Every NCIS Show, Ranked

Of all the long-running, enduringly popular crime procedurals on American television, few franchises can top the longevity and scope of “NCIS.” Standing for Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the main series premiered in 2003 as a spin-off of “JAG” and has been a CBS staple ever since. The main show follows a team of special agents working for the NCIS office primarily out of their headquarters in Washington, D.C. Since the original series’ debut, it has spawned several spin-offs, each with their own main casts solving Navy-related crimes in different parts of the world.

Simply put, if you’re looking for a crime series with an underlying military theme, “NCIS” and its growing number of offshoot have got you covered. But like any expansive franchise, not all procedurals are created equal, and that’s certainly true here. While every show has its own vocal fans, the fact of the matter is that some just can’t stack up to some of their more celebrated counterparts. Here is every “NCIS” show ranked from worst to best, each providing its own twist on the tried-and-true procedural formula.

With the 2023 series “NCIS: Sydney,” the franchise officially went international full-time in its crime-solving scope. The show centers on an ongoing law enforcement partnership between an NCIS branch office based out of Sydney and the Australian Federal Police. Through this collaboration, the characters primarily investigate major crimes involving active duty American military personnel in and around Australia. Leading the joint task force is NCIS Supervisory Special Agent Michelle Mackey (Olivia Swann) and Australian Federal Police Sergeant JD Dempsey (Todd Lasance).

There is a more distinctly easygoing tone to “NCIS: Sydney” compared to some of the franchise’s more consistently serious counterparts. That said, the novelty of having a spin-off set in Australia doesn’t elevate it above the franchise’s usual crime show formula. The ensemble cast is largely solid, but the handling of its joint task force premise is noticeably clumsy on recurring occasions, especially early on. It doesn’t quite compare to its sister series just yet.

The fourth series in the wider “NCIS” franchise is “NCIS: Hawai’i,” which premiered on CBS in 2021. The show’s main branch is based out of the Pearl Harbor field office and led by Special Agent-in-Charge Jane Tennant (Vanessa Lachey). Tennant’s second-in-command is Jesse Boone (Noah Mills), while the team welcomes rookie agent Kai Holman (Alex Tarrant) to the force. While solving Navy-related crimes around the Hawaiian islands, Tennant also raises her children as a single mother, adding a more pronounced personal dimension to the show.

In a surprising move, “NCIS: Hawai’i” was canceled after three seasons, despite relatively steady viewership, reportedly catching the cast and creative team off-guard. The show was quietly on an upward trend in terms of overall quality, finding its own creative voice within the franchise. This was buoyed by the addition of LL Cool J’s fan-favorite character Sam Hanna as a recurring presence in the series’ final two seasons. With the benefit of hindsight, we still wonder what “NCIS: Hawai’i” Season 4 might’ve been, because the show felt like it was just starting to truly come into its own.

The original protagonist for the main “NCIS” series was Leroy Jethro Gibbs, a veteran investigator with the service. Gibbs’ early days as a Special Agent are explored in the prequel spin-off series “NCIS: Origins,” which has Austin Stowell playing this younger version of the character. Original actor Mark Harmon returns to reprise his role as the older Gibbs, primarily serving as the show’s narrator but also occasionally appearing on-screen. The prequel starts in 1991, with Gibbs working out of the Camp Pendleton branch of the Naval Investigative Service, an organizational precursor to NCIS.

“NCIS: Origins” is another spin-off that improved significantly after its inaugural season, taking its time to set itself up in the canon’s history. That gives the prequel spin-off a more slow-burn feel elevated by its winning cast as they tackle mysteries from Gibbs’ murky past. By the second season, the pacing for the show has grown considerably more propulsive while keeping its ties to Gibbs’ ongoing backstory. A strong spotlight on the franchise’s longtime anchor character, “NCIS: Origins” does Gibbs justice in showcasing his narrative foundations.

“NCIS” technically wasn’t its own original show when it started, but rather a spin-off from another military crime show, “JAG.” With the titular acronym standing for Judge Advocate General, the show followed military lawyers as they took on cases involving Navy personnel. In contrast to “NCIS,” which largely features civilian figures, the main characters on “JAG” are primarily active duty military officers themselves. The show’s primary office, based out of D.C. and Falls Church, Virginia, is led by Harmon Rabb (David James Elliott) and Sarah MacKenzie (Catherine Bell).

