York, and it will bring LL Cool J’s Sam Hanna back. The rapper and actor has popped up in a number of NCIS properties since Los Angeles was canceled back in 2023, and now he’ll be back as a leading man again. I thought fans would be pumped, and I did not see the haters coming.

Here’s what happened. When CBS announced yet another franchise spinoff, they did so with a post on Instagram I personally thought was kind of cute.

To be fair, no one really had a problem with the post itself, but many seemed to have an issue with what it means for the franchise and the network as a whole. For example, a lot of fans are still salty about NCIS: Los Angeles being axed years later. In fact, a lot of fans were still upset about a lot of the cancelations CBS has had coming down the pipeline in recent seasons, and not just when it comes to NCIS properties.

• "We just want NCIS LA back."
• "Seriously? CBS cancels Blue Bloods because it is too expensive to film in NYC but now makes NCIS NEW YORK?!"
• "You’ve gotta be kidding me……y’all just couldn’t renew Hawaii? All of a sudden you got money for this? Make it make sense."
• "I'll bet you anything this won't reach 10+ mil viewers Hawaii had. Why can't you just admit you were wrong for cancelling it? Get over on Twitter and check how many people talk about Hawaii DAILY even now. Inventing a new spin-off instead of bringing back fan-favourite Hawaii is pure insanity."
• "Wished you had kept NCIS Hawaii though….."

I was surprised folks were still harried about the likes of Blue Bloods and Hawai’i, but one thing that perhaps I should have seen coming (I didn’t, but I should have), was the number of fans still upset about the decision that came down the pipeline more recently. That would be the cancelation of the Tony & Ziva spinoff. Season 1 can still be viewed with a Paramount+ subscription, but it is firmly canceled. The fan campaign is still going strong, however, and people really seem to want Cote De Pablo and Michael Weatherly to keep going on global adventures.

• "Making a new NCIS when they cancelled Tony & Ziva?!!! #savetonyandziva"
• "Is this why you canceled Tony and Ziva?"
• "Simply just renewing NCIS: Tony and Ziva would have made more sense then this #SaveTonyandZiva"
• "We want NCIS Tony and Ziva back! #savetonyandziva"
• "Y’all [stil]l doing anything but what the actual fans want huh?! Give us TIVA back #savetonyandziva"

They go on like this too, and many of the upset comments have dozens if not hundreds of likes. To be fair, plenty of CBS viewers had positive comments, too. Many had nice things to say about LL Cool J coming back for more than a guest stint. Others seemed excited about LL Cool J teaming up with Scott Caan, who was formerly on CBS thanks to Hawaii Five-0 (which tragically was also canceled).

To me it feels clear that CBS has gone hard in the paint when it comes to NCIS shows, and not all of those programs have come with longevity. Here's hoping New York is different, and the fans are able to finally breathe sighs of relief.

NCIS's star Gary Cole is approaching five years as the lead of the CBS hit, and as the series continues on the 2026 TV schedule, he's opening up about how Mark Harmon's exit "baffled" him. Specifically, he was shocked by how it all came together, and he reflected on the suddenness and overall uncertainty that was felt when the former lead decided to step away.

As we now know, there were producers who felt NCIS would die when Mark Harmon announced his exit. The series' heads didn't have a lot of time to make a decision, and Cole spoke to that while appearing on co-stars Brian Dietzen and Diona Reasonover's Partners & Probies podcast:

As mentioned, NCIS hadn't planned for a reality in which it would continue without Mark Harmon's Gibbs. Some thought it'd just be best to close out the flagship series, and even went to work planning on how to proceed in the early stages after learning about Harmon's decision.

It seems silly in hindsight, but a reality at the time. Gary Cole admitted he couldn't believe that Mark Harmon hadn't thought through what might happen to NCIS if he left, though he admitted he didn't know him as well as others on the cast:

Gary Cole has previously said there were initial discussions to end NCIS after Mark Harmon left, and Brian Dietzen reconfirmed that during this latest conversation. The latter also confirmed the possibility of the show ending weighed on Harmon, and ultimately, he and the team decided on a transitional period in which Gibbs would be phased out as a new head of the team, Alden Parker, was introduced.

This culminated in a four-episode run in Season 19, which concluded in Episode 4 during a mission in Alaska. There were downsides to how it played out, specifically when it came to characters not being able to say a proper goodbye, but ultimately, Cole was happy with it:

Alden Parker's arrival on NCIS wasn't just a success, Brian Dietzen said the CBS series was legitimately performing against ratings heavy hitters like Monday Night Football. Even Gary Cole admitted he was surprised to see viewership rise the way it did, expecting some wane from fans unsure about a new lead character.

That's all in the past, as NCIS fans are now worried more about whether Torres or Jessica Knight will get together, or how LL Cool J's new spinoff will impact the franchise. It's a credit to the writing and Gary Cole's acting that Alden Parker fit in, and the characters got back to solving murders.

NCIS continues with new episodes on CBS on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET, and episodes are available on streaming for those with a Paramount+ subscription. I'm very invested in where things are going in these upcoming episodes, and how Parker may convince a passing-through Sam Hanna to set up shop in New York.

Warning! The following contains spoilers from the NCIS episode "Reboot." Stream the episode with a Paramount+ subscription and read at your own risk!

After all the announcements and photos, LL Cool J's Sam Hanna finally made his big return to NCIS after his time on the canceled Los Angeles and Hawai'i spinoffs. With his New York series already announced, I expected for some hints about that to be dropped in his appearance in "Reboot," and I wasn't disappointed. Not only that, but I loved the sweet Jimmy subplot as well.

Why Sam Returns To NCIS, And What's Next?

The episode largely centers on Kasie helping the rest of the tech team organize an update to the NCIS mainframe, as it's put to a halt during an unexpected murder of one of the staff. In the midst of investigating, the team discovers Sam, who has a perfectly logical explanation for why he's sleeping on a couch in Ducky's old office.

Sam eventually reveals that he's in town on a layover and is ultimately on his way to help a friend in Dubai. His decision to crash on the couch is due to him wanting to catch some sleep, but once he learns that one of the NCIS techs was murdered, he lends his services to Kasie, Parker and Jimmy to get to the bottom of what's going on.

During the episode, Parker and Sam also get some one-on-one time. They talk about the death of Vance, and Parker mentions the overall feeling of denial the team has that something so shocking could even happen. Sam admits the death took a toll on him as well and says it left him wondering where he's headed to now:

Sam left it at that, but this episode ended with a cliffhanger. I'm assuming we'll get more details on where he's headed next episode, though we already know LL Cool J is set to be in the NCIS New York spinoff. That's planned to arrive in the fall of the 2026 TV schedule, so I'm assuming (or hoping) we'll get a much more direct tease in the next episode about the Sam heading to The Big Apple.

Sam Encourages Jimmy To Pursue A "Reboot" In A Pretty Big Way

Sam is a big help to Jimmy in this episode, who opened up and admitted he's felt he needed a "reboot" for a while now. Following the death of his wife, his breakup with Jessica, and his daughter inching closer to college age, he's felt like a "house cat" living in the NCIS office. He even reveal's he's wearing a thirty-pound weight vest, as part of training to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro in the fall.

Sam is supportive and shocked to hear that Jimmy hasn't shared his goal with the rest of the NCIS team. His encouragement, paired with Jimmy successfully using his newfound strength to take down the murderer at the end of the episode, leads Jimmy to reveal his intention to Palmer. The head admits to being caught off guard by that, but he feels confident that Jimmy will succeed in his ambitious goal.

I wonder if NCIS is setting up Brian Dietzen's Jimmy to be absent for a stretch of next season, which will ultimately pave the way for Nick and Jessica to pull the trigger on their relationship. Not that I don't think either would keep it a secret from him, but it would be easier to open up about romantic feelings for one another when the ex isn't lingering around the workplace at the same time. If that hookup does happen, I believe we all have Sam Hanna to thank for it.

NCIS continues on CBS on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Sam will be back in the next episode, so keep those ears open for any other clues that he may drop about a move to New York.

NCIS Season 23 is in its final stretch of episodes on the 2026 TV schedule, meaning that the finale is right around the corner. The long-running CBS procedural is known for going big for its season cappers, and series co-star Brian Dietzen recently spoke out about what’s in store for it. And, needless to say, I wasn’t expecting him to mention Vance’s death while describing it.

The show surprisingly killed off Rocky Carroll’s NCIS Director Leon Vance during the 500^th episode in March, likely changing the direction of the show moving forward. Considering there are still a handful of episodes left, I assume the show isn’t done throwing out surprises. Comments that Dietzen recently shared with TV Insider seem to confirm that notion, as he went as far as to mention Vance’s death when teasing what's to come:

NCIS has killed off characters and thrown other curveballs in the past, so it wouldn't be surprising at all if another major twist to close out the season. But Dietzen just mentioning Vance’s death truly speaks to how much of a roller coaster Season 23 has been, and it’s wild to think it's not even done. It’s hard to imagine what exactly will be in store for the finale, which will see the team working on an explosion case that might be connected to one from the previous year.

