Every NCIS Show Ever, Ranked From Worst to Best by Fans on Rotten Tomatoes

Even though NCIS has been on the air for more than two decades, fans still cannot get enough of the iconic procedural and all of its offshoots. The show was created back in 2003 and has since launched 4 separate spin-offs with 2 more on the way in 2025. However, not all of them are as popular as the others.

Of course, many people have high hopes for NCIS: Origins and NCIS: Tony & Ziva, but before these two shows arrive on our screens, you can always revisit older shows. Here are all of them, ranked by audience score on Rotten Tomatoes from not worth your time to absolute gems.

NCIS: Sydney (2023-...) – 27%

Even though the franchise was very excited to introduce another spinoff and expand overseas, the concept of bringing NCIS to Australia simply did not work. Even though the show follows the same template as the other spinoffs, many Aussies can attest that it wouldn't work with the Australian police system.

Realism aside, the spinoff struggles with the better half of its characters, making them too badass to be likable, but too bland to really intrigue fans and hold their attention. Were it not for the franchise name, the first season of the show would not have received nearly as much attention as it did, and it was a true miracle that it was picked up to continue with season 2.

However, this isn't the only NCIS show that took some time for viewers to get into. So if the overall premise still sounds exciting enough, you should give it a try.

NCIS: Hawai'i (2021-2024) – 52%

Although the increase from 27% to 52% is very significant, fans of the recently canceled NCIS: Hawai'i would be surprised to learn that the show that is so beloved today still doesn't even reach the 60% mark on Rotten Tomatoes.

The show got a lot of hate when it just started back in 2021. People were unhappy with the increased focus on romance, more focus on inclusivity, and less gun action that one would expect from NCIS. While the spinoff certainly wasn't for everyone, it was beautifully shot and grew on many fans over time.

Now, with the internet still buzzing with petitions and hashtag campaigns to bring NCIS back, CBS is still not backing down from the cancellation decision. Still, the three seasons that NCIS: Hawai'i managed to produce will be a great addition to any rewatch.

NCIS: New Orleans (2014-2021) – 62%

Just like every other NCIS spin-off, it took some time for the audience to get used to the New Orleans setting and the dynamic between the new team. However, the longer the show has been on the air, the more excited fans have become to see it continue.

Despite all the drama that went on behind the scenes of the show and the total number of 5 showrunners who worked on the 7 seasons, NCIS: New Orleans somehow managed to impress the audience even more.

However, the cast must have been exhausted by several ongoing investigations and gossip surrounding them, so when the show was canceled, no one really fought for a comeback. Today, though, it feels like New Orleans had a lot more potential to explore in the future, and ended up being cut way too early.

NCIS: Los Angeles (2009-2023) – 63%

Considering that Los Angeles was the first NCIS spin-off ever created and not even the first to end, one would expect a higher rating. However, it's the longevity of the show that ultimately made it less and less interesting to viewers.

NCIS: Los Angeles lasted for 14 seasons and experienced the highest of highs, receiving praise from both TV critics and general audiences, and the lowest of lows. The show exhausted its premise and dragged on to the point where viewers tuned in to watch it out of habit, with no excitement for any of the plots.

Though it was good, and some of the earlier seasons will probably bring a lot of joy to any NCIS fan, the best thing to do when re-watching this spinoff is to drop it the minute you get bored and not ruin the impression you had.

NCIS (2003-...) – 83%

As is often the case with big TV franchises, there is no spin-off that can match the excellence of the original show. Even though it is also based on another series, JAG, NCIS has managed to truly grow into its own universe that originally drew viewers in with all the mystery and action and made them fall in love with all the wonderful characters.

Even 21 years after the first episode was released, viewers are just as excited to tune in for another season, and even more excited to see their favorites return for other spin-offs. For now, though, it's anyone's guess whether any of them will ever beat the ratings of NCIS.