NCIS (TV series)

NCIS is an American military police procedural television series and the first installment within the NCIS media franchise. With production helmed by showrunner, Steven D. Binder, the series portrays a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). The concept and characters were initially introduced with two episodes of the CBS series JAG (season eight episodes 20 and 21: "Ice Queen" and "Meltdown", which aired on April 22 and 29, 2003 respectively); as a spin-off from JAG, the series premiered on September 23, 2003, on CBS. Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill are co-creators and executive producers of the premiere member of the NCIS franchise. As of 2025, NCIS was the third-longest-running scripted, live-action American prime-time TV series currently airing, surpassed only by Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–present) and Law & Order (1990–2010; 2022–present); it is the fifth-longest-running scripted American prime-time TV series overall. As of 2026 with the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and the endings of Blue Bloods, and S ., NCIS is the last scripted show under Les Moonves to continue in production. The series originally had the redundant title Navy NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service; this was later shortened to NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service and then to NCIS. In season six, a two-part episode led to a spin-off series, NCIS: Los Angeles. Another two-part episode, during the 11th season, led to a second spin-off series, NCIS: New Orleans. Though reception was initially tepid, with ratings barely cracking the top 30 during the first two seasons, the third season showed progress and consistently ranked in the top 20. In 2011, NCIS was voted "America's favorite television show" in an online Harris Poll. At the end of its 10th season, it was the most-watched television series in the U . during the 2012–13 network television season. NCIS also surpassed Gunsmoke's record for longest-running scripted primetime television series to air on CBS. On January 5, 2024, it was announced that the prequel, NCIS: Origins, will be aired during the 2024–25 season, as another spin-off series; a second spin-off, NCIS: Tony & Ziva, was announced on February 28, 2024, as a series exclusive to Paramount+. On April 9, 2024, NCIS was renewed for a 22nd season, which premiered on October 14, 2024. In February 2025, it was renewed for season 23, which premiered on Tuesday, October 14, 2025. In January 2026, it was renewed for season 24.