NCIS: New York is off to a strong start on CBS, and its early ratings suggest the newest addition to the long-running franchise could have a bright future beyond its first season.
The spinoff, which brings LL COOL J back as Sam Hanna alongside Scott Caan as his new partner, Nick Schaeffer, premiered on October 6, 2026. Its debut attracted an average of 5.62 million viewers, making it the second-most-watched scripted broadcast program of the night. All three NCIS series airing that Tuesday ranked among the top three scripted shows.
The premiere’s performance also marked a significant improvement over the same time slot last year. Its audience was up 53% compared with the time period premiere of NCIS: Origins in 2025 and 50% above that show’s average viewership for the previous season.
The numbers became even more impressive when multiplatform viewing was taken into account. According to Nielsen’s live-plus-seven-day figures, NCIS: New York reached 10.25 million viewers across platforms during its premiere week. That represented a 58% increase over NCIS: Origins’ performance during the same period the previous year. It also gave the series the highest multiplatform audience among the fall’s new shows for that period, with the exception of Newlyweds, whose figures were not yet available.
Ratings remain steady after the premiere
A strong debut is encouraging, but a show’s ability to maintain its audience is often just as important. So far, NCIS: New York appears to be holding its ground.
Across its first three episodes, the series averaged approximately a 0.37 rating among adults aged 18–49 and 5.18 million viewers. It has remained one of Tuesday night’s most-watched programs, suggesting that audiences are continuing to tune in beyond the premiere.
The show’s performance also benefits from CBS’s decision to build an entire night around the NCIS franchise. With NCIS, NCIS: Origins, and NCIS: New York airing on the same evening, the network appears to have found a successful programming lineup that keeps viewers engaged across multiple installments.
Could NCIS: New York be renewed for Season 2?
There is already another encouraging sign for the series: CBS has given NCIS: New York a 20-episode order, securing a full first season.
That means the show’s next major milestone is not a full-season pickup, but an official renewal announcement. Based on its early audience figures and the franchise’s continued popularity, the prospect of a second season looks promising.
Of course, ratings can change over the coming months, and CBS will likely continue monitoring the show’s performance before making a decision. However, unless viewership experiences a significant decline, NCIS: New York appears to be in a favorable position heading into the renewal conversation.
For now, the series is proving that there is still room for another chapter in the NCIS universe. Whether Sam Hanna and Nick Schaeffer will return for another season remains to be seen, but the early numbers give fans plenty of reason to be optimistic.
NCIS: New York airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on CBS.
Source: Compiled from various sources