At the very least, it can be assumed that NCIS won’t kill off another main character since they already did this season. (At least, I hope another one isn't killed off.) Plus, Carroll’s replacement and by extension, Vance’s replacement still hasn't even been found yet. NCIS is basically working without a director which leaves the organization in a precarious place. If anything, though, it sounds like whatever happens in the finale will further change the show.

The good news is that while NCIS will likely be further changed by the Season 23 finale, there will be more stories to tell. At this point, the show has been renewed for Season 24, and CBS confirmed it would premiere later this year. It's also worth mentioning that the show's producers are definitely not afraid of ending seasons on cliffhangers and keeping fans in suspense for months. So, while some may dread the possibility, it's possible fans may be left hanging after whatever Brian Dietzen is teasing.

With the finale essentially having “echoes” of the 500^th episode (in whatever way that means), fans should prepare themselves for the Season 23 finale. It could be quite intense, and I'm both excited and nervous about it. Let's hope we don't end up saying goodbye to yet another character following Vance's death.

The Season 23 finale of NCIS airs on Tuesday, May 12 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, streaming the next day with a Paramount+ subscription.

As NCIS continues its run on the 2026 TV schedule, one can't help but to have noticed all the breadcrumbs being dropped for a potential new romance on the CBS series. Now, Wilmer Valderrama and Katrina Law are talking about the possibility of Nick and Jessica getting together, and Grey's Anatomy was caught in the crossfire.

Fans have asked for a Knight/Torres romance on NCIS for a while, and after a recent episode featured the duo cuddling in the wilderness to preserve body heat, people want answers. Valderrama discussed the episode, which also featured some romantic tension, with TVLine and gave his thoughts on the writers' motivations behind all of that:

As Valderrama said, it's normal, but it doesn't make the situation any less messy. Nick dated Jessica's sister Robin just one season ago, and having these two link up so soon after could certainly create some awkward family get-togethers.

Let's not forget the work family, either, as Jessica dated NCIS' Jimmy Palmer, who also works with Nick. Jimmy and Jessica broke up in Season 21 on solid terms, and while actor Brian Dietzen talked about the potential return of that storyline with CinemaBlend a while back, Wilmer Valderrama clearly has mixed feelings:

NCIS may not have as much romance (or failed romances) as Grey's Anatomy, but it's not exactly foreign territory for the CBS procedural either. While Tony & Ziva was ultimately canceled after a short run, it was the slew of fans that cheered on that relationship for years that had executives thinking more people would tune in and watch the series with a Paramount+ subscription.

Katrina Law wasn't about to spoil any plotlines, but shared what she could about what could be ahead for Jessica when it comes to Nick Torres. She likes the fact that it seems there are multiple possibilities to how this plays out, and there's a reason why it's written that way:

As someone who values the bromance that Jimmy and Nick have shared over the years on NCIS, I have to think that both characters would feel uncomfortable sneaking around behind Jimmy's back, and a conversation would have to happen to make sure something like this doesn't impact the overall dynamic of the team.

All this to say, Torres and Knight shippers should hold positions for the moment and continue to stay tuned. I'd like to think each moment is building to both characters acknowledging their feelings, and we'll get some sort of resolution eventually.

NCIS airs on CBS on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. These latest comments from the actors have me curious about how the rest of the season will play out, and if we'll get some meaningful updates on Torres and Knight's relationship before the end of the season.

The beauty of a franchise like NCIS is that there are many shows that are in the universe. This means that fans can sometimes look forward to characters from one show to pop up on another or do a crossover event. NCIS has been known to bring characters back, both from the Mothership and its spinoffs, some more than others. LL Cool J’s Special Agent Sam Hanna recurred on NCIS: Hawai’i after NCIS: Los Angeles ended, and he even returned to NCIS last season and will again on the 2026 TV schedule. But could they ever bring him back on a full-time basis?

The new promo for next week’s episode of NCIS confirmed that Sam is coming back once again. The rapper starred on NCIS: LA for all 14 seasons from 2009 to 2023, and as previously mentioned, he was a recurring guest on Hawai’i for its third and final season on the heels of LA’s end. For the first time since LA ended, LL Cool J appeared on NCIS towards the end of Season 22 last year, and for those who thought that would be it are wrong. Sam makes a surprise return in next week’s episode when he’s found at HQ:

Producers clearly love Sam, otherwise they wouldn’t keep bringing him back, no matter the show. And it’s clear that LL Cool J has no plans to step away from the character and takes any chance he has to reprise the role. So this raises the question as to whether or not the series will ever bring him back full-time, especially since there is one big role that needs to be filled.

Sam Hanna Could Feasibly Be Vance’s Replacement

It’s been a few weeks since the 500^th episode shockingly killed off Rocky Carroll’s NCIS Director Leon Vance by way of sacrifice. So far, the series hasn’t chosen a replacement. It’s likely that whoever replaces Vance will be shown on screen a lot, whether in a series regular or even just recurring capacity, since they are the director. Of course, it will be hard to replace Vance, but Sam could be a potential candidate.

He’s familiar with everyone; he definitely has the experience, and he's probably seen and done a lot on the missions he’s been on. This could also be a good way to bring on other NCIS: LA or NCIS: Hawai’i characters, or just get brief updates on them. Additionally, with his kids grown up, it’s not like he has to stay in Los Angeles, hence why he’s been to so many places since LA ended.

Even if it’s not as Vance’s replacement, the fact that NCIS keeps bringing Sam back could be foreshadowing something much bigger. That, or it’s just the show’s way to keep two spinoffs alive. It’s unknown when the show could reveal Vance’s replacement, but with Season 24 confirmed, this storyline could go on for a while.

If nothing else, fans can look forward to LL Cool J returning as Special Agent Sam Hanna in a new episode airing on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, streaming the next day with a Paramount+ subscription.

Warning: SPOILERS for the NCIS episode “S.O.S.” are ahead!

We’re in the final stretch of NCIS Season 23 episodes on the 2026 TV schedule, and man, has this been an eventful season. Carla Marino was killed off early on; the mystery of Lily and what really happened to Parker’s mom was finally solved; Leon Vance was fatally shot in the CBS’s show’s 500th episode; and in the 499th episode, Timothy McGee learned he had a teenage son. We got an update tonight on that last twist, and while that was appreciated, what really caught my attention in “S.O.S.” was a specific scene with Nick Torres and Jessica Knight that’s sure to get a segment of the NCIS fanbase riled up.

McGee Is Trying To Find Ways to Connect With Matteo

Good on NCIS for bringing Mateo Garcia (Patrick Keleher) back up just a month after we first met him rather than wait multiple seasons to acknowledge his existence again. At the beginning “S.O.S.”, McGee informed Knight and Parker that he played in the interagency baseball game between NCIS and the FBI the night before with Torres. McGee was ready to not only play the following week’s game, but also do the “old Moneybag thing” by making a spreadsheet for optimal batting order. As Torres later revealed to Jimmy Palmer, McGee’s suddenly going “full Bull Durham” is because Mateo likes baseball, and McGee is trying to impress him, though it’s not really working.

Later on, Kasie Hines made McGee realize that there are other ways to bond with Mateo that he enjoys more than baseball. So at the end of “S.O.S.”, McGee called his son and asked him if he wanted to him in checking out his old laser tag spot on the weekend. I’m glad he’s putting in the effort with Mateo, so fingers crossed that some games of laser tag will help strengthen their relationship. Hopefully we’ll also see Mateo again before NCIS Season 23 concludes, and if that’s not in the cards, there’s always sometime in Season 24.

Torres And Knight Got Pretty Cozy With Each Other

For months now, NCIS fans (myself included) have discussed whether or not Nick Torres and Jessica Knight could become romantically involved. As of the airing of “Her,” where Torres reunited with and said goodbye once again to Eleanor Bishop, Wilmer Valderrama said that his and Katrina Law’s characters getting together would be “too complicated.” Fair enough, but when the show has them cuddling, well that’s just a big ol’ tease indicating it’s still a possibility.

During the events of “S.O.S.”, which can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription, Torres and Knight traveled to the Appalachians to search for clues tied to this week’s case. They ended up finding a body, but then started getting shot at and had to find cover in a nearby cave. Because Knight twisted her ankle in the process and they had no idea where the shooter was located, the two had no choice but to stay the night in that cave. Well, the Northeastern United States can be pretty chilly at night this time of year, so Torres and Knight had no choice but to cuddle next to each other under the blanket from Knight’s survival kit to keep warm. Oh, and Knight won rock-paper-scissors to be the big spoon.

When Torres and Knight eventually made it back to civilization and the case wrapped up, they weren’t keen on telling McGee and Parker about how literally close with each other they got, instead just saying they kept warm by continuously moving. I don’t think that this cuddle sesh is meant to be a sincere indicator that romance is on the horizon for those two, but I absolutely believe the NCIS writers knew what they were doing with this. They just want to get the Torres/Knight shippers talking, don’t they?

