The loyal fans of the beloved police procedural television series were expecting the recently renewed 21st season to finally return to their television screens sometime later this year. They were eagerly hoping to see what new twists and turns the creators of the show have in store for the fans who have been religiously watching all the seasons since its inception two decades ago.
Even though the series renewal for another year was an exciting update for the NCIS-verse fandom, the cheerfulness of the news was short-lived!
We are a bit disappointed to report this to our readers, but it looks like some major changes are about to take place in the 2023–24 prime time schedule, which clearly indicates that the majority of the original series that was planned to return for the 2023 fall broadcasting season on CBS are being considered to be delayed further.
Yes, you read it right!
Sadly, with the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike, which seems no way close to reaching a resolution anytime soon unless proper conditions for the writers are taken into account, along with a possible SAG-AFTRA work stoppage, CBS might have to take a step back and consider replacing their entire approved fall schedule. As there is no way that the series will be able to go into production and produce new scripts on time unless the writer’s room doesn’t start resuming their work.
Right now, it increasingly appears that NCIS might just be one of the shows that are going to be pushed back in order to avoid any major hurdles in the way once the production starts. We are emphasizing this matter, especially after George Cheeks, President, and CEO, of CBS, and Chief Content Officer spoke about the possibility of delays in the fall 2023 lineup that didn’t factor in the potential impact of the ongoing writers’ strike during a keynote at Banff moderated by Deadline’s Peter White.
He elaborated on the revised CBS fall scheduling plans, which are expected to be officially revealed soon. “First of all, obviously it’s going to be very reality-heavy,” he said.
Moreover, George Cheeks was also asked to address the studio’s negotiations with the top Hollywood guilds and the ongoing WGA strike. He called the recently reached tentative agreement with the DGA “helpful.” Also added, “Our challenging issues are not exactly the same.” Cheeks also stated, “I still remain very hopeful that we will find compromises because it’s existential for all of us — for the studios, for the creative partners. We have got to figure this out.”
If we keep this scenario in mind, then there is a chance that the show creators may aim for the 21st season’s official release later this year or even sometime around 2024 in order to start the production process without any obstacles for the writers to begin working on it once the writer’s strike concludes. In conclusion, NCIS fans may learn more about the show’s new release date by following official statements from CBS and the show’s producers.
Until then, we can just hope and pray that the new schedule for NCIS’s return on CBS, if it ever happens, is released to the public soon so they can understand the schedule beforehand.
🚨 BIG news – get ready to grab your gear, because we’ve got more work to do. #NCIS has officially been renewed for Season 21! We’ll see you there. pic.twitter.com/Khog7IiXY1
— NCIS (@NCIS_CBS) February 21, 2023
NCIS Season 21 Plot: What can we expect from the next season?
The official synopsis of the show follows: NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) is more than just an action drama. With liberal doses of humor, it’s a show that focuses on the sometimes complex and always amusing dynamics of a team forced to work together in high-stress situations. From murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, these special agents investigate all crimes with Navy or Marine Corps ties.
The next season will pick up the plot from the final episode of Season 20, “Black Sky,” which is directed by Diana Valentine and written by Brendan Fehily and David J. North. In the episode, viewers got to see that Torres finds himself in prison as the team tries to stop an impending terror attack on U.S. soil. We expect this major cliffhanger to serve as inspiration for the upcoming season’s storyline expansion and resolution of all unanswered questions which the fans truly want.
