Summary
After seeing CBS' upcoming TV lineup, I’m shocked thatNCIS: Sydneyis the series that will be replacing this legendary police procedural show. The CBS fall TV schedule is now available onTV Guide, andI was surprised that the schedule favored the Aussie-based police dramaover a show that has been on television for over a decade. I know it’s just the nature of the business, but the definitive legacy of the iconic procedural makes this change difficult to contend with. While I also understand thatNCIS: Sydneyseason 2being greenlit makes sense, not everyone is a fan of the international spin-off yet.
The series was successful in its first season and vital to CBS as a whole.NCIS: Sydneypremiered 2023 during the writer’s strike, filling an essential programming need. Then,Sydneyremained whenNCIS: Hawai’iwas canceled ahead of season 4, which shocked fans and actors alike. I foundHawai’i’s cancelation sad, but I also foundSydneycompelling, so I was happy to see the latter show continue. Certain aspects of the show still have room for improvement, but that also applies to just about anyNCISseries. That said, I was astonished that CBS choseSydneyas the replacement for one of its biggest police procedurals in the fall TV lineup.
Every Main Character In NCIS: Sydney, Ranked
NCIS: Sydney introduced six new characters to the NCIS franchise, and while they all have unique qualities, some naturally stood out in season 1.
NCIS: Sydney Will Replace Blue Bloods In The Mid-Season Fall 2024 TV Schedule
Blue Bloods Will End In 2024
I was taken aback when I saw thatNCIS: Sydneywould replaceBlue Bloodsmid-season this fall. After a brief hiatus, the latter will return to air the final four episodes of season 14.Blue Bloodscenters on Tom Selleckas the Reagan family patriarch and his family in New York City law enforcement. It’s a legendary series within the police procedural genre, so I was surprised that it was canceled. However, I was even more surprised thatNCIS: Sydneywould replace it. I’ve heard many disproving comments about how CBS handles its cancelations, and replacingBlue BloodswithSydneywill likely add to it.
The announcement further signifies a divide between what content will look like before and after a general perspective shift geared toward streaming platforms.
The announcement further signifies a divide between what content will look like before and after a general perspective shift geared toward streaming platforms. The decision mirrorsNCISbreaking a 15-year spin-off tradition, green-lighting series likeNCIS: OriginsandNCIS: Tony & Ziva,which will break from all the traditions the franchise has established concerning how it crafts spin-off series. WhileNCIS: Sydneyis theNCISfranchise’s last remaining location-based spin-off, it still embodies many of the refreshing qualities embedded in newer spin-offs, which depart from the legacy left by shows likeBlue Bloods.
AfterBlue Bloodsends,NCIS: Sydneyseason 2 will replace it in the Friday nights at 10 p.m. release slot on CBS starting in the fall 2024 midseason schedule.
What CBS Favoring NCIS: Sydney Means For The Future Of Police Procedurals
Police Procedurals Are Getting A Wider Lens
I know it’s just business, but this swap, which will unsettle some police procedural fans, signifies a more significant transition the network attempts to make.CBS favors more international, serialized storiesas it shifts from network programming to universal streaming content, which reflects our rapidly expanding interconnected world. I believe people are curious about what’s happening in other parts of the world, and it’s been neat to see theNCISfranchise lean into that. It’s introducing new cultures to American audiences and expanding its programming to other parts of the world.
NCIS: Sydneyhas a considerably interconnected storyline, and the series will come up against the same villain in season 2. It better fits the desire to cater to television being watched in longer sessions and more parts of the world. While honing in on a family of New York cops is attractive for some,I do understand CBS favoring something likeNCIS’s Sydney spin-offto something likeBlue Bloods.It represents one of the many rifts forming in the police procedural genre, as series likeNCIS: Sydney,Origins, andTony & Zivacontinue defying expectations.
NCIS: Sydney
Cast
NCIS: Sydney is an Australian crime-police procedural series and is another spin-off in the long-running NCIS franchise. The series is set in Sydney, Australia, and follows Special Agent-in-Charge Michelle Mackey as she and her fellow partners deal with various high-profile cases and crimes.
