The NCIS franchise has been a significant success for over 20 years, but one main factor of NCIS season 22 could seal one spinoff’s fate. Despite the untimely cancellation of NCIS: Hawai’i, the NCIS universe continues to expand. Two new spinoffs have landed series orders and are officially in the works. However, one of those shows will have the rare distinction of not airing on CBS. This is a complete departure for the franchise and makes it crucial that the original series plays a big part in whether the show succeeds.
Shows in the NCIS universe tend to stand the test of time. NCIS: Hawai’i’s demise after season 3 wasn’t due to a lack of interest. Overall, every NCIS show that has aired has pulled in strong ratings. That’s the beauty of launching out of one of the most-watched shows on TV. However, the fact remains that one of the two new shows could struggle to break through unless it gets a boost from the original series during NCIS season 22.
The Original Show Needs To Kickstart NCIS’s Tony & Ziva Spinoff
Tony & Ziva’s Storylines Started On NCIS
The NCIS: Tony & Ziva spinoff will reunite Cote de Pablo and Michael Weatherly for the first time on screen in over a decade. Though Weatherly and de Pablo have appeared on NCIS in recent years despite walking away as series regulars long ago, there will be a lot of excitement because they’re such a prominent link to NCIS’ history. With that in mind, the natural way to kick off the narrative of NCIS: Tony & Ziva is during an episode of NCIS season 22.
Utilizing the main series is the best approach when it comes to jumpstarting the upcoming spinoff. Airing exclusively on Paramount+ is a big hurdle for NCIS: Tony & Ziva because most people have watched NCIS and its many spinoffs linearly on CBS over the last two decades. Starting the show’s storyline in an episode of NCIS season 22 would also open the door to potential cameos.
NCIS: Tony & Ziva Could Bring Back MIA NCIS Characters
Tony & Ziva Have Many Ties To The Original NCIS
NCIS has said goodbye to countless beloved characters, including Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Abby Sciuto. Given that NCIS: Tony & Ziva’s premise involves them being caught up in a conspiracy in Europe, it creates the perfect opportunity to bring back franchise alums. The plot of NCIS: Tony & Ziva puts the titular characters in danger as they try to come to terms with who’s targeting them.
An easy way to explain the absence of some characters in the spinoff could be that Tony and Ziva aren’t telling anyone about the threat to their lives. However, NCIS: Tony & Ziva would be better off using the show’s rich history of NCIS to its advantage because avoiding it could set the show up for failure, especially since there’s already an inherited challenge of being on Paramount+ rather than CBS.