The NCIS family just keeps growing — with six existing or former shows and two more on the way as of 2024.
While many fans might think the naval intelligence-based franchise began with NCIS, that’s not the case. The flagship NCIS show was actually JAG, which debuted on NBC in 1995.
The series followed military lawyers in the Department of the Navy’s Office of the Judge Advocate General who could prosecute and defend criminal cases under the code of military justice. NBC canceled the show after one season, but CBS picked it up.
The original drama, which starred David James Elliott and Catherine Bell, introduced Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and his team in the eighth season finale in 2003. The excitement around the backdoor pilot led to CBS ordering a full first season of NCIS, which premiered the following September.
More than 25 years after JAG started, the NCIS franchise is still alive and well. Scroll down to see all the spinoffs:
‘JAG’
The original show ran from 1995 to 2005 with a total 227 episodes throughout its 10 seasons.
‘NCIS’
The first spinoff launched in 2003 and ran for 19 seasons with Harmon still at the helm as Gibbs. The actor exited the series in 2021 following an appearance on season 19’s episode “Great Wide Open.” The drama returned for season 20 in September 2022 with Gary Cole’s Agent Alden Parker stepping in as the new head of the team.
Season 21 was initially slated to begin in fall 2023 but was pushed back because of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. The new season finally premiered in February 2024.
‘NCIS: Los Angeles’
The series launched in 2009 and tied back to JAG in 2020 when Elliott and Bell guest starred in a crossover as Harmon “Harm” Rabb Jr. and Sarah “Mac” MacKenzie. The show — which starred Chris O’Donnell as G. Callen and LL Cool J as Sam Hanna — came to an end in May 2023 after 14 seasons.
‘NCIS: New Orleans’
The procedural, which starred Scott Bakula and Lucas Black, launched in 2014 and ran for seven seasons before it was canceled. New Orleans concluded its run in May 2021.
‘NCIS: Hawai’i’
NCIS welcomed its first female-led spinoff with Hawai’i in September 2021. The show starred Vanessa Lachey as Jane Tenant, the special agent in charge of NCIS Pearl Harbor. Season 3 of the island-based drama returned on February 12, 2024. It was canceled ahead of season 4 in April 2024.
‘NCIS: Sydney’
The Australian series marks the first international edition of NCIS. It was initially set to air exclusively in Australia on Paramount+ and Network 10 and not in the U.S. However, CBS later confirmed that season 1 would premiere in the States in November 2023. The decision came as the dual writers and actors strikes put production of American NCIS shows on pause.
The cast includes Olivia Swann as NCIS Special Agent Michelle Mackey and Todd Lasance as her Australian Federal Police (AFP) counterpart Sergeant Jim “JD” Dempsey. Sean Sagar, Tuuli Narkle, Mavournee Hazel and William McInnes round out the cast.
‘NCIS: Origins’
CBS announced in January 2024 that the NCIS prequel was ordered straight to series for the 2024-2025 season.
“NCIS: Origins begins in 1991, years prior to the events of NCIS and follows a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs, narrated by Mark Harmon,” the network said in a press release.
The show will document the early days of NCIS’ lead character. “In the series, Gibbs starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks,” the logline reads.
In addition to narrating the series, Harmon will be an executive producer on the project alongside his eldest son, Sean Harmon, who fans might remember as young Leroy on the original show.
Tony and Ziva Spinoff
Paramount+ announced in February 2024 that Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo will reprise their respective NCIS roles, Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David, in an unnamed spinoff series set to begin production later that year.
The show picks up with Tony and Ziva raising their daughter, Tali. Things get complicated when Tony’s security company is hacked, and the couple must figure out who is after them.