But hey, if NCIS wants to throw us a curveball and actually have Nick Torres and Jessica Knight become something more than just close friends, I welcome seeing how that would be executed. We’re in the final stretch of NCIS Season 23 episodes airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET, but there’s always Season 24 in the fall to embark down this narrative path if the writers so choose.

While some may still know Wilmer Valderrama best for playing Fez for the entirety of That ‘70s Show (plus a few episodes of the short-lived follow-up That ‘90s Show), at this point he’s been playing Special Agent Nick Torres on NCIS for a lot longer. He joined the series in Season 14, i.e. 10 years ago, to occupy the spot once filled Michael Weatherly’s Tony DiNozzo. But as it turns out, Valderrama could have joined this procedural franchise years earlier, as he was up for a key role in NCIS: Los Angeles.

The actor discussed this near-entry point while visiting Partners & Probies to speak with his NCIS co-stars Brian Dietzen and Diona Reasonover, who respectively Jimmy Palmer and Kasie Hines. While discussing his NCIS origins (not to be confused with the prequel NCIS: Origins), Valderrama shared these details about how the Los Angeles spinoff came into his orbit:

Brian Dietzen then clarified that Wilmer Valderrama was referring to the role of Marty Deeks, who Eric Christian Olsen was ultimately cast to play. Valderrama’s timeline is a little off then, as Olsen first recurred as Deeks in two NCIS: Los Angeles Season 1 episodes in April 2010, and then was promoted to series regular in Season 2. Valderrama first appeared as Nick Torres in the NCIS Season 14 premiere, which aired in September 2016.

That aside, it is fascinating to think about a version of NCIS: Los Angeles where Wilmer Valderrama played Marty Deeks for 13 years instead. So what stopped him from taking the role? Valderrama continued:

I think most NCIS: Los Angeles fans would probably agree that this all worked out for the best. Eric Christian Olsen’s portrayal of Marty Deeks was one of the best aspects of the spinoff, particularly as viewers watched him and Daniela Ruah’s Kensi Blye go from bickering partners to a married couple with an adopted child. As for Wilmer Valderrama, him agreeing to star in NCIS was certainly “fresh and new” both for his career and the show itself. Joining the popular procedural helped people who were only familiar with his comedic work view him in a different light, and Nick Torres entrance marked a new era for the show following Michael Weatherly’s exit.

Continue following along with Nick Torres’ exploits on NCIS Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. Season 23 is in its final stretch of episodes, and Season 24 will premier sometime in the fall. If you’d like to revisit NCIS: Los Angeles, it can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription alongside all the franchise’s other shows.

While NCIS doesn’t have nearly as high a body count as shows like Game of Thrones, 24 or The Sopranos, a fair amount of important characters have been killed off on the CBS procedural over the years. The latest of the bunch is Rocky Carroll’s Leon Vance, who was fatally shot in NCIS’s 500th episode last month on the 2026 TV schedule. While showrunner Steven Binder has said that Vance’s death was necessary to remind people of the “real stakes” on NCIS, he also admitted in a recent interview that there are two character deaths he regrets in hindsight, and I completely agree about one of them.

Steven Binder Regrets Killing Off Mike Franks And Diane Sterling

While speaking with Binder, who’s been working on NCIS since the beginning, Variety interviewer Chris Willman asked him if he regretted killing off any characters from years past. Willman then brought up the fan outcry when Mike Franks, Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ mentor played by Muse Watson, died in the Season 8 episode “Swan Song.” Binder responded:

Muse Watson debuted as Mike Franks in the final two episodes of NCIS Season 3 and was arguably one of the show’s most important characters in those early years. Sadly, in “Swan Song,” he died fighting Jonas Cobb, a.k.a. the Port-to-Port Killer, though it was revealed in the episode afterwards that Mike was already dying from lung cancer. The second character Steven Binder regrets killing off is Melinda McCraw’s Diane Sterling, the ex-wife of both Gibbs and Joe Spano’s Tobias Fornell, the longest-running NCIS recurring character. Binder continued:

Binder then added that he actually pushed back against having Diane being sniped by Segei Mishnev in the Season 12 episode “Check” when the writers decided on this twist while he was “off working on some other stuff.” However, they ultimately stayed the course, with Binder concluding this portion of the interview by saying:

As Steven Binder mentioned, Mike Franks and Diane Sterling dying didn’t mean we’d seen the last of them on NCIS. Must Watson went on to reprise Mike Franks seven more times, either in flashback or ghost form, up to Season 15, and Diane appeared as a ghost to Gibbs in the Season 16 episode “Daughters.” And yet…

I Wish Mike Franks Hadn’t Been Killed Off

Even all these years later, I still think it was a mistake to kill off Mike Franks. That’s not to say I expected him to stay alive for many more years, like up until Mark Harmon exited the series in Season 19. But I agree with Steve Binder: as memorable as “Swan Song” is 15 years after it aired, NCIS could have squeezed some other great appearances out of him. He still could have ended up getting lung cancer given all those cigarettes he smoked.

Thankfully, fans are able to follow along with younger versions of Mike Franks and Diane Sterling on NCIS: Origins. Kyle Schmid plays Mike as one of the prequel’s principal characters, and Kathleen Kenny has been recurring as Diane in Season 2 after being introduced in the Season 1 finale. Like NCIS, new Origins episodes air Tuesday nights on CBS and can be streamed later with a Paramount+ subscription.

Next to Mark Harmon, Sean Murray is the actor I most associate with NCIS. He’s been playing Timothy McGee on the show for nearly the entirety of its run, and in 2024, he became the most-featured actor of all time in the NCIS franchise, surpassing the late David McCallum. However, you’ll notice I said “nearly the entirety.” There was a time when McGee wasn’t part of NCIS, and I’m shook to find out why Murray was added to the series in those early Season 1 days.

Former NCIS showrunner Frank Cardea and current showrunner Steven Binder visited Partners & Probies to talk with hosts Brian Dietzen and Diona Reasonover, who respectively play Jimmy Palmer and Kasie Hines on the series, about their experiences working on CBS’s popular procedural. One of the things Cardea talked about from his tenure was about the script issue he and his team ran into on Season 1’s “Sub Rosa” that prompted Timothy McGee’s creation. He started off saying:

When NCIS began, Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Michael Weatherly’s Tony DiNozzo, Pauley Perrette’s Abby Sciuto and David McCallum’s Donald “Ducky” Mallard had already been introduced in the JAG episodes “Ice Queen” and “Meltdown,” which functioned as NCIS’s backdoor pilot. Sasha Alexander subsequently debuted in “Yankee White,” the first official NCIS episode, and these five comprised the main cast that first season. But just six episodes later, Tony was placed in a situation where he didn’t have Gibbs or Kate to bounce off of, and you can’t just have Tony chattering to no one. Frank Cardea continued:

As someone who’s been watching NCIS for almost 20 years, learning that Timothy McGee was created simply because Tony ended someone to talk to is wild. After heating Frank Cardea’s comments, I went back and watch snippets of “Sun Rosa” with my Paramount+ subscription, and it was weird hearing McGee call Tony “sir” and being so deferential knowing how they would go on to have a more comical relationship. Sean Murray returned for seven more episodes in NCIS Season 1, then was promoted to series regular in Season 2.

Let’s be glad Tony was left behind on that submarine, as it resulted in one of NCIS’s most important characters being introduced, and Sean Murray is now the top-billed actor in the opening credits. If it was up to me, we’d see McGee become the new NCIS director following Leon Vance’s death, but it may be a while until we learn who’s getting that job. For now, continuing following along with the character and his teammates Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

Warning: SPOILERS for the NCIS episode “Knick Knack” are ahead!

I’ll be honest, I’m still not over NCIS killing off Rocky Carroll’s Leon Vance a few weeks ago, but I also understand that life goes on. So while we continue waiting to learn who will permanently succeed him as the agency’s director, the CBS procedural basically reverted to business as usual tonight on the 2026 TV schedule with a treasure hunt episode titled “Knick Knack.” Watching the episode, however, made me realize that there’s a long-absent character from Timothy McGee’s past that I really want NCIS to bring back.

How McGee’s Sister Factored Into The New NCIS

At the beginning of “Knick Knack,” Jessica Knight received a package from her mother that she immediately tossed in the trash. She assumed it was just the latest meal subscription plan her mom got her as part of her wellness kick, but once the team started investigating the murder of a Navy captain aboard a museum ship (see how that case unfolded with your Paramount+ subscription), she changed her mind and looked at what was inside. It’s a good thing she did, because the package contained the Sugar Sprout Dolls that her recently-deceased uncle confiscated from her when she was a kid, as well as eyeglasses that belonged to her great-grandfather.

