CBS' long-running police procedural, NCIS, has been dethroned as TV's most-watched show for the first time in half a decade. Premiering in 2003, NCIS was born from the success of JAG. Despite technically being a spinoff, the Navy Yard-based series has long created its own identity, becoming wildly successful. The fact that it has sustained a loyal following for over two decades on the small screen makes its accomplishments more impressive. Unfortunately, NCIS season 21 is met with a setback as it fails to secure its sixth consecutive year as the most-watched series.
In a new report from TVLine, NCIS garnered around 9.7 million weekly viewers. That said, the long-running police procedural is edged out by fellow CBS show, Tracker, which just debuted during the delayed 2023-2024 season. The Justin Hartley-led project had 10.8 million weekly viewers. This marks the first time in five years that NCIS is ending the year not on the top of the most-watched series list.
What Tracker’s Success Means For NCIS’ Future
Tracker Marks Justin Hartley's Return To TV After This Is Us
The good news is that, despite being dethroned, NCIS will move forward with season 22. Not being at the top of the list shouldn't matter that much to CBS, considering the main show's consistent showing throughout the years. Proof of how solid the brand is is the arrival of a couple of more spinoffs with characters that are from the Major Case Response Team (MCRT), including Leroy Jethro Gibbs' NCIS: Origins, which involves Mark Harmon as a narrator and producer, as well as the upcoming NCIS: Tony & Ziva, with Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo.
It's also worth noting that there was a lot of attention on Tracker for a couple of reasons. For starters, it was its debut year, and it premiered after the Super Bowl. Secondly, Hartley was riding from the success of This Is Us, since it's his TV comeback following the family drama's conclusion. This doesn't mean that Tracker isn't interesting, but it's important to acknowledge other factors that likely played into its performance. It would be better to wait for the 2024-2025 TV ratings to see how it ranks among its peers, including NCIS.
Tracker's ability to shoot at the top of the ratings chart, considering that it's a new show, with no ties to any existing successful brand. So it's safe to say that it will still perform in its sophomore year, especially since Tracker also has a lingering overall mystery on top of its procedural nature. It may not pull the same viewership numbers as in its first season, but chances are that it will still be one of the most-watched shows, at least on CBS, allowing it to move forward.
In any case, NCIS is different enough from Tracker that CBS can afford to keep both shows on their roster, as though they both have weekly cases, their premises are significantly different. Ultimately, it's highly unlikely that the network would pull the plug on a show that has proven itself for decades just because it wasn't able to top the most-watched list for a sixth consecutive year.
How The NCIS Season 21 Finale Set Up Season 22
There Were Two Major Storylines In The NCIS Season 21 Finale.
The NCIS season 21 finale had a rather simple case for the MCRT in the form of a boat murder mystery, which some viewers didn't feel worthy of being a year-capper for one of the most popular shows on TV. That said, it made up for it with two interesting storylines involving some of Director Leon Vance's members. Firstly, the NCIS season 21 finale introduced the mystery of Alden Parker's Lily, a woman that he was calling while he was hallucinating following getting seriously injured on the boat, and who is theorized to be the MCRT leader's late sister.
Secondly, and perhaps more impactful, for the future of NCIS is Jessica Knight's fate. On top of the finale, she was offered her dream job, but it would mean that she would have to transfer to Camp Pendleton and leave the team. Despite not having enough time to really think about it, she decided to accept the offer, putting her and Jimmy Palmer's relationship in jeopardy. It's unknown if she would push through with her departure, though leaving could pave the way for Jane Tennant to join NCIS after NCIS Hawai'i's departure.
How Much Longer Can NCIS Still Stay On Broadcast?
CBS Can Keep It Running Indefinitely.
Currently, NCIS is the third-longest-running scripted series on TV, only bested by Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU. Considering the string of spinoffs that are in development, the CBS procedural franchise is showing no signs of slowing down. It's also worth noting that NCIS' ability to survive even the biggest character departures and still be watched by almost 10 million viewers is a testament to how solid its established fan base is.
Taking these into consideration, it's safe to say that NCIS isn't going away anytime soon. It's in CBS' best interest to keep it on the air for as long as possible because of how popular it is. At this point, the only thing that could spell its end is if the creatives behind the show decided to end it on their terms. Until then, it can continue indefinitely.
