CBS has renewed “NCIS” for the 2013-2014 season, an unsurprising announcement for TV’s most watched program.
The renewal came on the heels of star and executive producer Mark Harmon signing a new contract extension for what will be the procedural smash’s 11th season.
In its current 10th season, “NCIS” is averaging a whopping 21.48 million viewers per week and doing a robust 4.2 rating among adults 18-49 (and an even more robust 5.9 rating among adults 25-54). Even at its advanced age, “NCIS” continues to buck traditional industry trending by growing its audience 7 percent over last season, including hitting Live+3 series highs with the 25.36 million viewers who watched the January 15 episode.
The “NCIS” renewal is a big enough deal that it earned a press release blurb from Leslie Moonves, rather than CBS President Nina Tassler.
“In a world gone niche, ‘NCIS’ keeps getting bigger, and Mark Harmon continues to define the role of leading man on the #1 show on television,” states Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation. “‘NCIS’ is the type of franchise every company wants in today”s global content ecosystem — high-quality storytelling that generates passionate viewers and drives revenue on every conceivable platform.”
Originally launched as a spinoff from NBC transplant “JAG,” “NCIS” then launched the hit drama “NCIS: Los Angeles.” A nested pilot for a potential spinoff from “NCIS: Los Angeles” will air later this spring. “NCIS” first ascended to its position as TV’s top scripted drama in the 2009-2010, while this is its first season in the top position overall, outdrawing Sunday Night Football.
In addition to Harmon, “NCIS” stars Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, Rocky Carroll, Brian Dietzen and David McCallum.