Knight later turned the eyeglasses into her new sunglasses, but as far as the dolls go, McGee immediately perked up when he saw them, specifically Knight’s Sunburn Sally doll. It turns out McGee’s sister, Sarah, collected Sugar Sprout Dolls, and he’s been trying for years to get her Sunburn Sally. He offered Knight $50 for it, to which she responded, “Don’t lowball me, McSugar Sprout.” Adding insult to injury for McGee, Knight later decided to put the dolls up for bid online, and they were up to $1500 when McGee checked on them. So he’ll need to shell out a pretty penny if he wants to give Sarah Sunburn Sally.

I’d Like To See Sarah Come Back To NCIS

For those who don’t remember, Troian Bellisario, daughter of NCIS creator Don Bellisario and Sean Murray’s real-life step-sister, appeared as Sarah McGee in two episodes of the popular CBS show. The first was Season 2’s second episode, titled “Red Cell,” and then she returned for Season 4’s ninth episode, “Twisted Sister.” Sarah’s been mentioned a handful of times since then, but I think it’s high time she be brought back to the series after 20 years away.

In the time since she was last seen on NCIS, Troian Bellisario has become well known for playing Spencer Hastings on Pretty Little Liars, and she most recently starred on On Call, the short-lived, Dick Wolf-produced police procedural that started out on IMDb TV, then switched over to Prime Video. It would be amazing if Bellisario returned to NCIS so that we could learn specific details about what’s going on with Sarah these days. Maybe she gets drawn into another case, or maybe she would simply be present for a B-plot focused on McGee’s personal life. I just want to see what the dynamic is like for these siblings two decades later, as well as what Sarah’s like around McGee’s wife, Delilah, and their two kids.

I don’t expect this to happen in NCIS Season 23, as there are only a handful of episodes left, not to mention that Troian Bellisario gave birth to her third daughter in January. However, NCIS Season 24 has been officially greenlighted for the fall. So if any of the show’s writers are reading this, please consider carving a guest spot either later this year or in early 2027 out for Bellisario to reprise Sarah.

Throughout NCIS’s 23-season run, the show has thrown some big curveballs to keep things fresh, and this includes writing off beloved characters. While a handful of fan-favorites were able to get beautiful send-offs that still continue their stories elsewhere, Rocky Carroll’s Director Leon Vance wasn’t so lucky. He was killed off in the 500^th episode, which aired recently on the 2026 TV schedule. However, the actor already has an idea for how his character could return.

Vance’s death came as a surprise, but his sacrifice had to happen in order to save and restore NCIS. I’m still crying over his death, and it’s hard to imagine the show moving forward without him since he was on it for 18 seasons. However, Carroll revealed he remains part of the show in a different way, and even teased how Vance could return to The Hollywood Reporter:

This definitely wouldn’t be the first time that NCIS has brought back dead characters. They've done it before with flashbacks, hallucinations, and even younger versions of a character. So, the actor returning on screen is by no means impossible.

It is nice that Carroll is still part of the NCIS family and will be directing next season, but it would be even better if Vance were to make a return in some way. Aside from NCIS, a lot of shows have gone the flashback or hallucination route when it comes to bringing back dead characters, even if it’s just briefly. So, that's what I'd like to see them do with Vance.

If that does happen, how would Vance be brought back? The team is still trying to move forward, as is the organization. We have yet to meet the new director, but I'd guess that when that happens, we could get some flashbacks or hallucinations of Vance in his office. At the very least, Carroll isn’t counting out a return as Vance, which is enough to keep the hope alive.

Carroll was one of the longest-running actors on NCIS, having made his introduction in Season 5 when Vance replaced the last NCIS Director. He may no longer be on the show, but his presence will certainly still be felt. It won’t be easy to move on from him, and it’s possible that everyone’s grief, or at least everyone trying to get used to whoever replaces him, carries on into Season 24. So while he’s not physically there, his presence will still be very much there.

Overall, I think Vance needs to return somehow. His death was definitely one of the most heartbreaking on the show, and I’m still not over it. If anything, all seasons of NCIS are streaming with a Paramount+ subscription, so fans can always do a rewatch because there are 18 seasons with Rocky Carroll. Meanwhile, let's all keep hope alive that someday the actor can make a return on screen as his iconic character.

A little over a week ago on the 2026 TV schedule, NCIS delivered one of its biggest twists ever by killing off Rocky Carroll’s Leon Vance in the landmark 500th episode. Naturally many fans were saddened by the character’s untimely demise, as he’d been part of the show since Season 5, but showrunner Steven Binder said Vance’s death was necessary to remind people that there are “real stakes” on the CBS procedural. Well, according to Carroll, Mark Harmon, who led NCIS for nearly two decades as Leroy Jethro Gibbs, was not a fan of this creative decision.

Harmon and Carroll go way back, as even before they shared screen time on NCIS for 15 seasons, they co-starred in four seasons of Chicago Hope. So the former has no trouble sharing his unfiltered thoughts with the latter, hence why he said he wasn’t a fan of NCIS sending Vance to the great beyond. As Carroll shared with moderator Matt Mittovich during a post-“All Good Thing” screening held by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation:

Mark Harmon has been gone from NCIS for roughly four and a half years now, but the show, and franchise as a whole, still means something to him. After all, he’s narrating and executive producing NCIS: Origins, and even reprised Gibbs on camera for the premiere episode and the prequel’s half of last November’s crossover. So between that and him thinking highly of Rocky Carroll, I can understand why Harmon wouldn’t necessarily agree that having Leon Vance fatally shot by a corrupt Army CID agent was the right move.

But it’s like Carroll said, Mark Harmon just has that same attachment to Vance that his cast-mates, both current and former, not to mention the NCIS fanbase, have. And while Carroll’s immediate reaction to the twist was wondering why there was such finality to it, he’s come around, liking both the quality of “All Good Things” on its own and appreciating that Vance’s story came full circle. In any case, the deed is done, and not only will Vance’s death go down as one of NCIS’s most shocking moments, it also gave us the opportunity to see him interact with a young Ducky Mallard, reprised by Adam Campbell, in the afterlife.

Leon Vance may be gone, but NCIS goes on. My hope is that Sean Murray’s Timothy McGee will become the agency’s new director, though the latest episode makes me think that Vance’s permanent replacement won’t be revealed for a while. Rocky Carroll will also continue to direct NCIS episodes, but since this is a show where deceased characters frequently return in flashbacks or hallucinations, I wouldn’t be surprised if there comes a day when we see the actor reprise his role again.

Warning: SPOILERS for the NCIS episode “Fleeting” are ahead!

A new episode of NCIS has premiered on the 2026 TV schedule, but frankly, I know I’m not alone in still recovering from what happened last week. The death of Rocky Carroll’s Leon Vance was one of the biggest shakeups in the CBS procedural’s history, with showrunner Steven Binder saying it was necessary to once again show NCIS’s “real stakes.” So now we’re waiting to see who will permanently replace Vance as NCIS Director, though if some dialogue in “Fleeting” is any indication, it may be a long time until we meet them.

This week’s NCIS episode was a hectic one, as it followed the team investigating a sailor being stabbed and tossed into a trunk during Fleet Week. You can see how that investigation unfolded, and how poisoned tattoo ink factored in, by streaming “Fleeting” with your Paramount+ subscription. Most importantly, it ended with the show’s main characters gathering in Vance’s office to toast the man who meant so much to them, both professionally and personally, with a bottle of whiskey he’d been saving for a special occasion.

As touching as this was to watch, I’m more focused on something that Gary Cole’s Alden Parker said towards the beginning of the episode. He informed McGee and Knight that DOD sent a memo instructing that Vance’s office be cleared out by Friday, right in the middle of Fleet Week. McGee wondered what the rush was since the interim NCIS director “hasn’t even stepped foot in the building,” to which Parker said:

This sounds to me like NCIS will hold off on introducing the new person to sit behind what was once Leon Vance’s desk for the long haul for weeks, if not until when Season 24 premieres in the fall. That’s a sharp difference than how Vance was handled all the way back in Season 5. He was introduced midway through the season as the Assistant NCIS Director, then wasted no time taking over the agency after Jenny Shepard was killed.

I’m hoping that Timothy McGee becomes the new NCIS director, as Sean Murray’s character could have gotten the Assistant Director job last season had it not been for Gabriel LaRoche’s interference, so it’s not much of a leap to envision him being qualified for the top position. Maybe that could still happen, but if we’re taking what Alden Parker said seriously, I’m not confident it will happen during Season 23. At best, I could see McGee being promoted in the Season 23 finale so that we can spend the summer imagining what kind of leader he’ll be in Season 24. However, if someone brand-new will succeed Vance, then I think it’s more likely that the show won’t bring them in until the Season 24 premiere.

Or maybe I’m misreading this whole thing, and Leon Vance’s permanent replacement will enter the picture as soon as next week. We’ll just have to wait and see as new episodes of NCIS air Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. Meanwhile, I’ll continue mourning the loss of one of my favorite characters from the show. Like I said, it’s only been a week!

Warning: SPOILERS for the NCIS episode “All Good Things” are ahead!

