Summary

NCIS: Sydney has set a new streaming record for CBS and Paramount+, becoming the most-streamed CBS network premiere ever on the platform. The series features a joint task force between NCIS and the Australian Federal Police, investigating crimes by American military personnel in Australia. While the show has received mixed reviews, with some calling it “TV-by-numbers,” the success and record-breaking viewership suggest that a second season is highly likely.

Debuting in 2003, NCIS has had several spin-offs, with NCIS: Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Hawaiʻi all proving successful for CBS. Now the latest incarnation of the popular crime drama, NCIS: Sydney, which premiered on November 14, 2023 in the United States, has set a new streaming record for CBS and Paramount+.

NCIS: Sydney features a joint, multinational task force comprised of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Australian Federal Police, and follows agents from both units investigating crimes by American military personnel working down under. The ensemble cast features British actress Olivia Swann as Michelle Mackey, NCIS Special Agent-in-Charge, and Aussie Todd Lasance as JD Dempsey, Australian Federal Police Second-in-Command, and is rounded out by Sean Sagar, Tuuli Narkle, Mavournee Hazel, and William McInnes.

Since its debut, NCIS: Sydney has garnered 10 million views across CBS and Paramount+ according to The Wrap, setting a new record as the most-streamed CBS network premiere ever on Paramount+. The series is also setting records in Australia, as it has become the most-watched local series since the launch of Paramount+ in the continent on August 11, 2021. Created by Australian writer, director, and actor Morgan O’Neill, who also serves as executive producer, this marks the first time the NCIS franchise has gone international. Speaking with Parade, O’Neill talked about how the new series will differ from previous entries and entice viewers.

“I think between the combination of the location, the exoticism of a place like Australia, the tempo of the way we work and a sense of larrikinism, you’re going to get a very different flavor of NCIS: Sydney and hopefully one that is additive rather than duplicative. I think fans of the show will recognize a lot of the shared DNA that NCIS: Sydney has with the other four iterations, that’s for sure. But I think they’ll also see a real twist in what they’re used to. The first international version of the show, the first show set in the Southern Hemisphere, the first blended family, the first time we’ve seen Americans and Australians working together. I think there’s a lot of firsts that hopefully the core audience for NCIS will really lap up.”

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NCIS: Sydney Has Been Met With Mixed Reviews
NCIS Release Date September 23, 2003 Cast Mark Harmon , sean murray , Wilmer Valderrama , david mccallum , Rocky Carroll , Brian Dietzen Seasons 17

Currently holding a 63% on Rotten Tomatoes, NCIS: Sydney has been receiving mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. While some have praised the new series for remaining faithful to the NCIS formula while at the same time combining American and Australian culture, a review from Wenlei Ma at PerthNow said, “It’s certainly not doing anything new; it’s TV-by-numbers,” leading to disappointment from some fans who were expecting something fresh from the international debut of the series.

Still, NCIS: Sydney is enjoying success on CBS and Paramount+, and while the eight-episode season is still in its initial run, it remains to be seen if season two will be greenlit just yet. Though with NCIS: Hawaiʻi going into its third season in 2024, and previous spin-offs enjoying multi-season runs, it’s a safe bet that NCIS: Sydney will be returning for a second season given the records its breaking for CBS and Paramount+.