Los Angeles, USA | November 2026

In an entertainment industry increasingly dominated by streaming platforms, expensive productions and rapidly changing viewer preferences, one television franchise continues to demonstrate remarkable staying power. The long-running crime drama NCIS has entered its 24th year on television while maintaining its position among the most successful entertainment programmes in the United States.

Despite receiving less attention than some of Hollywood’s biggest streaming hits, the franchise has developed into a major commercial property, with its estimated value reaching approximately $10 billion, according to Bloomberg’s latest report.

The programme’s continued popularity across traditional television and digital platforms demonstrates that established television franchises can remain commercially powerful even as the entertainment industry undergoes significant changes.

NCIS Continues to Attract Millions of Viewers

Originally launched in 2003, NCIS follows a team of special agents investigating serious crimes involving the United States Navy and Marine Corps.

Over more than two decades, the series has built a loyal international audience through its combination of criminal investigations, military-related mysteries, personal relationships and character-driven storytelling.

Its 24th season demonstrates that the programme continues to attract viewers despite intense competition from newer television productions.

According to CBS ratings information released in October 2026, the Season 24 premiere attracted approximately 6.45 million viewers, making it the most-watched scripted broadcast programme of that Tuesday evening.

The premiere also recorded a 21% increase compared with the previous year’s season premiere.

A Television Franchise Worth an Estimated $10 Billion

The commercial success of NCIS extends far beyond the original television programme.

Over the years, the franchise has expanded through multiple spin-offs, international adaptations, streaming distribution and extensive content licensing.

These different business activities have helped transform a single crime drama into a valuable entertainment property.

Its estimated $10 billion valuation reflects the wider commercial significance of the franchise rather than simply the advertising revenue generated by individual television episodes.

A successful television property can generate income through several channels, including:

• Television advertising and broadcasting agreements.
• Streaming subscriptions and content licensing.
• International distribution rights.
• Television reruns and syndication.
• Spin-off productions and related intellectual property.

The ability to generate revenue across different platforms helps explain why established entertainment franchises can remain financially valuable for decades.

NCIS Expands Its Television Universe

One of the biggest reasons behind the franchise’s continued success is its expansion into additional television productions.

The wider NCIS universe includes several related programmes that introduce new investigative teams, locations and characters.

Its television properties include:

NCIS: The original Washington-based crime investigation series.

NCIS: Origins: A prequel exploring the earlier career of Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

NCIS: New York: A newer addition to the franchise featuring LL Cool J and Scott Caan.

NCIS: Sydney: An international expansion that brings the franchise to Australia.

The different productions allow CBS to attract multiple audiences while maintaining a recognisable television brand.

Rather than depending entirely on one programme, the network has developed a collection of connected shows that support each other commercially.

Famous Cast Returns Help Boost Viewer Interest

The franchise has also benefited from the return of familiar performers and characters.

Michael Weatherly has returned as Anthony DiNozzo in the flagship series, creating renewed interest among longtime fans.

Mark Harmon has also returned to the NCIS universe through NCIS: Origins, reprising his association with the character Gibbs.

Meanwhile, LL Cool J and Scott Caan have helped introduce the new NCIS: New York series.

These familiar faces provide continuity for established viewers while giving newer audiences additional reasons to explore the franchise.

The strategy demonstrates how television producers can use established characters and audience loyalty to strengthen existing entertainment properties.

Streaming Has Given the Franchise a New Commercial Life

The rise of streaming services has fundamentally changed how audiences consume television.

Previously, a programme’s success depended heavily on its original broadcast ratings. Today, viewers can discover older episodes, watch entire seasons and follow multiple related series through digital platforms.

NCIS benefits from this shift because its extensive episode library offers substantial viewing opportunities.

Its availability through Paramount+ allows audiences to watch episodes beyond their original television schedules.

For streaming companies, established programmes can be particularly valuable because they provide a large collection of content that attracts subscribers and encourages repeat viewing.

This also helps explain why older television franchises can remain competitive against newly launched streaming productions.

Why Traditional Television Still Matters

The success of NCIS challenges the idea that conventional television is becoming irrelevant.

Although streaming platforms have changed the entertainment landscape, broadcast networks continue to attract large audiences through familiar programmes and established viewing habits.

Long-running crime dramas have an additional advantage: their episodic structure makes it relatively easy for viewers to watch individual episodes without following every previous instalment.

This accessibility helps programmes reach both dedicated fans and occasional viewers.

NCIS demonstrates that a combination of established storytelling, recognisable characters and consistent production can remain commercially successful even after more than 20 years.

What NCIS’s Success Means for Hollywood

The franchise’s performance offers an important lesson for entertainment companies competing in an increasingly crowded market.

Producing expensive new content does not automatically guarantee long-term success.

Established intellectual property can provide a more dependable foundation for television networks and streaming businesses because it already has audience recognition and an extensive content library.

Hollywood studios are increasingly looking at ways to expand successful entertainment properties through spin-offs, prequels, international versions and digital distribution.

NCIS provides a powerful example of how this strategy can work over multiple decades.

The Future of the NCIS Franchise

With its 24th season underway and additional productions expanding the television universe, NCIS appears positioned to remain an important part of CBS’s entertainment strategy.

Its recent audience performance suggests that viewers continue to have an appetite for familiar investigative dramas.

However, the franchise will need to maintain creative quality and introduce fresh stories to remain competitive as viewing habits continue to evolve.

Its long-term commercial value will also depend on broadcasting agreements, streaming performance, international distribution and the success of its newer productions.

After more than two decades on television, NCIS has become much more than a successful crime drama. Its estimated $10 billion franchise value illustrates how a familiar television brand can develop into a powerful global entertainment business that continues to attract audiences across generations.