Created by Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill.
NCIS premiered on September 23, 2003 on CBS.
Distributed by CBS Television Distribution (2003-2020), later CBS Media Ventures / Paramount Global Distribution Group.
NCIS TV Series Review
NCIS is a long-running crime drama about a team that investigates Navy and Marine-related crimes.
Seasons 1-5 focus on Gibbs, Tony, Abby, Ducky, and McGee building the team.
Seasons 6-10 bring bigger cases and emotional stories.
Seasons 11-15 introduce new agents and major cast changes.
Seasons 16-19 continue with fresh characters and new team dynamics.
Seasons 20-23 focus on Parker, Torres, Knight, and McGee leading the modern era of the show.
The series mixes action, mystery, friendship, and humor, which is why fans still enjoy it after many years.
Overall, NCIS remains one of television’s most popular crime dramas.
CR Rating: 7.8/10.
NCIS Actors
Mark Harmon as Leroy Jethro Gibbs
DOB: September 2, 1951.
Bio: American actor, producer, director, and former college football player born in Burbank.
The son of football broadcaster Tom Harmon and actress Elyse Knox, Harmon first gained attention through television roles in the 1970s and 1980s before becoming one of TV’s most recognizable dramatic leads.
Role: Leroy Jethro Gibbs is the legendary NCIS Supervisory Special Agent who leads the Major Case Response Team.
A former Marine sniper and investigator, Gibbs operates with sharp instincts, emotional restraint, and an uncompromising personal code built around loyalty, justice, and discipline.
Episodes: S1-19 (436 eps).
Interesting facts: Harmon played quarterback at UCLA and was considered one of the school’s top athletes before turning to acting.
He also served as an executive producer on NCIS for many years.
Notable Works: St. Elsewhere, Chicago Hope, JAG.
Michael Weatherly as Anthony “Tony” DiNozzo Jr.
DOB: July 8, 1968.
Bio: American actor, producer, director, and musician from New York City.
He became famous for playing charming, fast-talking characters, and on NCIS he turned Tony DiNozzo into one of television’s most popular procedural leads, thanks to his mix of humor, instinct, and emotional depth.
Role: Anthony “Tony” DiNozzo Jr. is the Senior Field Agent on Gibbs’s team and one of the series’ central personalities.
A former Baltimore homicide detective, Tony brings humor, movie references, undercover talent, and strong investigative instincts to the Major Case Response Team.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-13 & 21 (307 eps).
Interesting facts: Weatherly is also a musician, and his post-NCIS career included Bull and later the return to Tony through NCIS: Tony & Ziva.
Notable Works: Dark Angel, Bull, NCIS: Tony & Ziva.
Pauley Perrette as Abigail “Abby” Sciuto
DOB: March 27, 1969.
Bio: American former actress, singer, writer, and activist born in New Orleans.
Before achieving worldwide fame on NCIS, she worked steadily in television and film while developing a distinctive alternative style that later became central to Abby Sciuto’s popularity.
Role: Abigail “Abby” Sciuto is the brilliant NCIS forensic scientist whose unconventional personality and scientific expertise make her one of the heartbeats of the series.
Known for her gothic clothing, Caf-Pow addiction, and upbeat energy, Abby balances the darkness of criminal investigations with empathy and optimism.
Episodes: S1-15 (354 eps).
Interesting facts: Perrette studied criminal justice before acting, and she has said she originally wanted to work with animals or become an FBI agent.
She retired from acting in 2020 after a final return in Broke.
Notable Works: Broke, The Ring, Time of Your Life.
Sean Murray as Timothy “Tim” McGee
DOB: November 15, 1977.
Bio: American actor who grew up on military bases around the world, which gives his NCIS career a fitting connection to the show’s military world.
He started out in other TV and family-film roles before becoming one of the longest-running faces of the franchise.
Role: McGee begins as the smart, slightly awkward tech specialist and grows into a confident senior special agent.
