NCIS Franchise Delivers 39% Ratings Surge as Tony DiNozzo Returns as Director
The NCIS franchise delivered a significant ratings boost for CBS on its Tuesday premiere night, with the lineup averaging 5.49 million viewers, a 39% increase year-over-year. The flagship series, NCIS, returned with Michael Weatherly as Tony DiNozzo, who was appointed the new agency director after resolving a kidnapping case. The series premiere drew 6.45 million viewers, its highest in over two years. NCIS: New York and NCIS: Origins also saw substantial audience growth, with New York's premiere drawing 5.62 million viewers and Origins' Season 3 premiere drawing 4.39 million viewers.
Key points
- The NCIS franchise averaged 5.49 million viewers on its Tuesday premiere night, a 39% increase from the previous year.
- NCIS Season 24 premiered with 6.45 million viewers, its highest in over two years, and featured Michael Weatherly's return as Tony DiNozzo, who was appointed the new NCIS director.
- NCIS: New York's premiere drew 5.62 million viewers, a 53% increase year-over-year, and featured the return of LL Cool J as Sam Hanna.
- NCIS: Origins' Season 3 premiere drew 4.39 million viewers, a 20% increase from its year-ago premiere and a 56% increase from the year-ago time-period premiere of NCIS: Sydney.
- Showrunner Steven D. Binder confirmed that Tony DiNozzo's return as director was a key creative decision, and that the show will continue to explore the dynamics between Tony and the rest of the team.
Background
The NCIS franchise has been a staple of CBS's Tuesday night lineup for years. The return of Michael Weatherly as Tony DiNozzo and the appointment of a new director were key developments in the latest season. The franchise's strong ratings performance is a significant achievement for CBS, which has been facing ratings headwinds in recent years.
How outlets are covering it
Deadline reported on the strong ratings performance of the NCIS franchise, highlighting the 39% increase in viewership. TV Insider and TVLine focused on the creative decisions behind Tony DiNozzo's return as director, with showrunner Steven D. Binder explaining the reasoning behind the move. Yahoo reported on the resolution of the previous cliffhanger and the appointment of a new director. All sources agreed on the strong ratings performance of the NCIS franchise, but differed in their emphasis on the creative decisions behind the show's latest season.
Why it matters
The NCIS franchise's strong ratings performance is a significant achievement for CBS, which has been facing ratings headwinds in recent years. The return of Michael Weatherly as Tony DiNozzo and the appointment of a new director were key developments in the latest season, and the franchise's strong ratings performance suggests that the show is still a popular and successful series.
What to watch
The NCIS franchise will continue to air on CBS, with the flagship series, NCIS, expected to continue exploring the dynamics between Tony DiNozzo and the rest of the team. NCIS: New York and NCIS: Origins are also expected to continue airing, with the former featuring the return of LL Cool J as Sam Hanna and the latter featuring Mark Harmon as Gibbs.
- ‘NCIS’ Franchise Comes Out Swinging With 39% Audience Boost For CBS Tuesday Premiere Night Deadline
- ‘NCIS’ Boss Talks Tony’s Return, the New Director & More TV Insider
- NCIS Welcomes Back Tony DiNozzo In Season 24 Premiere — But Is He Sticking Around? (Plus, Grade It!) TVLine
- NCIS Season 24 Reveals What Happened To Several Tony & Ziva Characters Yahoo
- ‘NCIS’ cast changes: See who’s not returning for season 24 NJ.com
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