Story perspectives

NCIS Announces Stars Return and Fall Tuesday Lineup

7/2/2026

Summary

NCIS Stars Return

Michael Weatherly will return to NCIS as Tony DiNozzo for a season-long arc.
Mark Harmon will return to NCIS: Origins for storyline beyond his narration.
LL Cool J will headline NCIS: New York as Sam Hanna, which he originated on NCIS: Los Angeles.
Season 24 will air Tuesdays at 8 PM ET/PT in the fall on CBS and stream on Paramount+, while NCIS: New York will air Tuesdays at 9 PM.

Summary

Weatherly Returns

Michael Weatherly returns to NCIS despite a sexual-harassment allegation made by actress Eliza Dushku.
The allegation stemmed from his tenure on the CBS legal drama Bull, where he starred from 2016 to 2022.
NCIS celebrated its 500th episode earlier this year, confirming its status as CBS’s longest-running primetime drama and the world’s top-viewed TV franchise.
The franchise will expand internationally with the upcoming spinoff NCIS: Sydney, scheduled for 2027.

Summary

CBS Announces Hiring

CBS announced NCIS job openings after Director Leon Vance’s on-screen death in the March 24 500th episode.
Wilmer Valderrama warned of a major shakeup after Nick Torres pulled a gun in the season-23 finale.
Director Brian Dietzen called writing a Tony DiNozzo scene an absolute treat for the season-long arc.
CBS declined to comment on whether Ziva David will return with Tony, leaving the plot uncertain.

History

Historical Context

NBC launched Dick Wolf’s *Law & Order* on September 13 1990, pioneering a split-screen police-and-court format that soon eclipsed rivals and, by 2002, became the longest-running U.S. police drama with 456 episodes over 20 seasons. Its 2022 revival and ongoing renewals echo the network’s broader shift toward legacy franchises as a stable audience draw.

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NCIS Stars Return

Michael Weatherly will return to NCIS as Tony DiNozzo for a season-long arc.
Mark Harmon will return to NCIS: Origins for storyline beyond his narration.
LL Cool J will headline NCIS: New York as Sam Hanna, which he originated on NCIS: Los Angeles.
Season 24 will air Tuesdays at 8 PM ET/PT in the fall on CBS and stream on Paramount+, while NCIS: New York will air Tuesdays at 9 PM.

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