Here's why the planned NCIS: Red series never made it to air, despite the NCIS franchise having produced several hit spinoffs over the years. Itself spinoff of another military-related investigative drama called JAG, the original NCIS premiered in 2003. Today, it's had a staggeringly impressive 19 seasons run. The series follows a Washington D.C.-based team within the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (where the show's titular acronym comes from) - which was led by Mark Harmon's well-known former Marine Leroy Jethro Gibbs until 2021. The show has amassed a massive fanbase over the years and gained recognition via the Emmys, People's Choice Awards and more.
Interestingly, there was one version of the show set to air that never came to fruition. Since its debut, several spinoffs have branched off from the original, smash-hit NCIS show and in a similar strategy to CSI, there are different iterations based in different locations. The first spinoff to arrive was NCIS: Los Angeles, followed by NCIS: New Orleans. More recently, in September 2021, the newest iteration NCIS: Hawaii also hit the air.
Despite these spinoffs becoming huge hits in their own right, there was another NCIS show that was meant to branch off from its franchise counterparts. In late 2012 and early 2013, spinoff NCIS: Red was also in the works. Actors like John Corbett, Kim Raver and Scott Grimes were cast for the show, which was set to focus on a team of agents that traveled together throughout the US to solve crimes. In March 2013, the show's main characters made their debut via a two-part episode - entitled "Red" - which appeared within NCIS: Los Angeles season 4. However, two months later, it was reported the planned procedural drama had been axed before its official run had even begun.
It was an unfortunate occurrence for viewers who were looking forward to another iteration of the franchise. CBS doubled down on the decision not to commission NCIS: Red in May 2013, when Digital Spy reported entertainment president Nina Tassler stating, "Sometimes [spinoffs] work and sometimes they don't. Protecting [the franchise] was really important." In fairness, Tassler had a point. As disappointing as the final call to opt out of RNCIS: Red spinoff must've been for the actors and creative team involved, any franchise that grows to the level of success that NCIS had achieved ten years into its run requires careful handling. If done right, spinoffs can work well and enhance a series. The LA and New Orleans NCIS shows are perfect examples of that. That said, there's a delicate line to walk between milking a popular series for more money and taking a chance on a creative venture that's offers something fresh.
It's interesting to ponder what NCIS: Red could've been and what it might've added to the franchise. The more cautious decision to pass on the series shows some creative integrity on CBS' part, proving the company didn't want to water down a popular series with a possible dud. In fact, there are many franchises out there that could've benefitted if they had taken a similarly judicious approach to greenlighting potential spinoffs. As the caretakers behind the NCIS universe, its characters and storylines seem to understand, in an era oversaturated in media, quality over quantity is paramount.