Though one spinoff recently found itself cancelled, the NCIS franchise's future has gotten an exciting announcement from CBS. Getting its start as a spinoff of the legal drama JAG, the series centers on the special agents working under the Naval Criminal Investigative Service as they tackle various criminal cases involving both the Navy and Marine Corps. NCIS is considered one of CBS' most iconic procedurals alongside CSI and Criminal Minds, spawning multiple spinoffs. With the current seasons a little over halfway through, CBS has brought exciting news for the NCIS franchise's future. The studio has revealed that both NCIS and NCIS: Hawai'i have been renewed for seasons 21 and 3, confirming that the long-running crime procedural will be continuing its successful run on the primetime network. CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach wrote about the renewals in the following statement:
This season CBS is continuing its winning tradition, delivering an unparalleled combination of top returning series and new hit shows that are entertaining huge audiences on both broadcast and streaming. It is a testament to the stellar work being done by our best-in-class talent in front of and behind the camera that we have had yet another exceptional season, and I know we will only continue to build on this foundation of outstanding programming as we look ahead toward next fall.
Why The NCIS Renewals Are Big For The Franchise
The confirmation that the NCIS franchise will be continuing comes shortly after it was announced that the first spinoff, NCIS: Los Angeles, would be ending after its current season 14. At the same time, viewers have been adjusting to the main NCIS being without Mark Harmon's Jethro Gibbs following his departure from the show, with Gary Cole stepping in to take over the team lead position as former FBI agent Alden Parker. Despite the change in leads, however, NCIS has remained consistent in its ratings, while NCIS: Los Angeles has seen a gradual, though not egregious, dip.
In keeping the show on the air, the mainline NCIS series continues to hold its place as the third-longest-running primetime drama series in the U.S., falling just shy of fellow procedurals Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order. The currently running season saw the Navy crime drama surpass the iconic Western TV series Gunsmoke, whose run was cut short after 20 seasons without a proper finale.
Even outside of the main show setting a major record, the NCIS renewals also show CBS' ongoing confident in at least one spinoff, even if NCIS: Los Angeles was axed this past January and New Orleans in early 2021. With an Australian-set NCIS spinoff also in development for both Paramount+ and Network 10, as well as recent crossover events keeping interest alive, it looks like the series won't be going anywhere any time soon. Audiences can look forward to new episodes of NCIS season 21 airing Mondays on CBS at 9 p.m. EST and NCIS: Hawai'i the following hour.
Source: CBS