NCIS Already Had a Perfect Spinoff In Works, but It Got Axed 11 Years Ago
Could it still be salvaged?
Right now, it feels like NCIS and a couple of its spin-offs are on everyone's mind. The show, which passed the two-decade milestone, not only hasn't tired its viewers out, it's found two new offshoots to expand its universe and continue its battle with NBC's Law & Order for the longest-running procedural.
Of course, viewers' attention is now divided between NCIS: Origins, which will tell the origin story of Agent Gibbs, previously played by Mark Harmon, and NCIS: Tony & Ziva, which will follow the lives of two former agents after they escape to Europe.
However, the most loyal fans still remember how the franchise lost what could have been its best spin-off 11 years ago.
Why Was NCIS: Red Canceled?
Originally, NCIS: Red was not supposed to be a spin-off of the original NCIS series, but of NCIS: Los Angeles. Since NCIS has always been keen on creating more location-based spinoffs with pretty much the same premise, like NCIS: Hawaii or NCIS: New Orleans, the creators decided to break the same cycle.
NCIS: Red was unique among the other NCIS shows in that it didn't follow the same premise. Instead, the show would be about the mobile team that was based in one place but traveled around the country to investigate cases.
To say that the spinoff was given a fair chance would be an understatement. It had already cast its regulars, John Corbett, Kim Raver and Scott Grimes, and had its own two-part pilot that was released as part of NCIS: Los Angeles Season 4, just as the original show was introduced to viewers via JAG.
However, all the effort was for naught, and the show was canceled by CBS in 2013 before it had a chance to air a single stand-alone episode. The explanation for what exactly went wrong with the spinoff was as vague as it gets. In a statement to Digital Spy, then-CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler said:
"Sometimes [spinoffs] work and sometimes they don't. Protecting [the franchise] was really important," she said.
So far, NCIS has been very lucky with all the spinoffs it has released, so if there was a chance that NCIS: Red was a misstep for the franchise as a whole, the decision is completely understandable. Still, it would have been interesting to see the team working in different parts of the country. But maybe this premise will be used in the future.
If you are intrigued by NCIS: Origins and NCIS: Tony & Ziva, two new spin-offs that have been greenlit, be sure to keep an eye out for more news and behind-the-scenes updates so you don't miss a premiere date.
Source: Digital Spy