What is the NCIS universe? The list of all the series it includes
Since 2003, one naval crime procedural has quietly built one of the biggest franchises on television — spanning two decades, three continents, and enough spinoffs that even devoted fans lose count. Here's the complete map of the NCIS universe, current as of August 2026.
The NCIS universe consists of nine series: the parent show JAG, the flagship NCIS, five completed or canceled spinoffs (Los Angeles, New Orleans, Hawai'i, Sydney, and Tony & Ziva), the prequel Origins, and the upcoming NCIS: New York. All are produced by CBS Studios.
Every series in the NCIS universe
- JAG (1995–2005) — the legal drama where it all began. Two April 2003 episodes served as a backdoor pilot introducing Gibbs and his team.
- NCIS (2003–present) — the flagship, now deep into its run at 23 seasons and counting on CBS, having long ago outlived the show that spawned it.
- NCIS: Los Angeles (2009–2023) — 14 seasons of Chris O'Donnell and LL Cool J running undercover operations.
- NCIS: New Orleans (2014–2021) — Scott Bakula's Big Easy chapter, seven seasons.
- NCIS: Hawai'i (2021–2024) — three seasons before a cancellation that still stings for its fanbase.
- NCIS: Sydney (2023–present) — the first international edition, made in Australia and renewed through the 2026 –27 season.
- NCIS: Origins (2024–present) — a prequel set in 1991, with Austin Stowell as a young Gibbs and Mark Harmon narrating. A shortened third season is on the way.
- NCIS: Tony & Ziva (2025 ) — the Paramount+ streaming spinoff reuniting Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo, who promised fans quite a ride before its September 4, 2025 premiere:
"This is one wild ride you won't want to miss," the pair said in a joint statement in June 2025.
It ran ten episodes and was canceled that December.
- NCIS: New York (upcoming) — announced in April 2026, sending LL Cool J's Sam Hanna back to his hometown, from The Pitt creator R. Scott Gemmill and Byron Balasco.
How to watch it all
Chronologically by premiere is the cleanest route: JAG, NCIS, then each spinoff in order. Crossovers pop up constantly — characters from the mothership visit the spinoffs and vice versa — but every series is built to stand alone, so you can also just pick a city and dive in.
What's next
The franchise is consolidating around four pillars: the flagship, Origins, Sydney, and the new New York series. And with NCIS itself showing no sign of slowing down at season 23, the universe's center of gravity hasn't moved in over two decades.
For the record: NCIS is itself a spinoff that outgrew its parent — and has now generated more spinoffs than JAG had seasons on NBC.