His evolution across the series makes him one of the best long-term character journeys in modern network TV, and he is one of the few actors still carrying the original series in season 23.
Episodes: S1-23 (492 eps).
Interesting facts: Murray is also the stepson of NCIS creator Donald P. Bellisario, and he has a family connection to fellow actor Troian Bellisario.
Notable Works: Hocus Pocus, JAG, Boston Public.
David McCallum as Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard
September 19, 1933 – September 25, 2023.
Bio: Scottish actor and musician who trained at RADA and became internationally known long before NCIS through The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
He brought wit, elegance, and old-world intelligence to Ducky Mallard, making the character much more than a standard medical examiner.
Role: Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard serves as NCIS’s longtime Chief Medical Examiner and one of the emotional foundations of the team.
Brilliant, compassionate, and endlessly curious, Ducky combines forensic expertise with storytelling, psychological insight, and old-world manners.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-21 (460 eps).
Interesting facts: McCallum studied real autopsy procedures for authenticity, and his final appearance came before his death in 2023.
Notable Works: The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Great Escape.
Cote de Pablo as Ziva David
DOB: November 12, 1979.
Bio: Chilean-American actress who moved to the United States as a child and studied drama at Carnegie Mellon University.
She became a breakout star through Ziva David, a role that demanded strength, precision, emotional restraint, and real vulnerability.
Role: Ziva David is a former Israeli Mossad liaison officer who later becomes an NCIS Special Agent and one of the team’s most skilled operatives.
Trained in intelligence and combat, Ziva initially arrives with trust issues and a guarded personality, but over time she develops deep emotional bonds with Gibbs, McGee, Abby, Ducky, and especially Tony DiNozzo.
Seasons & Episodes: S3-13 & 17 (196 eps).
Interesting facts: De Pablo’s audition chemistry with Michael Weatherly helped define the Tony-Ziva dynamic, and she also co-hosted Control before her acting breakthrough.
Notable Works: NCIS: Tony & Ziva, The 33, The Dovekeepers.
Rocky Carroll as Leon Vance
DOB: July 8, 1963.
Bio: American actor, director, and producer born in Cincinnati.
A graduate of the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University, Carroll built a respected career across stage, film, and television before joining NCIS.
Role: Vance begins as Assistant Director and later becomes NCIS Director, adding policy, pressure, and institutional power to the team dynamic.
He is the character who often has to balance the chaos of the field with the demands of leadership, and he became one of the show’s enduring anchors.
Episodes: S5-23 (399 eps).
Interesting facts: Carroll also directed episodes of NCIS, and in 2026 his character was written out in the season 23 episode “All Good Things.”
Notable Works: Roc, Chicago Hope, Crimson Tide, NCIS.
Brian Dietzen as Dr. Jimmy Palmer
DOB: November 14, 1977.
Bio: American actor, producer, and screenwriter from Barrington, Illinois.
He started on NCIS as a recurring presence and gradually became one of the most beloved members of the ensemble through Jimmy Palmer’s humor, empathy, and emotional intelligence.
Role: Dr. Jimmy Palmer begins as the eager and socially awkward assistant to Chief Medical Examiner Ducky Mallard.
Over the years, he grows into a highly skilled medical examiner and eventually succeeds Ducky as NCIS Chief Medical Examiner.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-23 (408).
Interesting facts: Dietzen has spoken openly about initially feeling intimidated joining such an established cast, crediting co-stars like Mark Harmon and Pauley Perrette for helping him settle into the series.
Notable Works: From Justin to Kelly, Congratulations.
Emily Wickersham as Eleanor “Ellie” Bishop
DOB: April 26, 1984.
Bio: American actress born in Kansas and raised in New York.
She came into NCIS with a quieter, more analytical style, and that made Ellie Bishop feel like a smart modern addition to the team.
Role: Bishop is the NSA analyst turned NCIS special agent who brings logic, focus, and emotional resilience to the team.