Earlier this week, NCIS suffered a devastating loss, as Rocky Carroll’s Leon Vance was killed off after 19 seasons. I will fully admit that I cried when I saw this this tragic twist happen in the CBS procedural’s 500th episode, but the compilation of Vance moments from past episodes shown at the end of “All Good Things” also made me think of when the character first appeared back in Season 5. As it turns out, what ended up happening with Vance deviate significantly from what NCIS originally had planned for him, and I’m glad the show ended up going down a different path with him.

Now, obviously no one could have predicted back in 2008 that Rocky Carroll would play Leon Vance for nearly two decades, let alone that NCIS would still be on the air. But while discussing all things NCIS with Variety, showrunner Steven Binder shared that Vance wasn’t supposed to be as regularly present on the show as he ended up being. Binder recalled:

Leon Vance was the third NCIS Director introduced on the show. The first, Alan Dale’s Tom Morrow, only appeared in seven episodes across the show’s first three seasons, though he later retuned for a handful of appearances between Season 10 to 13 until being killed off in the episode “Return to Sender.” After Morrow exited his position at the start of Season 3, Lauren Holly’s Jenny Shepard succeeded him and definitely had a more significant presence on the series, but was killed off in Season 5’s penultimate episode. Vance was introduced five episodes earlier, so it was no surprise that he took Shepard’s place.

I think most, if not all NCIS fans can agree that it’s great the show’s team didn’t stick to using Vance in a more limited capacity. Otherwise, there’s a good chance that Rocky Carroll wouldn’t have stayed on NCIS for nearly as long, and we might’ve gone through several other NCIS Directors by now. Instead, Vance held down the fort exceptionally all these years, which Steven Binder attributes to Carroll’s professionalism and talent. He continued:

Rocky Carroll got to play Vance a lot longer than most TV shows last, and the good news is that just because his character has gone to the great beyond doesn’t mean he’s done with NCIS. Carroll will continue directing episodes, including one coming up in later this season. NCIS is also a show where deceased characters frequently come back in flashbacks or ghost/hallucination form, so maybe a few years down the line, Vance can resurface in one of those ways.

For now, there are still plenty of NCIS Season 23 episodes to get through on the 2026 TV schedule, all continuing to air on CBS Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET. The show has also been renewed for a 24th season, but if you’d rather continue looking back on good times, feel free to stream all of Rocky Carroll’s appearances as Vance with your Paramount+ subscription.

Although Sean Harmon played a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs in a handful of NCIS episodes, it’s Austin Stowell who succeeded Mark Harmon in playing the character on a regular basis thanks to NCIS: Origins. The prequel series chronicles Gibbs’ first years working at what was then NIS, and not only is Season 2 still airing on the 2026 TV schedule, but Season 3 has also been officially greenlighted. So Stowell will continue playing the younger Gibbs for the foreseeable future, and he talked with CinemaBlend about how he doesn’t take this role for granted.

At the end of my recent interview with the actor that was tied to the episode where Gibbs met Shea Bucker’s Dwayne Pride (previously played by Scott Bakula on NCIS: New Orleans), I asked him if there was an aspect of playing Gibbs that he appreciates now, but didn’t necessarily jump out to him when he was first cast on NCIS: Origins. Austin Stowell started off by telling me about how there was someone in his personal life who died and “wasn't able to see the lessons from life,” and that he thinks about his person when playing Gibbs. Then he said:

Mark Harmon debuted as Leroy Jethro Gibbs back in 2003 in the JAG two-parter “Ice Queen” and “Meltdown,” and he ultimately played the character on NCIS up until Season 19’s fourth episode. While Harmon still voices the character as NCIS: Origins’ narrator and even reprised him twice on camera in the series, it’s now Austin Stowell primarily carrying the Gibbs torch. He’s fully aware of how much the character means to so many people, and he also appreciates what a big deal is to play Gibbs at this stage of his life, explaining:

Gibbs and Diane Sterling got drunkenly married in Las Vegas in the NCIS: Origins Season 2 midseason finale, and we know their marriage won’t last. At least with Gibbs and Pride, “Feelin’ Alright?” ended with these two on better terms, though they’re still a ways off from as close as we saw in the NCIS Season 11 two-parter “Crescent City” from 2014. Austin Stowell then pointed out the complicated dynamic that Gibbs still has with Mariel Molino’s Lala Dominguez on Origins:

Austin Stowell wrapped up by saying how despite everything Leroy Jethro Gibbs is going through in the early ‘90s, plus what’s to come in the following decades, he’s glad his character eventually reaches a point where he’s truly happy. That makes it worth it for him to play Gibbs during these rougher years, In his words:

You’re welcome to stream the original NCIS with your Paramount+ subscription to see how Leroy Jethro Gibbs arrives to that point of relief. Otherwise, there’s still plenty to enjoy from NCIS: Origins, which airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS. The next episode, “Homeward Bound,” will see Adam Campbell reprising the young Donald “Ducky” Mallard following his appearance earlier this season in “The Edge,” as well as his surprise cameo in the gut-wrenching NCIS episode “All Good Things.”

Love Is Blind recently wrapped its tenth season on the 2026 TV schedule, giving fans even more messy relationships and happily-ever-afters to watch with a Netflix subscription. Nick and Vanessa Lachey were once again on hand for the festivities with the reunion special. However, celebrations just make me wish that NCIS: Hawai’i got the same treatment.

The Love Is Blind Season 10 reunion dropped on Netflix on March 11, and it’s hard to believe that the show has made it ten seasons already. Vanessa shared some BTS photos and videos from the reunion on Instagram and was as excited as ever to celebrate this Love Is Blind milestone, especially with her husband right by her side:

As a Love Is Blind fan, I couldn’t be more excited about the show reaching ten seasons, knowing that we’ve gotten plenty of messy and controversial breakups, makeups, engagements, weddings, relationships, friendships, and much more from the Pod Squad. However, as a fan of another one of Vanessa’s shows, it makes me incredibly sad knowing that NCIS: Hawai'i wasn’t even close to receiving the same treatment, and I am still in mourning.

It’s been almost two years since NCIS: Hawai’i was surprisingly canceled after just three seasons. The cancellation came out of left field, and Vanessa even admitted she was blindsided by it. As the NCIS franchise continues to remain strong with the mothership, NCIS: Origins, and NCIS: Sydney, all of which are returning for new seasons, it makes me sad knowing what could have been for Hawai’i. There were so many stories left to be told, probably more crossovers, and much more character development.

Hawai’i’s cancellation was probably the most devastating cancellation of 2024 for me, or at the very least, the most surprising. A CBS head honcho had admitted that if it had been any other year, Hawai’i would have probably survived, but alas, for financial and scheduling reasons, the show just didn’t seem to take priority. Even though it’s been two years since the show ended, I still miss it. And I miss it even more with Vanessa Lachey celebrating Love Is Blind’s 10^th season, knowing that Hawai’i will never get that treatment.

There is always the possibility that Vanessa’s Jane Tennant or someone else will pop up on NCIS in the future, as it wouldn’t be the first time a character from an NCIS show that has ended returned. If anything, two Hawai’i actors have returned to CBS, with Alex Tarrant starring on the new sitcom DMV and Noah Mills recurring on Watson. It may not be Hawai’i, but it’s better than nothing. And of course, Vanessa will likely continue to be seen on Love Is Blind.

Now, if you want to reminisce and think about what could have been, you can stream NCIS: Hawai'i with a Paramount+ subscription. Meanwhile, all seasons of Love is Blind are on Netflix.

Warning: SPOILERS for the NCIS episode “All Good Things” are ahead!

Jimmy Palmer actor Brian Dietzen told me that NCIS’s 500th episode would be “very atypical” compared to the show’s past milestone episodes, and man, he was not kidding. With the airing of “All Good Things” on the 2026 TV schedule, Rocky Carroll has exited the CBS procedural after 18 seasons. His character, Leon Vance, was killed off in shocking fashion, and I will fully admit that I cried at this game-changing twist. But now that the tears have been wiped away, I know what big change NCIS should make in the aftermath of Vance’s death.

I’m not someone who usually cries while watching movies and TV shows, so for NCIS to get me to shed tears is a big achievement. I won’t get into the full details about what happened in “All Good Things,” but if you’ve read this far and still haven’t watched the episode, I recommend rectifying this immediately with your Paramount+ subscription. Suffice it to say that the combination of Vance being met in the afterlife by Adam Campbell’s young Ducky Mallard, learning that NCIS will continue on, and walking towards the light to reunite with his long-departed wife Jackie wrecked me. But now there’s a new question to ponder: who will become the new NCIS director?

While I think there’s a good chance a new character will be introduced to take over that position, I’d rather someone we already know succeed Leon Vance: one Timothy McGee. Sean Murray has been playing McGee since NCIS Season 1’s seventh episode, and aside from Mark Harmon, who made his last appearance as Leroy Jethro Gibbs on the series early in Season 19, Murray is the face I’m sure most people associated when they think of NCIS. Who better to take over running the agency than someone who’s been part of this show since almost the beginning?

