The NCIS franchise actually began with the show JAG, which focused on military lawyers in the Department of the Navy’s Office of the Judge Advocate General. The series debuted on NBC in 1995 but was canceled after one season before being picked up by CBS. JAG introduced the character Jethro Gibbs, played by Mark Harmon, who later became the central character in the NCIS series. The excitement around the backdoor pilot in the eighth season of JAG led to CBS ordering a full season of NCIS, which premiered in 2003.
Since its debut, the NCIS franchise has continued to grow with both existing and former shows, as well as new spin-offs being developed. As of 2024, there are six existing or former shows within the NCIS family, with two more on the way. Despite starting with JAG, NCIS quickly became the flagship show of the franchise and has maintained a strong fan base over the years. The success of NCIS has led to the creation of multiple spin-offs highlighting different aspects of naval intelligence and military investigations.
The original NCIS series stars Mark Harmon as Jethro Gibbs, leading a team of agents investigating crimes involving US Navy and Marine Corps personnel. The show premiered in 2003 and has since become a long-running and successful procedural drama. In addition to the original series, there are multiple spin-offs, each focusing on a different area of naval intelligence and military investigations. The franchise has continued to expand with new shows being developed to further explore different aspects of the NCIS universe.
In addition to the original NCIS series, there are several spin-offs that have been developed as part of the franchise. These spin-offs include NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, and NCIS: Hawaii, each focusing on a different team of agents and their investigations. The spin-offs allow for the exploration of different aspects of naval intelligence and military crimes while expanding the universe created by the original NCIS series. The success of these spin-offs has contributed to the continued growth and popularity of the NCIS franchise.
The NCIS franchise continues to be successful and popular with fans, with new shows being added to the lineup and existing shows continuing to attract viewers. As of 2024, the NCIS family includes multiple series, each offering a unique perspective on naval intelligence and military investigations. The success of the franchise can be attributed to its engaging storytelling, compelling characters, and ability to explore various aspects of military life and crime-solving. With more spin-offs on the way, the NCIS franchise shows no signs of slowing down.
Overall, the NCIS franchise began with the show JAG and has since grown to include multiple series, each focusing on different aspects of naval intelligence and military investigations. The flagship series, NCIS, has remained popular and successful, leading to the development of several spin-offs that further explore the NCIS universe. With new shows being developed and existing shows continuing to attract viewers, the NCIS franchise shows no signs of slowing down, with a dedicated fan base and ongoing interest in the world of naval intelligence and crime-solving.
