Ever since NCIS made its debut back in 2003, there have been multiple spin-offs that spread out through multiple jurisdictions. From Hawaii to Australia, and now the upcoming New York spin-off, there have been so many stories told about the agents who solve crimes related to the Navy. But which one ranks above the rest?
Before we note which NCIS series is the best, it’s important to point out that it doesn’t mean one of the shows is worse than the other one. It’s all a matter of which one stands out the most, and while the longevity of the original NCIS could push it to the top, the other shows in the franchise have their shining moments as well. Here are the rankings for each NCIS show.
7. NCIS: Hawaii
With only three seasons under its belt, NCIS: Hawaii unfortunately didn’t have the ratings numbers the other shows in the series had to air. While it was so fun to watch Vanessa Lachey solve crimes as Agent Jane Tennant, the abrupt cancellation and lack of a closed ending for the series finale dropped this NCIS show to the bottom of the list.
Despite the cancellation giving editors enough time to cut a scene that led to a cliffhanger and spoiled an otherwise perfect ending, the series finale was ruined, leaving fans wondering what could have been. While the show had promise considering its location and showcasing various interesting characters and relationships, the way the show ended left a sour taste in fans' mouths.
6. NCIS: Sydney
Taking place in Australia, NCIS: Sydney follows Agent Michelle Mackey (Olivia Swann), whose agency works with Australian Federal Police Officer Jim “JD” Dempsey (Todd Lasance) to solve crimes as part of a task force.
The show has been renewed for season 4 and will have a shorter episode count airing in the midseason. While the show has some great moments, it’s in the middle of the list of favorites from the entire franchise as a whole.
5. NCIS: Tony & Ziva
While the spinoff of NCIS focusing on fan favorite couple Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) and Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) only aired for one season on Paramount+, fans still loved watching the couple navigate their relationship while raising their daughter and escaping danger at every turn.
Fortunately, despite the cancellation, showrunner John McNamara had more than one ending shot, so once their story ended, it didn’t feel choppy or out of place on a cliffhanger. Despite the show ending before season 2, it’s a wonderful tribute to a couple that was so popular on NCIS.
4. NCIS: Origins
NCIS: Origins is heading into its third season and has fans eagerly watching to see how the young Leroy Jethro Gibbs’s (Austin Stowell) relationship with Agent Cecilia “Lala” Dominguez (Mariel Molino) will be portrayed now that they finally kissed. With the show focusing on Gibbs’s early years, the show has done a decent job of introducing us to new characters while staying true to the timeline of the original NCIS.
There’s always something new to learn about Gibbs as well, even if we already have some story beats we expect to come as the show moves ahead. While season three will have a shorter season, we're looking forward to learning more about Gibbs and the rest of his team at NIS, which, in the canon timeline, has now changed to NCIS.
3. NCIS: New Orleans
NCIS: New Orleans managed to make it to season 7 before being canceled in 2021. Scott Bakula portrayed Agent Dwayne “King” Pride, an old friend of Agent Gibbs and the agent in charge of running the New Orleans field office. The show was known for dealing with serious cases while also portraying the cultural atmosphere of New Orleans.
While there were times the show felt different, especially after a major character, Lucas Black’s Christopher Lasalle, was killed off, the series held its own away from the more serious nature of NCIS. It remains near the top-middle of the list mainly because of how much it stood out from the rest of the shows, proving there could be some fun and levity alongside the cases being solved each week.
2. NCIS
As much as we absolutely love NCIS, there has been a lot of change in the show, such as when Mark Harmon left the series and Gary Cole came in as his replacement in Agent Alden Parker. Then there was the 500th episode, which saw the death of Rocky Carroll's Director Leon Vance, which was a shock for everyone who loved the show. Plus, with season 23, it felt like a lot of the cases were obvious from the get-go, which made some episodes feel predictable. But due to the longevity of the show itself, it's hard not to have it at the top of the list when it has made such an incredible impact on television.
The characters are easy to love, and there’s always something new to learn, even surprising things like Agent Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) having a son he didn’t know about. The season 23 finale ended on a shocking cliffhanger, proving the show still knows how to surprise us even after two decades' worth of storylines. So while it earned its place at the top, at least one show in the franchise stood out.
1. NCIS: Los Angeles
Los Angeles was the setting for the first spinoff of NCIS, introducing us to Chris O'Donnell's G. Callen, an NCIS Agent with the Office of Special Projects. The series also starred LL Cool J as his partner Sam Hanna, who has recently made many appearances on NCIS and will be seen alongside Scott Caan on the newest iteration of the franchise set in New York.
What makes this the best show in the ranking is not only how exciting the various cases and stunts were but also that the characters grew to form bonds that became stronger over 14 seasons. The show also gave the characters endings that felt right for them, such as Agent Marty Deeks and his wife, Agent Kensi Blye, learning they were expecting a baby after years of fertility struggles.
Who knows how New York will fare against all of the shows in the NCIS universe. The show is slated to air on Tuesdays between NCIS and NCIS: Origins beginning in the 2026-2027 season. While we don’t know what that means for NCIS: Sydney on the schedule, we’re looking forward to getting to see Sam Hanna on screen again, and meeting
Add us as a preferred source on Google