NCIS Season 21: See confirmed release date, time, cast, episode count, where to watch and more

CBS recently unveiled its schedule for returning shows, with NCIS set to kick off its season 21 earlier than anticipated. The first episode of the season is scheduled to air on Monday, February 12, 2024, at 9 p.m. ET. Notably, this season will be without actor David McCallum, who played Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard and passed away in September 2023.

NCIS Season 21: Cast

Returning cast members for season 21 include Gary Cole, Sean Murray, Rocky Carroll, Katrina Law, Brian Dietzen, Diona Reasonover, and Wilmer Valderrama.

NCIS Season 21: Where to Watch?

The previous season concluded with a cliffhanger involving Valderrama's character, Nick Torres, leaving viewers eager to see its resolution. For those who want to catch up on previous episodes, NCIS is available for streaming on Paramount+.

NCIS Season 21: Episode Count

Season 21 will be the shortest in the show's history due to filming delays caused by strikes and the inability to start during the summer. While CBS is yet to confirm the official episode count, it's expected that most broadcast shows will have only 10-13 episodes this season. This is a significant reduction compared to the typical 20-24 episodes per season, marking a departure from the standard format for CBS's longest-running drama.

The challenges in production aren't new to NCIS, as season 18, filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, also saw a shortened episode count at just 16 episodes. This makes season 21 the shortest since the show's fifth season, which consisted of 19 episodes.

FAQs:

Why is NCIS season 21 anticipated to be the shortest in the show's history?
Filming delays due to strikes prevented the summer start, leading to CBS planning only 10-13 episodes, half the standard count, making it the shortest season.

Why won't actor David McCallum be part of NCIS season 21, and how will the show address his absence?
David McCallum, who portrayed Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard, passed away in September 2023. Season 21 will be the first without him, and the show will navigate this change.