CBS Wins Tuesday as NCIS Trio Posts Big Premieres

CBS owned Tuesday night with three hours of NCIS.

The network averaged 5.49 million viewers across primetime, the evening hours when viewing is at its highest, and finished first in that window, Deadline reported. That average was up 39% from last year's premiere Tuesday. It was a clean sweep for one franchise.

The night started with the flagship series. The Season 24 premiere of NCIS drew 6.45 million viewers. That was up 21% year-over-year and made it the show's most-watched episode since the Season 21 finale in May 2024.

This season brings back a familiar face. Michael Weatherly rejoined the flagship cast as Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo Jr. His return gave long-time viewers a reason to tune in live.

The middle hour belonged to the newcomer. The series premiere of NCIS: New York drew 5.62 million viewers in the 9 p.m. hour. It was up 53% year-over-year in that time period, which was previously occupied by NCIS: Origins.

LL Cool J led that launch. He returned as Sam Hanna for the NCIS: New York series premiere, carrying over a character viewers already know from elsewhere in the franchise.

The night closed with the prequel. The Season 3 premiere of NCIS: Origins drew 4.39 million viewers in the 10 p.m. hour. It was up 20% on its own premiere in the 9 p.m. hour last year, and up 56% on what NCIS: Sydney drew in the 10 p.m. hour on last year's premiere night.

That hour also had a franchise favourite back in uniform. Mark Harmon joined the NCIS: Origins cast as Leroy Jethro Gibbs, the role that anchored the original series.

What makes this stand out is how tidy the maths is. All three hours grew. The old show grew, the moved show grew, and the new show improved its slot by more than half.