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Not many people know this, but CBS’s very popular cop show franchise, NCIS, didn’t just start on it’s own, but rather, it was a spin off of another very popular show: JAG.
The 2 part backdoor pilot, ‘Ice Queen’, aired in 2003, which was during JAG’s 8th Season. That September, NCIS aired it’s 1st episode, ‘Yankee White’.
The show itself didn’t get a lot of love from critics, and it was even low rated in it’s 1st Season. But CBS stuck with it in hopes it would get popular, and overtime, it did! Syndication worldwide gave the show it’s much needed legs for it’s high ratings.
In 2009, the 2 part backdoor pilot titled ‘Legend’, which would later become ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ aired. It would go on to become the franchise’s most popular spinoff. (and would also make the best casting decision of all time with who would be the boss of the team. 😉). It also became the 1st show to get a long running syndication deal before it first aired! Clearly CBS knew that this show would be a big winner from the start.
Up until Spring 2014, the 2 NCIS’s ruled Tuesday nights. Until NCIS LA moved to Mondays at 10 pm. (which is when I first picked up the show, thanks to my mom.). It aired there for 2 Seasons before making Sundays it’s main home.
Also in 2014, the 2 part backdoor pilot for ‘NCIS: New Orleans’ aired on NCIS. This show would last 7 Seasons, but wouldn’t get the same kind of fame and glory that LA got when it came to ratings and syndication success.
In 2021, NCIS moved from it’s long standing slot on Tuesdays at 8pm to Mondays at 9 pm.
Also in 2021, the first NCIS show to premiere without a backdoor pilot, ‘NCIS: Hawaii’ started it’s run airing after NCIS. And sometime next year, the first international show in the franchise, ‘NCIS: Sydney’ is set to premiere in Australia.
One more cool fact: JAG didn’t start off as a CBS show, it started off on NBC! CBS picked it up after NBC nixed it after it’s 1st Season.
Think of that. This whole franchise exists the way it does now, because of a network picking up a cancelled show from another network! That’s what I call really amazing.
I hope this franchise continues to last.
