Revamped NCIS Slate Return Officially Confirmed By CBS
NCIS is coming back slightly different but still exciting.
The 2025-2026 TV cycle was momentous for the long-running franchise for several reasons. For starters, it marked the first time that one universe had four shows running concurrently in different avenues. While NCIS season 23, NCIS: Origins season 2, and NCIS: Sydney season 3 were on CBS, NCIS: Tony & Ziva was streaming on Paramount+. Secondly, all shows moved their respective stories forward, with the confirmed installments setting up a much more interesting run during the 2026-2027 cycle.
Moving on to what comes next, there's a lot to look forward to this fall, when Super Tuesday restarts. This is particularly true for long-time fans of the universe, as CBS is bringing back a few franchise legends for new adventures. Mark Harmon is back as Leroy Jethro Gibbs full-time for NCIS: Origins season 3, while Michael Weatherly comes home to NCIS season 24 as Tony Dinozzo Jr. for a season-long arc. Elsewhere, LL Cool J's Sam Hanna is starting a new era via NCIS: New York, as Eric Christian Olsen joins the prequel spinoff as an executive producer.
In light of all that, CBS has officially confirmed that NCIS season 24, NCIS: New York, and NCIS: Origins season 3 will roll out fresh episodes on October 6. For context, the three-hour block known as Super Tuesday is seeing a slight change, as Sam's new show takes over Gibbs prequel series' timeslot. Meanwhile, NCIS: Sydney season 4 is pushed back to a 2027 release. Amid all this, the flagship is maintaining its spot as the opener.
Over the years, fall premieres have gotten later. Originally, shows would return around September, which is clearly illustrated when looking at NCIS's schedule over the years. That said, the last few cycles, not only have premieres been staggered, they have also been pushed a few weeks back. For example, the NCIS franchise debuted during the second week of October the last couple of years. Interestingly, new episodes are coming out a week earlier.
CBS's fall 2026 schedule has long been released — even ahead of ABC and NBC. However, it hasn't announced a full premiere schedule for its portfolio. NBC did that instead of doing individual announcements, which allowed for fans to see the big picture when it comes to what shows are coming back and when. In any case, with the NCIS franchise's premiere now confirmed, it's safe to say that it's only a matter of time before the Eye Network confirms the dates for the rest of its slate.
Production has already started on all of the upcoming NCIS shows. Considering that, expect more details about the upcoming seasons, which would tremendously help in terms of the long summer break. For now, all existing shows are available to stream on Paramount+ for a good procedural binge.