NCIS

By the time of this posting, the NCIS universe includes 1,063* episodes of television. In an era where most shows get about thirty episodes total over three seasons (usually with a few years between seasons with viewers waiting in limbo to hear if the show will go on), it’s sort of astounding to consider just how much content this universe encompasses. Even ignoring the spinoffs, the flagship show is about to start its twenty-third season with 489 episodes in its backlog (I’m including the two backdoor pilot episodes from JAG in that number). (For those wondering, Grey’s Anatomy comes in with 448 episodes – 664 if you include spinoffs Private Practice, with 111, and Station 19, with 105.)

I don’t remember when I started watching this show, but I can say that I’ve seen the entire flagship series several times. It’s one of those shows I know well enough that I can have it on in the background while I’m working. (Though I don’t know the post-Gibbs’-stare years all that well. And I miss Ducky something fierce.)

I understand there is quite a team working on this franchise, but the idea of amassing that much work, even over twenty-three years? Feels impossible. (That being said, yes, there are storylines that get repeated in some of the spinoffs, and yes, it is quite disconcerting when a character from the flagship shows up in a spinoff – but as someone else. Like when Melinda McGraw, who plays a formidable character on the flagship, Diane, shows up in New Orleans as bad guy Gina Powell…?) (Also, hard to believe Diane was only in six episodes of NCIS – she had such a presence, it feels like much more.)

Three of the spinoffs are off the air – three more are just getting started:
— Los Angeles (2009-2022, 14 seasons, 323 episodes, not counting back door pilot)
— New Orleans (2014-2020, 7 seasons, 155 episodes, not counting back door pilot)
— Hawai’i (2021-2024, 3 seasons, 54 episodes)
— Sydney (2023 – ?, 18 episodes so far, next season premiers Oct 14)
— Origins (2024 – ?, 18 episodes so far, next season premiers Oct 14)
— Tony & Ziva (2025 – ?, 6 episodes so far, premiered Sep 4)

All but LA can be found streaming on the Paramount app. (I am utilizing my library instead – it’s DVDs, but they at least also have LA.) I’ve yet to watch Origins or Tony & Ziva, but so far, aside from the flagship, I’m really digging LA (they are undercover, and there’s more action). I also think Hawai’i should have lasted more than three seasons. But I’m stoked to see Sydney continue, and Tony & Ziva takes place in Europe. I’m hoping we’ll get to see some more international iterations.

That all said, there is a part of me that feels like the flagship needs to end. (None of the original characters are even on the show anymore; and before you say, but McGee! He wasn’t in the pilot or first several episodes. He first showed up in season one episode seven, then again in episode eleven, and then finally became a regular starting in episode eighteen. At the moment, he is the character with the most episodes recorded, currently clocking in at 472.) I will continue to watch until it ends, but there comes a point where perhaps that’s the only reason?

*1,063 sounds astounding…until I learned that the TV drama with the most episodes is General Hospital clocking in with 15,801 episodes as of this posting. The first episode aired on April 1, 1963 – and it is STILL going (in its sixty-third year). And no, I will not be taking on the task of watching every single episode of that show…

What’s the longest running show you’ve ever watched?