But there’s more to my rationale than just Sean Murray’s long tenure. At the beginning of NCIS Season 22, McGee had applied to become the Deputy Director of NCIS, but that was derailed when Gabriel LaRoche got the job instead. LaRoche left the agency at the end of Season 22, but McGee has showed no interest about reapplying for the Deputy Director position, instead seemingly content with remaining on the Major Case Response Team. Maybe now he should revisit those leadership aspirations.

Truth be told, I’ve wondered for months if Sean Murray is leaving NCIS, especially after it was revealed last week that Timothy McGee has a teenaged son he never knew about. But now that Vance has been killed, I’m far less convinced that this is going to happen, though not willing to dismiss the possibility entirely. McGee deserves to take a big step forward in his career, and while Alden Parker may be the MCRT’s leader, he doesn’t strike me as the type who wants to run a government agency. McGee, on the other hand, would surely handle the transition to administrative duties seamlessly.

With seven episodes left to go in NCIS Season 23, I’m hoping that by the time the finale airs in May, I’m hoping Timothy McGee has been selected to be the new NCIS director, if not already sitting in Leon Vance’s old chair. Yes, it would take getting used to not seeing him in the field anymore, but I think this is a shakeup that could benefit the show quite nicely. So fingers crossed that McGee is calling the shots when NCIS Season 24 begins in the fall.

Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS are ahead for the 500th episode of NCIS, "All Good Things," for anyone who hasn't yet watched on CBS or via Paramount+ subscription.

As NCIS continues its 23^rd season on CBS, the procedural did something “very atypical” with its milestone 500^th episode that aired on Tuesday night. It continued last week’s storyline that saw Vance getting handed the news that the organization would be shutting down, and of course, the episode included some Easter Eggs from throughout the series’ run. Unfortunately, it ended with a major sacrifice, and the boss explains why it had to happen and how the team will move forward into the 2026 TV schedule .

In “All Good Things,” NCIS is shut down, leading the team members to take on other duties and tasks until they are pulled into a case involving a little boy whom Gibbs helped all the way back in Season 1. The case shocking turns fatal when Vance is shot by a corrupt agent who tried to blow up HQ, but Vance’s sacrifice inevitably helped solve the case and restore NCIS. The longtime character's death came as a shock, especially after it initially looked like he survived due to wearing a vest, but that sadly wasn't the case. Executive producer Steven D. Binder told TV Insider why it happened, and the kind of legacy both Vance and Rocky Carroll have created for the show:

Carroll joined the series midway through Season 5, and Vance has been an integral part of the series and overall franchise because he is the NCIS Director. He’s had a few near-death experiences during these last 18 seasons, but of course, none turned fatal until now. Carroll had a knee-jerk response to the twist, revealing that he had known about it only two episodes before filming and couldn’t quite understand why his exit was so final since other characters were just sent off elsewhere.

But with Vance being the NCIS Director and him sacrificing himself in this way, it makes sense. And we do see NCIS being restored to its former glory as the team and everyone else try to move forward. Binder previewed how everyone will deal with Vance’s death and what this means for NCIS:

There is now a big hole, not only with the cast, but with NCIS as an organization. Everyone will have to find ways to move on and heal from this tragedy as they prepare for who will take over, and at this point, there is no telling who will be made Director next. Knowing that Vance’s sacrifice was to save NCIS, his death will likely weigh on everyone for a while.

NCIS will be a lot different now, and there is no telling what will happen, especially since there is going to be a 24^th season. Fans will just have to tune in on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS to see how Vance’s death changes things.

Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS are ahead for the 500th episode of NCIS on CBS in the 2026 TV schedule, called "All Good Things" and available streaming with a Paramount+ subscription.

NCIS had a major milestone to celebrate in the latest episode of Season 23, but fans probably weren't exactly cheering by the time the final credits rolled with Director Leon Vance no longer among the living. Yes, the long-running drama killed off Vance in the 500th episode, which could lead to the biggest shift in the series since Mark Harmon left as Gibbs. As it turns out, actor Rocky Carroll didn't have much time to prepare, and his knee-jerk reaction is pretty understandable.

In the 500th episode that one star had already teased to be "atypical" for NCIS, Vance went all-out to save the agency after it was being shut down. He was in more action than he's typically needed for as the director, but alas, Vance was betrayed and shot. The episode did give the character just about as nice a sendoff as possible within the time constraints, using young Ducky (played by Adam Campbell) to more or less usher him to the afterlife.

Vance is gone, but surely not forgotten as the agency gets back up and running for the rest of Season 23. Rocky Carroll spoke with Variety about the game-changer and the brief window of time he had to prepare for the death of his longtime character:

Considering that the cast was celebrating the 500th episode with an on-set party back in early December, Rocky Carroll not only had a limited amount of time to prepare himself, but has also had to keep the secret for several months now. While he seems to be on board with the storytelling choice by this point in the spring, fans are likely going to be able to relate to his "knee-jerk response" to getting the news back in November. He went on:

Why indeed?! Carroll certainly makes a good point. NCIS found a way to write out Gibbs (Mark Harmon) without killing him off back in 2021. Coté de Pablo and Michael Weatherly got their own spinoff with NCIS: Tony & Ziva, although it was cancelled after one season. Emily Wickersham even reprised her role as Bishop just weeks before the 500th episode. Why did Vance have to die, while so many others were just written off alive and well?

Well, the EPs had an answer for Rocky Carroll after that knee-jerk rebuttal, and it was enough to convince the actor/director that Vance dying was a good choice. Noting that Vance comfortably retiring "absolutely" wouldn't have had the same impact as dying in the line of duty, Carroll said:

"Spectacular" doesn't have to mean "happy," as is clearly the case now with the sudden death of Vance. I do have to give credit to the show for actually delivering such a shocker, since NCIS agents have a knack of surviving the seemingly unsurvivable during cases of the week. The fact that it wasn't spoiled ahead of time is even more impressive, and Carroll explained why he came around to the storyline in the end:

Considering that Rocky Carroll has directed nearly thirty episodes of NCIS over the past decade, it's no surprise that he could look at Vance's death from a wider story perspective instead of just mourning his own character. In fact, according to TVLine, Carroll was already back on the NCIS set to direct an episode just a month after they filmed the 500th episode, so the end of his time as Vance doesn't mean the end of his work in the franchise.

Based on the promo, it looks like Episode 501 will take a moment to honor Vance before getting back to business as usual. Take a look:

See what's next for the team in the wake of Vance's demise (and Parker's return) with new episodes of NCIS on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, followed by NCIS: Origins at 9 p.m. ET and then NCIS: Sydney at 10 p.m. ET. You can also revisit earlier episodes streaming now via Paramount+.

Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS for the NCIS episode “In Too Deep” are ahead!

NCIS has been airing on CBS for over 23 years, and as with any procedural, most of those episodes have followed the standard ‘case of the week’ model. But every now and then there’s an episode that really shakes things up. “In Too Deep,” which just finished airing on the 2026 TV schedule, did that and then some.

The CBS series dropped a massive bombshell involving Sean Murray’s Timothy McGee, and what’s more astounding is that this wasn’t even the biggest twist of the episode. Seriously, folks, this will go down as one of the momentous NCIS episodes, and that’s saying something given that we reunited with Emily Wickersham’s Ellie Bishop only a few weeks ago. So let’s dive in… and here’s another SPOILER WARNING for good measure.

Timothy McGee Discovered He Has Another Son

“In Too Deep” saw McGee and the others investigating the murder of a Navy Chief Warrant Officer Martin Hodges who was murdered while mysteriously operating a remote-controlled drone at a park. The deceased man had a picture of Olivia Garcia, whom McGee dated for six months nearly two decades ago and is a scientist at the Trask Underground Research Facility. If her name doesn’t sound familiar to the longtime NCIS viewers reading this, don’t worry, we’ve never seen her before. However, she did email McGee two months earlier to say she wanted to meet him to talk about something, but he never found out what

You can stream “In Too Deep” with your Paramount+ subscription to learn the particulars of this case, but the other big thing to know about Olivia is she has an 18-year-old son named Matteo. He got directly involved in the case when he went undercover at Trask to investigate her disappearance, as well hired Hodges to help him with this. By the way, McGee and Olivia stopped dating 18 years ago (i.e. sometime between the latter half of NCIS Season 5 and the first half of Season 6), and he never knew his father. You see where I’m going with this?

Yes, is is indeed revealed by the end of “In Too Deep” that McGee is Matteo’s father, and Olivia didn’t tell him about his son at the time because she didn’t want him to feel obligated to marry her. McGee is obviously no stranger to fatherhood, as he and his wife Delilah have twins Johnny and Morgan, but suddenly learning you have a teenaged son is something else entirely. It’s not exaggerating to say that his life is forever changed.

