It's been a great time to be an NCIS fan. Not only is the flagship series still going strong, but there have been a number of exciting spinoffs, including the fan-favorite prequel NCIS: Origins. Last year, Paramount+ launched the spinoff NCIS: Tony & Ziva, bringing back two of the franchise's most beloved characters, but the series was unfortunately canceled after one season.
However, when CBS unveiled its Fall 2026 schedule, the network had a real trick up its sleeve. We're getting a full three-hour night of NCIS on Tuesdays, but the third series won't be Tony & Ziva. CBS surprise announced the new spinoff NCIS: New York, which stars LL Cool J reprising his NCIS: Los Angeles character Senior Special Agent Sam Hanna and Hawaii Five-0 star Scott Caan.
If you loved NCIS: Tony & Ziva and have been frustrated that the series was canceled after only a single season, the news of a brand-new spinoff series likely increases that frustration. Why launch an entirely new series in the franchise when one just ended? CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach addressed the thought process behind the latest moves in the NCIS franchise.
Deadline asked Reisenbach directly about canceling Tony & Ziva and picking up New York. While the network's president didn't specifically get into the weeds about the decision to forgo one spinoff in favor of the other, CBS and Paramount's choice seemed to be talent-based as they wanted to officially bring back LL Cool J into the fold, and a new spinoff certainly fulfilled that desire.
As Reisenbach explained, "LL is like a member of our family at CBS, he’s done pop-ins on NCIS the last two years since LA ended, and it’s been really successful. And the opportunity for Sam Hanna, who is originally from New York but lived in LA for NCIS: LA, to send him back home felt like a really ripe creative space to play in. Plus, there is a huge port and Navy presence in New York — I cannot wait for the premiere party on the Intrepid. We always want to look for what makes an expansion unique and special, and we thought there was just so much opportunity with this."
When asked plainly by Deadline whether Tony & Ziva was in contention for a season 2 renewal, maybe even a possible move to CBS, Reisenbach flat out stated, "We really wanted to bring the Sam Hanna character back." So, there you have it. The bosses had a plan for Sam Hanna's big return to the franchise following the cancellation of Tony & Ziva, which could either divide or unite fans.
On the bright side, at least long-time NCIS viewers had the opportunity to watch Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo reprise their roles as Tony and Ziva, who finally got their hard-fought happily ever after. While the spinoff series managed to work as a one-season limited series, there was certainly a way that the show could have continued as a new addition to the franchise either as a procedural or continue as a streaming series, with season-long arcs. But ultimately, ratings were to blame.
But with a new spinoff joining the CBS roster along with the original classic and the prequel (as well as Sydney, which was bumped to midseason), the possibilities are endless for which legacy characters could be dropping by. There haven't been any teases about what's in store for NCIS: New York, but it's an exciting new beginning for an iconic television staple.
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