NCIS’ Most Anticipated Spinoff Will Be Hidden Behind the Paywall, Here’s Why

Summary:

• For years, NCIS has been one of the most successful crime drama franchises on television.
• The recently announced spinoff about the family life and dangerous adventures of agents DiNozzo and Ziva in Paris promised to strengthen the franchise even more.
• However, not all fans were on board with the idea of streaming the Tiva show on Paramount Plus.

Among the many other events that took over the television and film industries in 2023, many streaming platforms continued to raise their subscription fees. Considering the reasons behind the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, these decisions were met with constant backlash, but ended up happening anyway.

While it's hard to deny the amount of quality TV shows that streaming platforms put out on a monthly basis, viewers have to draw the line somewhere on their TV spending, and all the platforms are doing is continuing to push the envelope.

To date, fans of cable shows have been somewhat insulated from these changes in the industry. However, the ever-changing environment is causing even the traditional networks to step outside their usual models. CBS' NCIS: Europe is one of the first examples of fan-favorite TV shows falling victim to big business.

Where to Watch NCIS: Europe?

Unfortunately for viewers, even the shows they know and love on cable are not safe from being moved behind the paywall. As the price of subscriptions to streaming platforms continues to rise, more and more people feel like they soon won't be able to afford the television they want to watch.

NCIS fans are no exception. Bringing Ziva and DiNozzo back to the small screen was an overwhelmingly positive move before viewers realized they'd have to get a Paramount Plus subscription to see their favorites.

In an interview with Vulture about how CBS plans to survive in a TV world that is now fully embracing streaming platforms and doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon, CBS President and CEO George Cheeks explained the thought process behind an unpopular decision:

“The whole goal here is to look at each potential creative execution and figure out where we think it ultimately should land. We had two really fantastic NCIS franchise extension ideas. One felt really right for broadcast, and one felt like a serialized streaming 10-or-13-episode idea,” he said.

NCIS won't be the only CBS original to move (partially, for now) to streaming. The Criminal Minds project Evolution is now streaming on Paramount Plus, and its success probably played a big role in the decision to split NCIS as well. So, like it or not, the Tiva-focused spinoff will only be available to those willing to pay.

If you already have your Paramount Plus subscription and can't wait for NCIS: Europe to drop, be sure to keep an eye out for all the news and behind-the-scenes updates so you don't miss the release date.

Source: Vulture