NCIS (TV series)
| NCIS | |
|---|---|
| File:Ncis cast main.jpg NCIS main cast | |
| Starring | see below |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 108 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Running time | approx. 42 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | September 23, 2003 – present |
| Related | |
| JAG | |
NCIS is an American police procedural television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The concept and characters were initially introduced in a two-part episode of the CBS series JAG (episodes 8.20 and 8.21). The show premiered on September 23, 2003 on CBS. Its executive producer is Donald Bellisario. [1].
Due to the writers strike ending, CBS has announced that the show will return April 8 2008 with 7 episodes. [2]
Overview
NCIS is a television show that follows a fictional team of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Major Case Response Team (MCRT) special agents, headquartered at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C.. It is described by the actors and producers (on special features on DVD releases in the USA) as being distinguished by its comedy elements, ensemble acting and character-driven plots.
As NCIS is a federal law enforcement agency with jurisdiction on crimes involving persons and property associated with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps, the team is frequently assigned to high-profile cases such as the death of the President's nuclear missile aide, a bomb situation on a U.S. Navy warship, the death of a celebrity on a reality show set on a USMC base, terrorist threats, and kidnappings.
In a number of episodes on NCIS, Mark Harmon's character, Gibbs is seen wearing an old shirt with NIS written on it. This is not a mistake, as Navy veterans will often point out. Prior to it becoming NCIS, it was the Naval Investigative Service (NIS). This also effectively plays into the idea that Gibbs has been with NCIS for quite some time longer than the others.
The ensemble acting approach means that the 'stars' include relatively minor characters and even extends to some recurring characters. There are 7 permanent characters credited at the beginning of season 5. Guest stars usually appear in only one episode.
USA Network began showing re-runs of NCIS on Wednesday, January 2, 2008, using the slogan, "The Show With More Initials than Any Other Drama on Television." It is on TV on CBS every Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m Eastern and Pacific Time.
Main characters
| Name | Portrayed by | Occupation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leroy Jethro Gibbs (2003–) | Mark Harmon | Supervisory Special Agent, NCIS | Regular cast member |
| Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard (2003–) | David McCallum | Chief Medical Examiner, NCIS | Regular cast member |
| Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo (2003–) | Michael Weatherly | Senior Special Agent, NCIS | Regular cast member |
| Abigail "Abby" Sciuto (2003–) | Pauley Perrette | Forensic Specialist, NCIS | Regular cast member |
| Caitlin "Kate" Todd (2003–2005) | Sasha Alexander | Special Agent, NCIS | Former regular cast member (character deceased) |
| Thomas "Tom" Morrow (2003–2005) | Alan Dale | Former Director, NCIS Deputy Director, DHS |
Former recurring cast member |
| Tobias C. Fornell (2003–) | Joe Spano | Senior Special Agent, FBI | Recurring cast member |
| Jimmy Palmer (2004-) | Brian Dietzen | Dr. Mallard's Assistant, NCIS | Recurring cast member |
| Timothy "Tim" McGee (2003–) | Sean Murray | Special Agent, NCIS | Regular cast member |
| Ziva David (2005–) | Cote de Pablo | Mossad Liaison Officer, NCIS | Regular cast member |
| Jenny Shepard (2005–) | Lauren Holly | Director, NCIS | Regular cast member |
| Gerald Jackson (2003–2005) | Pancho Demmings | Dr. Mallard's Assistant, NCIS | Former recurring cast member |
| Dr. Jeanne Benoit (2006–2008) | Scottie Thompson | Doctor, Monroe University Hospital | Former recurring cast member |
| Hollis Mann (2006–2007) | Susanna Thompson | Lt. Colonel, US Army, CID retired | Former recurring cast member |
Naming the show
Prior to the launch of the first season, advertisements on CBS identified the show as "Naval CIS." By the time of the launch of the first episode, NCIS was airing under the name Navy NCIS, the name it held for the entire first season. Since the "N" in NCIS stands for "Naval,” the name Navy NCIS was technically redundant (an example of RAS syndrome). The decision to use this name was reportedly made by CBS, over the objections of Bellisario, in order to:
- Attract new viewers (particularly those of JAG), who might not know the NCIS abbreviation.
- Disambiguate between NCIS and the similarly-themed and similarly-spelled CBS series CSI and its spinoffs. (The original title, for instance, was often misquoted as Navy CSI.”)
After its successful first season, the name of the series was shortened to NCIS.
Episodes
Filming location
NCIS is set in Washington DC area but is really filmed in Santa Clarita, CA [3]
- The sound stages are in Santa Clarita, California
- The series is shot throughout southern California
U.S. television ratings
Seasonal rankings (based on average total viewers per episode) of NCIS on CBS.
Note: Each U.S. network television season starts in late September and ends in late May, which coincides with the completion of May sweeps.
| Season | Timeslot | Season premiere | Season finale | TV season | Ranking | Viewers (in millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tuesday 8:00PM | September 23, 2003 | May 25, 2004 | 2003–2004 | #26 | 11.84[4] |
| 2 | Tuesday 8:00PM | September 28, 2004 | May 24, 2005 | 2004–2005 | #22 | 13.63[5] |
| 3 | Tuesday 8:00PM | September 20, 2005 | May 16, 2006 | 2005–2006 | #16 | 15.3[6] |
| 4 | Tuesday 8:00PM | September 19, 2006 | May 22, 2007 | 2006–2007 | #18 | 14.5[7] |
| 5 | Tuesday 8:00PM | September 25, 2007 | May 20, 2008 | 2007–2008 | TBA | TBA |
The second season finale,propelled the series to become one of the most-watched programs throughout the summer of 2005, which then led to a growing audience throughout its third season. The series has been a solid performer in the ratings, especially for the latter half of the television season when it airs opposite FOX's mega-hit American Idol.
Changes
It was reported in May 2007 that NCIS creator and producer Donald Bellisario would be stepping down from the show[8]. Bellisario's duties would likely be taken over by longtime show collaborators, including co-executive producer Charles Floyd Johnson and series writer Shane Brennan. So far, however, the credit at the end of the current season 5 episodes still list Donald Bellisario as Executive Producer.
DVD releases
| DVD Name | Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | June 6 2006 | July 24 2006 | August 10 2006 |
| Season 2 | November 14 2006 | October 16 2006 | October 12 2006 |
| Season 3 | April 24 2007 | June 25 2007 | March 15 2007 |
| Season 4 | October 23 2007 | May 19 2008 | July 10 2008 |
The first season DVD release omits the two-part introductory episode that aired as part of the eighth season of JAG.
References
- ^ CBS cancels 'Jericho,' two others - Entertainment News, TV News, Media - Variety
- ^ "CBS Sets Series Return Dates". Retrieved 2008-02-13.
- ^ "Navy NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service" (2003) - Filming locations
- ^ "I.T.R.S. Ranking Report". June 2 2004.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Unknown parameter|source=ignored (help) - ^ "Hollywood Reporter: 2004-05 primetime wrap". May 27 2005.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Unknown parameter|source=ignored (help) - ^ "Hollywood Reporter: 2005-06 primetime wrap". May 26 2006.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Unknown parameter|source=ignored (help) - ^ "Hollywood Reporter: 2006-07 primetime wrap". May 25 2007.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Unknown parameter|source=ignored (help) - ^ 'NCIS' creator is leaving his show via Los Angeles Times May 8, 2007
External links
