At the timeNCIShad already spawned one spinoff,NCIS: LA.
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The latest pickups makeNCISthe largest procedural franchise ever with five current series.
DEADLINE: NCIS: Sydneyjust got picked up yesterdayfor a second season.
Clockwise from top left: ‘NCIS’; ‘NCIS Hawai’i’; Michael Weatherly, Austin Stowell & Cote de Pablo; and ‘NCIS: Syndey’; (inset) David Stapf and Amy ReisenbachCBS/Bowen Smith/CBS/Julian West/iblametv/Getty
Are you already working on their renewals?
REISENBACH:Likewe talked about it a couple months ago,NCISis a cornerstone of our schedule.
The actors love doing it, and the writers continue to fire on all cylinders.
Cote de Pablo and Michael Weatherly on ‘NCIS’ (Photo by Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images)Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images
DEADLINE:So its looking good forNCISandHawaiito come back next season?
DEADLINE:Sydneywas used as strike contingency last fall.
What was the impetus to bring it back to CBS with the strike over?
Are you going to use it as a summer series?
Again, thats sort of the too soon to tell category.
It came on and did really well without much of our launch platform.
When did that accelerated expansion master plan start and where are we in it right now?
STAPF: The master plan started a long time ago.
We were just coming offHawaii Five-0, a very successful show.
People love that setting, it plays well over the globe.
REISENBACH:There is a big military presence too in Hawaii that makes sense.
STAPF:Sydneycertainly was not intended for the States.
But we got lucky, that show is really well done.
It very much has the DNA of what makesNCISwork, humor, family, etc.
I was like, oh my gosh, this idea is great.
Commissioned a script, the script was even better.
So its like, okay, can this show exist within the framework of the franchise we have?
And we do believe it can, particularly because its a prequel.
And in the audiences mind, and in our mind, they left too soon.
So, reuniting them with a global audience is the intent on that show.
REISENBACH: I would also add just two things to that.
DEADLINE:You mentioned howOriginscame about but not the Tony and Ziva spinoff.
How did it originate?
STAPF: Michael and Cote have been talking about this show for years and years and years.
And the timing was right.
DEADLINE:Did that happen after the end of Michaels other CBS show,Bull?
STAPF: They had started talking about it before, somewhere after they had both leftNCIS.
Put yourself in their shoes.
Theyre constantly getting hit up by fans as to, oh my god, I miss you.
When are you going to be back together, what happened to your child and all that stuff.
DEADLINE:You mentioned that they may have left too soon.
Why did they leave sosoon?
STAPF: In the fans minds.
They would want them on for a 100 years.
REISENBACH: Well, both of them were on the show a long time.
STAPF: A really, really long time.
DEADLINE:Do we have a title for the Tony and Ziva spinoff yet?
STAPF: Not yet.
DEADLINE:Amy, are you jealous that the spinoff didnt come to CBS?
REISENBACH:Hm, jealous?
Yeah, a little bit, Im not going to lie, sure.
Im a Tiva fan like everyone else.
But we all work together.
STAPF: No, it was always designed to be a streaming show.
STAPF: Its a good question.
We havent dealt with it yet.
We dont start shooting until summer so Ill start annoying Amy with that sometime this summer.
STAPF: In all honesty, as its designed now, no, but never say never.
Its more about whats a good story to tell, where would this organically happen?
Were constantly fielding pitches and coming up with ideas of our own.
But you dont want to rush anything, you want to get it right.
DEADLINE:Do you have anything currently in development in theNCISuniverse?
STAPF: Nothing thats close enough to talk about.
Youve announced four in the past three years.
We dont have a plan like that.
STAPF: We dont want a plan like that.
Can they appear onNCIS?
Michael recently did a cameo in the David McCallum tribute episode.
Was it tied to his work on the spinoff?
REISENBACH: I can speak to the cameo.
He just wanted to show up and was game to do it because of his love of the show.
STAPF: And his love for David.
it was such a nice moment for the fans too.
DEADLINE:And in terms of potential crossovers?
STAPF: There could be.
Were not there yet, writers room just started on Tony and Ziva.
It was obviously a shortened season, so it was tough to do that [withNCISandHawaii] this year.
Otherwise we would have.
Well keep looking for those opportunities for sure.
DEADLINE:OnOrigins, Mark Harmon is an executive producer and a narrator.
He could appear in flash-forwards.
Is this something thats youre considering?
And is there a possibility for Mark to return toNCISone day?
REISENBACH:The door for Mark is always open, Its really up to him.
But you never know, when were in Season 10, were taking creative risks and having fun.
So if thats something Gina and David wanted to tackle down the road, wed be open to it.
DEADLINE:You have brought back a few actors from otherNCISshows,LAs LL Cool J is now onHawaii.
Is this something that youre planning to continue, keeping the universe going?
Can we seeNew Orleans Scott Bakula pop up somewhere; we havent seen him in a couple of years.
STAPF: Its really writer-driven.
As Amy said, were open to anything and everything.
DEADLINE:What about Pauley?
STAPF: Not a bad idea.
We havent talked about it or thought about it.
DEADLINE: NCISwas a late bloomer, rising to the top of the rankings later in its run.
I was like, no, thats your job.
And he said, its exploding.
Every market it was in, it was doing extraordinarily well.
It really started to take off maybe it wasnt number one but it climbed in the ratings precipitously.
I think in year four or five, it became hey, this show is doing something.
To what do you attribute the longevity of show which continues to be at the top of the ratings?
Nobody whos come in has ever been like, oh, well now I need to fix it.
Everyone understood its a concept that works, its characters that work.
STAPF: Its sort of wish fulfillment TV.
The show has a ton of heart, humor, always has a good mystery.
And that happens on an episodic basis.
I honestly believe this franchise will never get stale.
REISENBACH: I think being in Season 21 doesnt lower the degree of difficulty.
If anything, it makes it harder.
DEADLINE:Do you have a dreamNCISspinoff?
What do you want to see from the universe going forward?
STAPF: Just that it continues to resonate like it is.
Theres a stat like 300 million people watched anNCISlast year.
Clearly, globally, its resonating with viewers.
And its kind of fun.
Its wild to think that theres fiveNCISseries.
REISENBACH: But also unique.
STAPF: Not necessarily.
It will come down to the individual shows that we develop.
Why does it need to exist, what feels fresh?
DEADLINE:So what is the goal?
TheNCISfranchise is hitting 1,000 episodes.
Do you think you might get to 2,000?
REISENBACH: Where am I going?
I just got this job.
STAPF: OK, in 20 years.