Her character helped refresh the show during its middle years and gave the ensemble a new kind of intelligence-driven energy.
Seasons & Episodes: S11-23 (174 eps).
Interesting facts: Wickersham has Austrian and Swedish ancestry and later stepped away from NCIS during Season 18 after nearly a decade on the series.
Notable Works: Gone, Gardener of Eden, Glitch.
Wilmer Valderrama as Nicholas “Nick” Torres
DOB: January 30, 1980.
Bio: American actor, producer, and activist born in Miami and raised partly in Venezuela before returning to the United States as a teenager.
He first became a major pop-culture figure through his role as Fez in That ’70s Show, later expanding his career into voice acting, producing, drama, and action projects.
Role: Torres is the undercover-minded NCIS field agent who works with a rougher, more instinctive style than McGee or Bishop.
He is one of the show’s most physical and unpredictable later-era agents, and he remains a core part of the current team.
Seasons & Episodes: S14-23 (201 eps).
Interesting facts: Valderrama is also known for That ’70s Show, Handy Manny, and Encanto, and he remains active in public-facing family and activism work.
Notable Works: That ’70s Show, Handy Manny, Encanto.
Gary Cole as Alden Parker
DOB: September 20, 1956.
Bio: American actor born in Park Ridge who built a long and respected career across television, film, voice acting, and theater.
He studied theater at Illinois State University before becoming associated with Chicago’s acclaimed stage scene, including work connected to the Steppenwolf Theatre Company.
Role: Parker is the former FBI agent who becomes NCIS Supervisory Special Agent and gives the current era of the series a more unpredictable, slightly off-center command style.
He brought a fresh tone to the show while still respecting the procedural backbone that made it famous.
Seasons & Episodes: S19-23 (92 eps).
Interesting facts: Cole’s screen career includes major TV hits like The West Wing and Veep, and he has spoken about the show’s devoted fan base in interviews.
Notable Works: Midnight Caller, The West Wing, Veep.
Katrina Law as Jessica Knight
DOB: September 30, 1985.
Bio: American actress born in Philadelphia and raised in New Jersey.
She studied theater and performance while developing a strong interest in action-oriented storytelling, which later became a defining part of her screen career.
Role: Knight is the NCIS special agent and React Team leader who brings speed, toughness, and directness to the field.
She helps define the current team’s tactical edge and has become a major part of the show’s modern era.
Seasons & Episodes: S18-23 (95 eps).
Interesting facts: Law was crowned Miss New Jersey Teen USA in 1995, studied performing arts, and is also known for raising her daughter while working in television.
Notable Works: Spartacus, Arrow, Hawaii Five-0.
More Actors
• Jennifer Esposito as Alexandra “Alex” Quinn
• Duane Henry as Clayton Reeves.
• Maria Bello as Jacqueline “Jack” Sloane
• Diona Reasonover as Kasie Hines
FAQ – NCIS TV Series
What is NCIS about?
NCIS follows a team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service as they investigate crimes connected to the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.
Is NCIS connected to JAG?
Yes. NCIS began as a spin-off introduced through episodes of JAG.
Is NCIS connected to other spin-offs?
Yes. The franchise includes NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, NCIS: Hawaiʻi, NCIS: Sydney, NCIS: Origins, and NCIS: Tony & Ziva.
Is NCIS renewed for Season 24?
Yes. CBS officially renewed NCIS for season 24 in 2026. More on Thepopverse
How many seasons of NCIS are there?
As of 2026, the show has reached 23 seasons and has already been renewed for season 24.
Where can I watch NCIS?
The series airs on CBS and streams on Paramount+ in many regions.
Conclusion
NCIS remains one of television’s most successful crime dramas because of its strong characters, emotional stories, and exciting investigations.
Even after many cast changes and 23 seasons, the series continues to entertain fans with its mix of action, mystery, humor, and teamwork.