But like I said earlier, there was an even bigger surprise this episode delivered before wrapping up…

NCIS Is Being Shut Down

There’s been a lot of friction between Alden Parker and Leon Vance during NCIS Season 23, and that finally came to a head in “In Too Deep” as they were redoing their weapons recertification at FLETC. The good news is that they buried the hatchet after having a heart-to-heart conversation. The bad news is Vance revealed to Parker is that he’s been fighting for months to save as many jobs at NCIS as possible since he’d heard that Army CID is indeed shutting down and its personnel will be absorbed into their agency. The even worse news is that at the end of the episode, Vance informed Parker that he’d learned from the Secretary of Defense that the CID rumors were wrong — it’s actually NCIS being shut down.

Budget cuts at NCIS were teased throughout the first half of Season 23, and Jimmy Palmer actor Brian Dietzen told me last December that this would fuel “some pretty major storylines” in the latter half. I suspected that one of the main characters might be let go or leave the agency due to these budget cuts, but I didn’t call the entire agency being shuttered. And this comes right before the “very atypical” 500th episode airs!

Now, considering that NCIS has been renewed for Season 24, it goes without saying that we’re not going to stop seeing Naval-related crimes being investigated on CBS anytime soon. That said, I’m at the edge of my seat to learn if this shutdown is averted at the last minute or if NCIS will have to evolve into something different going forward. We’ll find out when NCIS’s 500th episode airs next Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.

NCIS may be 23 seasons in, but the show is still as intense as ever. The long-running procedural, which is coming up on 500 episodes, has been bringing the tension and action amid its current season, which is airing as part of the 2026 TV schedule, and it seems there's still much to look forward to. NCIS has nine episodes left in Season 23, and recent comments from Wilmer Valderrama have me seriously worried about what's to come.

Unsurprisingly, shows that have run as long as NCIS experience changes every once in a while to keep things fresh, and that’s one of the great elements of this particular procedural. The producers still manage to keep viewers on the edge of their seats even after two decades, and that was most recently the case with Bishop's surprising return. Unfortunately, it seems like something bad could be coming to NCIS in the near future, as Valderrama teased to TVLine that there are “major shakeups” coming, but there's one specific sentiment he shared that's truly ominous:

That “moment of no return” comment definitely has me feeling uneasy. Over the years, there have been several instances throughout NCIS’ run where a character or two will make a decision that permanently changes the course of their professional or personal life. At the beginning of this season, Parker nearly had a moment of no return when he was trying to get revenge for his father’s murder. However, it sounds like whatever happens in these remaining episodes will be even bigger and will really set up Season 24:

It's hard to say exactly what kind of shake-ups Valderrama is alluding to. They could have to do with personal dynamics within the team, as Torres and Knight have been getting closer. Or perhaps it’s a shake-up within the Naval team from a professional standpoint.

Also, it's been a while since NCIS lost or added a cast member and, each year, fans worry about who might depart the show next and how. There have been a few fake-outs over the years, in which fans thought someone would leave but then they ended up returning. However, maybe a permanent departure is on the horizon.

That being said, Valderrama seems to be pretty excited about the direction NCIS is going in. It can only be assumed that since the series was only just renewed for Season 24 in January, that he or anyone else on the cast doesn’t know what exactly will happen beyond Season 23. Still, with the way these final episodes are setting up Season 24, it sounds like it will be both exciting and nerve-wracking, depending on which way it goes:

The fact that it seems like fans might be happy about where the show is going is a bit of a relief, but I am still nervous about the potential changes. Shake-ups aren't necessarily bad, of course but, now, I’m just gonna keep thinking about them until they happen. On that note, new episodes of NCIS air on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, streaming the next day with a Paramount+ subscription.

Warning: SPOILERS for the NCIS episode “Army of One” are ahead!

One week after Ellie Bishop’s brief return on the 2026 TV schedule, NCIS is back to business as usual… well, kind of. The good news is that although the events of the episode “Army of One” threatened Jessica Knight’s job, she was still with the team by the end of the episode. The bad news is that there’s a bigger job-related problem looming on the horizon, and I’m worried about how it could affect our team of protagonists for the rest of NCIS Season 23 and potentially even Season 24.

Jessica Knight Briefly Left NCIS

“Army of One” saw Jessica Knight being called in by Army CID to help out when a man named Ryan Harper who barricaded himself in an ammunition warehouse and would only speak to her. It turns out Ryan used to be Knight’s informant who helped her take down a drug lord seven years earlier, and from there he joined the army to turn his life around. The problem was that he claimed he was being set up for a variety of crimes, including killing his friend Joseph Yates and smuggling cocaine through the charity that he and Yates started. In a state of panic, Ryan caused that scene at the warehouse, and CID shot him when they mistakenly thought he’d grabbed a detonator.

Eventually the evidence pointing to Ryan being a criminal looked so bad that Knight decided to resign from NCIS, as she didn’t want her misplaced faith in Ryan all those years ago to tarnish the agency’s reputation. Thankfully, that resignation was short-lived, as Ryan was indeed being framed. The culprit ended up being his girlfriend, who was actually the daughter of the drug lord he helped Knight put away. So Ryan’s innocence was proved as he began to recover from being shot, and Knight resumed her NCIS duties.

Is NCIS Setting Up One Of The Lead Characters Leaving?

Early on in “Army of One,” Nick Torres passed along a rumor he heard that Army CID is being shut down, and that the agency needed a win to make itself look good. As such, Jessica Knight had a rocky time working with CID Major Malone on the Ryan Harper case, with Knight initially believing that Malone was somehow involved with framing Ryan, and Malone believing that Knight was either in cahoots with Ryan or a poor judge of character given the evidence shining a bad light on him. Fortunately, they were able to get on the same page apprehend Ryan’s girlfriend together. Unfortunately for Malone, he asks Knight to keep him in mind for a job at NCIS, as the CID shutdown rumors are apparently true.

There have been various references during NCIS Season 23 of the title organization facing possible budget cuts. Jimmy Palmer actor Brian Dietzen even told me in December that this would “fuel some major storylines” in the latter half of the season. Now obviously I don’t think NCIS will be shut down in this universe as well, because as I already mentioned, the show has another season on the way. I do, however, think that it will face a major shakeup because of these budget cuts, which could be a problem for the lead characters.

To get more specific, Dietzen shared with me in a more recent interview that NCIS’s 500th episode will be “very atypical” compared to previous milestone episodes because it will “change the way NCIS operates from here on out.” Additionally, I’ve been worried this season that the show is paving the way for Sean Murray’s exit as Timothy McGee. I doubt he’ll be fired given his seniority and track record, but between these budget cuts and his Deep Six books being frequently referenced this season (and the focus of “Page-Turner”), I could measly see McGee leaving the agency to focus on his writing more.

Something big is coming to NCIS, and it’s only a matter of weeks until we learn what it is. So keep checking back with CinemaBlend for continuing coverage as new episodes air on CBS Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET. You can also stream the show and its various spinoffs with a Paramount+ subscription.

TV shows are lucky if they’re able to last multiple seasons, let alone make it to air. NCIS has far exceeded those expectations, because not only is its 23rd season is still airing on the 2026 TV schedule, the popular CBS procedural will reach its 500th episode at the end of the month. However, CinemaBlend learned from Brian Dietzen, who’s been playing Jimmy Palmer since Season 1, that this milestone episode will have a much different feel compared to past ones.

He opened up about this when I spoke with him and Kasie Hines actress Diona Reasonover about their new podcast, NCIS: Partners & Probies, as well as what it was like reuniting with Emily Wickersham on the latest episode (which you can stream with a Paramount+ subscription). When I asked them what they’re most excited for NCIS fans to see in the 500th episode, Dietzen answered:

To paraphrase Leonardo DiCaprio in Django Unchained, the 500th episode of NCIS had my curiosity, now it has my attention. Like Brian Dietzen, these milestone episodes have been a good opportunity to look back on NCIS’s history, packing them with callbacks, special appearances, etc. The 500th episode, however, won’t do that, but instead deliver a story that sounds like it’ll shake up the show’s status quo in a huge way, going off what Brian Dietzen said.

There’s no plot synopsis yet for this episode, titled “All Good Things,” but it is worth mentioning that Brian Dietzen informed me last December that the budget cuts and incorporation of AI that the first half of NCIS Season 23 mentioned/explored would “fuel some pretty major storylines” in the second half of the season. That got me concerned about the show potentially paving the way for Sean Murray’s Timothy McGee to exit, and that concern grew in early February upon learning what the 499th episode will be about. Murray has been on NCIS even longer than Dietzen, debuting as McGee in its seventh episode. Him leaving would qualify as a major shakeup, and it’d be the highest-profile cast departure since Mark Harmon in early Season 19.

Or maybe I’m way off base, and what will make NCIS’s 500th episode “very atypical” has nothing to do with Sean Murray at all. I guess we’ll find out when “All Good Things” air on March 31. After that, there will be seven episodes left in Season 23, and then NCIS Season 24 will begin in the fall.

Warning: SPOILERS for the NCIS episode “Her” are ahead!

After making a surprise cameo at the end of “Heaven and Nature,” Emily Wickersham made her full return to NCIS last night on the 2026 TV schedule. Ellie Bishop resurfaced in “Her” to seek help from her former teammates, and by the end of the episode, she and Wilmer Valderrama’s Nick Torres said goodbye on much better terms with each other compared to when she left in the Season 18 finale. So then where does this leave Torres and Katrina Law’s Jessica Knight? After all, there’s been quite a bit of talk during NCIS Season 23 about if something could brew romantically between them.