Though there are crime-solving elements and action beats in “JAG,” the show is primarily a legal drama, setting it further apart from the franchise that sprang from it. Elliott and Bell maintain such an effective rapport throughout the series, providing a human constant. After the absolute explosion of “NCIS” on television, it’s fascinating to go back and see a different side to naval-related crimes, though the series eventually falls into predictable formula. While CBS has purportedly been eyeing a potential “JAG” revival for years, the show’s 10-season run still holds up great all these years later.

While “Origins” may be more focused on the backstory of one of the main cast’s original leads, “NCIS: Tony & Ziva” is concerned with another familiar pair’s future. Picking up where audiences last saw the crime-busting couple, former NCIS Special Agents Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) and Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) now live together in Paris. As the couple raises their daughter Tali (Isla Gie), Tony is framed by crooks stealing funds from Interpol, forcing them to clear his name and apprehend the true culprits. This return to action is juxtaposed with flashbacks detailing Tony and Ziva’s relationship leading up to their eventual reunion and reconciliation.

For longtime “NCIS” fans, there’s an undeniable joy in seeing Weatherly and de Pablo working together again as Tony and Ziva. The show recognizes this appeal and wisely capitalizes on it with its flashback sequences and contemporary scenes. Weatherly and de Pablo’s on-screen chemistry remains as strong as ever, and the show’s premise gives it a heartwarming place in the franchise — but, unfortunately, “NCIS: Tony & Ziva” will be one and done, getting canceled at Paramount+ after its first season.

The second spin-off from “NCIS” was also its most unabashedly fun-loving, especially given its primary setting compared to its sister series. Premiering in 2014, “NCIS: New Orleans” focused on an investigative branch in the titular Louisiana city, with its team led by Supervisory Special Agent Dwayne Cassius “King” Pride (Scott Bakula). Given its prime location on the Gulf of Mexico coast, the ensemble’s jurisdiction extended from the Mississippi River, through the river delta, all the way to the Texas panhandle. King’s squad was just as readily competent and serious on the job as their counterparts, but knew how to lean back and enjoy the local culture.

After a successful run, “NCIS: New Orleans” ended with its seventh season at CBS, bringing the adventures of King and his team to an end. The show got a lot of mileage from its setting, giving the franchise a jazzy and buoyant entry in its growing family. Bakula seemed to have a blast playing King, and that enthusiasm was contagious in contrast to sterner series leads. Not afraid to get a little silly with the usual formula, “NCIS: New Orleans” was consistently a lot of fun.

Befitting its Hollywood setting, “NCIS: Los Angeles” was generally the most action-oriented show in the wider franchise. The show debuted in 2009 as the first spin-off series from “NCIS,” centering on Special Agents Grisha Callen (Chris O’Donnell) and Sam Hanna (LL Cool J). Other constants on the team included combat expert Kensi Blye (Daniela Ruah), psychologist Nate Getz (Peter Cambor), and the branch’s police liaison Marty Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen). 

More propulsive than most of its counterparts, “NCIS: Los Angeles” got by considerably on the overall likability of its main cast. The friendship between Callen and Hanna, along with the budding romance between Kensi and Deeks, formed a fantastic and enduring emotional core. This culminated in a series finale that provided a superfun twist ending, closing out the show’s 14-season run. The closest the franchise has gotten to delivering a weekly, sun-soaked action blockbuster, “NCIS: Los Angeles” admirably set itself apart from its peers.

On some level, you knew that the original “NCIS” was always going to take the top spot, and for good reason. More than just setting the tone for the entire franchise, the main series has maintained the most consistent level of quality across its staggeringly lengthy run. Originally led by Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), most of the main cast has rotated over time, with Senior Field Agent Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) as its sole constant. Based out of Washington, D.C., the team investigates naval-related crimes, putting their forensic talents and deductive reasoning to good use.

Starting out as a solid, if somewhat standard, crime procedural with an underlying military focus, “NCIS” has consistently improved upon its strong foundations over the years. The series has also proved that it won’t always play things safe, cemented by killing off Sasha Alexander’s character Kate Todd at the end of the second season. This moment was a somber reminder of the show’s stakes, no matter how much palpable rapport the team cultivated and maintained. That mix of strong interpersonal dynamics, solid crime-solving, and occasional narrative curveballs has turned the main “NCIS” into the gold standard for television procedurals.