After 487 episodes, executive producer Steven D. Binder has already begun planning for the upcoming special: NCIS’s 500th episode.
“The initial idea was the same as what we’ve thought about for previous milestones — 250, 300, 400, even 1,000: to do something special that’s worthy of that number,” Binder told TV Line. “The question was: What would that special look like?”
In creative meetings, the writing team came up with a variety of ideas, from recreating the setting of the first episode to exploring key moments from the past, like when Gibbs and Ducky first met. Another idea was even more ambitious: creating a case that spans the entire series’ history.
But for an idea to be picked up, Binder says, it has to be truly worthy — not just because of the 500th episode mark, but because of the loyal audience that has stuck with NCIS for more than two decades. “The pressure builds with each hundredth episode,” he says.
Indeed, each of the previous milestone episodes has been given special attention. In the 200th episode, viewers saw Gibbs go through an emotional flashback to Mike Franks while confronting an unknown gunman. Episode 250 marked the return of Robert Wagner as DiNozzo’s father — a familiar face to longtime fans. Episode 300 brought in Taye Diggs as “Gunny,” and featured multiple flashbacks to Gibbs. Episode 400 brought back memories of the day Gibbs first met Ducky, creating a powerful emotional moment. Notably, the 1,000th episode of the entire NCIS franchise brought a series of details reminiscent of the first episode, as a way to pay tribute to the long history of this television universe.
Meanwhile, veteran actor Sean Murray — who has been attached to the role of Timothy McGee for more than 20 years — shared after the 1,000th episode aired that he never felt bored playing a character for so long. “People often say, ‘You must be bored playing the same character for two decades.’ But for me, the character always evolved along with the show itself. It never became boring. I always felt like there was movement, there was something new to explore.”
Murray believes that it is the constant development of the characters that has kept audiences engaged over the years. “What makes NCIS different is that the characters aren’t static. They grow, they age, they change their perspectives, they gain depth – just like real people do over the course of 20 years.”
CBS has now confirmed that it will continue producing NCIS season 23. At the same time, two new series, NCIS: ORIGINS and NCIS: SYDNEY, have also been renewed. Meanwhile, spin-offs such as NCIS: NEW ORLEANS, NCIS: HAWAI’I and NCIS: LOS ANGELES have officially been canceled. A highly anticipated new series, NCIS: TONY & ZIVA, is expected to air this fall, according to Collider.
The series will take viewers into the lives of two famous former agents – Tony and Ziva – as they live a peaceful life with their daughter in Paris. However, everything changes when Tony’s security company is attacked, forcing the two to embark on a dangerous journey across Europe.
If everything goes according to plan, NCIS’s 500th episode will likely air during season 23 – which is expected to premiere next fall. With high expectations from fans and the special significance of this milestone, experts and audiences alike are waiting for something truly worthy of the history of this legendary crime drama.