Wilmer Valderrama addressed where things stand between the two characters following Ellie Bishop’s pop-in while chatting with TVLine alongside Emily Wickersham. Unfortunately for those of you who’ve been shipping Torres and Knight, the actor doesn’t see anything happening between them, saying:

Ever since Torres and Knight got fake-married in the episode “For Better or Worse,” there’s been chatter among fans about whether they might become a couple. Last October, Wilmer Valderrama said things between Torres and Knight were “a little complicated” and “a little messy,” but he didn’t rule out a possible romance. Now, however, he believes it wouldn’t work out between the two of them, and if the writers did decide to go down that creative path, it would of course be a major shakeup on NCIS. Valderrama continued:

In other words, don’t expect Nick Torres and Jessica Knight to lock lips sometime during the rest of NCIS Season 23. They’re still excellent partners and remain platonically close, but evidently there’s nothing that’s going to push them into a more romantic place together. It’s also worth remembering that at the end of the episode “Stolen Moments,” Jimmy Palmer stopped himself from having a private conversation with Knight when he saw her and Torres getting into an elevator together. However, when I asked Brian Dietzen if that meant Jimmy legitimately thinks something is brewing between Torres and Knight, he told me that’s for “the eye of the beholder.”

If there’s any hope for you Torres/Knight shippers out there, it’s that NCIS has been renewed for Season 24, so there’s a chance that the writers could give this potential romance a shot. For now though, there are still plenty of Season 23 episodes to get through Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. That includes the momentous 500th episode, which will air on March 24.

Warning: SPOILERS for the NCIS episode “Her” are ahead!

After the mystery of Alden Parker’s mother was solved, NCIS left viewers with a massive surprise before going on hiatus in December: a cameo from Emily Wickersham’s Ellie Bishop. Now Season 23 has resumed on the 2026 TV schedule, and Wickersham’s guest appearance on “Her” brought some long-awaited answers about what she’s been up to the last few years, as well as more information about what was going on between her and Nick Torres. Additionally, CinemaBlend learned from actors Brian Dietzen and Diona Reasonover how it felt to reunite with their former co-star for the Season 23 midseason return.

In the midst of talking with Dietzen and Reasonover about their new podcast NCIS: Partners & Probies, including how the former once voiced his concerns about how Jimmy Palmer was being written, I asked what it was like for them to perform with Emily Wickersham for the first time since she exited in the NCIS Season 18 finale. Dietzen started off by saying:

In “Her,” it was revealed that Ellie Bishop spent the last five years in deep cover running a covert U.S. cyber team. Thankfully, it’d been cleared up at this point that she purposefully disgraced herself in order to pull this off, leaving her reputation intact. Unfortunately, in the aftermath of her team being attacked during a mission in Ukraine six months previously, Bishop was forced to go on the run and had been stealing Department of Defense data to figure out why her team was ambushed and who sold them out.

If you weren’t able to watch “Her” live, you can stream the episode with your Paramount+ subscription, but these events ultimately led to Bishop seeking help from her former teammates. While there was some friction between her and Torres at first (more on that later), and she and Jessica Knight barely knew each other, everyone else was excited to see Bishop again, especially Kasie. Here’s what Diona Reasonover told me about reuniting with Emily Wickersham:

It was also revealed in “Her” that Ellie Bishop and Nick Torres’ complicated relationship went a lot deeper than we initially presumed. The Season 18 finale was not the first time they kissed; in fact, they had been secretly dating for an unknown period of time, which makes it more understandable why he was so hurt when she burned her identity and left her life at NCIS behind. Bishop also admitted to Torres this episode that she didn’t tell him she was leaving because she was afraid he would have asked her to stay and that she would have said yes.

The good news is that Ellie Bishop and Nick Torres parted on good terms at the end of “Her,” though he decided to stay behind rather than join her and her husband (they’re only married for cover purposes) to learn who their traitor teammate was working for and warn other teams like theirs that they may be targeted. But the door is easily open for Emily Wickersham to return someday, so hopefully that can be arranged in NCIS Season 24. Meanwhile, there’s still a lot in Season 23 to keep fans occupied Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, including the show’s milestone 500th episode.

Brian Dietzen has been playing Jimmy Palmer on NCIS for nearly the entirety of its run, debuting in the Season 1 episode “Split Decision,” which was originally just going to be the start of a three-episode guest stint Now Jimmy is one of the most important characters on the CBS procedural, but that’s not to say Dietzen has always approved of the way his character has been handled. In one instance, he went to the NCIS showrunner to voice a problem he was having with Jimmy’s depiction.

This came up when I spoke with Brian Dietzen and Kasie Hines actress Diona Reasonover about their new podcast NCIS: Partners & Probies, which sees the two of them interviewing cast, crew, creatives and real-world experts about the NCIS franchise. During the first episode, which saw Dietzen and Reasonover interviewing each other, the former brought up how he finds “new discoveries” for Jimmy Palmer each week in order to keep the experience of playing him fresh. As such, I asked Dietzen if there were any times in the past where he went to the NCIS writers to express concerns about the direction was being taken, and he told me:

Jimmy Palmer worked closely alongside Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard for many years as NCIS’s assistant medical examiner. Then in Season 15, Jimmy served as Acting Chief Medical Examiner while Ducky was away on a book tour and teaching, and by the latter half of Season 16, he permanently took over the position. Obviously this ranks as one of Jimmy’s biggest moments on the show, but eventually there came a point where Brian Dietzen realized that the kinds of lines he was being given too closely resembled what the late David McCallum would say. Dietzen continued:

Had this kind of writing continued for Jimmy Palmer, I worry he would have started calling Gibbs “Jethro” just like Ducky did. Kidding aside, it was generous of Steven Binder to not only listen to Brian Dietzen’s concerns, but also give him an opportunity to show off his own writing skills. Dietzen wrapped up this portion of our conversation by saying:

Brian Dietzen has co-written four NCIS episodes since 2019, including Season 21’s David McCallum tribute episode following his co-star’s passing in September 2023, and most recently Season 23’s “Stolen Moments,” where Jimmy was carrying out his normal ME duties while being shadowed by an AI chatbot. All that stemmed from Dietzen being willing to speak up and say that he didn’t agree with how Jimmy was being written too much like Ducky. Now his character’s in a more tonally appropriate place, and Dietzen gets to help draft the occasional episode. It all worked out!

New episodes of both NCIS and NCIS: Partners & Probies drop on Tuesdays, with the former airing on CBS at 8 p.m. ET. The entire NCIS library can also be easily streamed with a Paramount+ subscription, and the flagship series, Origins and Sydney have all been renewed for new seasons.

It’s still hard to believe Tony & Ziva was dropped by Paramount+ after only one season on the streamer. The show had more hype than even the release of NCIS: Origins did, and fans had been clamoring for more from Michael Weatherly and Cote De Pablo for years. Plus, the show was actually good, and even had newbies to the franchise hooked from the start. The cancellation is even more bittersweet now that it’s seeing more streaming success.

Some winners on streaming platforms are hot out the gate, and some are a slow burns. One problem Tony & Ziva may have had is simply that the audience on Paramount+ is significantly smaller than on streamers like Netflix, Amazon or even HBO Max. Those boast 325 million, 200 million and 128 millions subscribers, respectively. The home of Tony & Ziva only boast a little over 79 million subscribers, and there weren’t alternate outlets for those still paying for cable to view the show.

NCIS has always had a global audience, however, which is how even shows like NCIS: Sydney have gained traction in the past. Starting in 2026, Tony & Ziva has done well globally, recently dominating the charts in France on the streamer M6+. (The show was number 1 on the streamer through part of January) On iTunes, the show is picking up in places like Hungary and the Czech Republic, with Flix Patrol noting it had maintained Top 10 rankings in several countries like those early in 2026.

Obviously, it’s too little, too late. Tony & Ziva was cancelled at the tail end of December, a couple of months after those with a Paramount+ subscription would have landed the Season 1 finale episode.

The news did come with a ton of brouhaha, however. Fans were very unhappy with the decision from the streamer, and a slew of them came together for a "Save Tony & Ziva" campaign. Michael Weatherly even came out and commented after people put their own money into the campaign and secured a New York Times billboard slot. Though those fans noted "they'll always have Paris," clearly there's still an appetite for more episodes.

So we know there's a dedicated audience there, and I’d make the argument many of the people who would have delighted in seeing this updated adventure are still the people who are subscribing to cable or even YouTube TV and watching live or with DVR. This is also where the other NCIS properties already air.

In some ways, it feels unfair that Michael Weatherly and Cote De Pablo's reunion series didn't get the same shot the other network shows get. Yet, with other NCIS properties still rolling, and a presumably expensive filming budget, the company obviously felt comfortable saying sayonara to the show.