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NCIS: Broadcast Beginnings Fueled 21-Year Hit Status
15 May
Summary
- Pre-streaming debut integral to NCIS's enduring popularity.
- Show's growth on network allowed it to find a substantial audience.
- Network platforms provided a path for long-term success unlike streaming.
The long-running procedural drama "NCIS" owes much of its remarkable success and longevity to its origins on traditional broadcast television, predating the streaming era. CBS president Amy Reisenbach emphasized that the show's debut in 2003 on CBS, rather than a streaming platform, was a significant factor in its sustained popularity.
Reisenbach noted that the show's reach across the U.S. and globally was facilitated by its strong performance on CBS and its subsequent syndication. She highlighted that beginning on linear television was fundamental to its enduring appeal and widespread recognition.
Director Diana Valentine, who has worked on numerous "NCIS" spin-offs, echoed this sentiment. She pointed out that "NCIS" did not become a major hit until its fourth or fifth season. This gradual build-up of audience allowed the show to mature and find its niche, a process often cut short by the rapid cancellation of series on streaming services today.
Valentine concluded that a show like "NCIS" would likely not achieve 21 years of continuous production and viewership if it were to debut on a streaming platform in the current media landscape. The ability for a series to grow and develop an audience over several seasons, as "NCIS" did, is a critical element of its unique success story.
