NCIS Season 23: Everything We Know So Far
Ever since the legacy TV series "JAG" quietly launched the "NCIS" universe, viewers have been graced with more military police procedural action than they could ever have hoped for. "NCIS" premiered in 2003, and after over two decades and numerous spin-offs, the show has successfully wrapped up its season 22. This, of course, begs the question: Will the train keep rolling? Can the audience expect a new season full of the Major Case Response Team's toughest investigations?
In a nutshell, the answer is yes. A new season of the CBS show will eventually bring us back to the Washington Navy Yard, because "NCIS" season 23 is most definitely coming. As for precisely when this will happen, what story arcs the upcoming season will focus on, and which familiar faces we can expect to return on both sides of the camera ... well, those are the questions that matter. Let's take a while to put everything we know about "NCIS" season 23 in one, convenient package.
When does NCIS season 23 premiere?
Let's start with the big one: When can "NCIS" faithfuls expect the show to return? Well, the bad news is that it's certainly going to be a while. The 20-episode "NCIS" season 22 wrapped up with the season finale, titled "Nexus," on May 5, 2025, so it'll take some time before the next season is looming on the CBS horizon.
CBS renewed "NCIS" — along with the spin-offs "NCIS: Origins" and "NCIS: Sydney" — in February 2025, which gives us a decent time frame for the upcoming season's premiere date. While various "NCIS" shows have premiered in January, February, March, and even June, a significant chunk of the show has been a part of the CBS fall lineup. Season 22, in particular, was announced in April 2024 and premiered in October 14, 2024. Assuming a similar production cycle, fans can expect "NCIS" season 23 to arrive sometime in Fall 2025.
What are the plot details of NCIS season 23?
From what we've heard so far, the beginning of "NCIS" season 23 will revolve around revenge. The shock ending of "NCIS" season 22 revealed that Alden Parker's (Gary Cole) father, Roman (Francis X. McCarthy), has been murdered, and as Cole said in an interview with CinemaBlend, there's a very decent chance that Alden might take a dark turn:
"I think the ground has been laid that he certainly would go outside the bounds of the law. I think it would be out of character for him to do that. I think he's certainly more than capable of that, and I can't think of a circumstance more extreme than this one that would cause him to do that."
On the less dramatic but nevertheless entertaining front, "NCIS" season 23 may be gearing up to re-explore the turbulent relationship of Jessica Knight (Katrina Law) and Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen). Per Dietzen's comments to TV Line, the future of the occasional couple is very much up in the air, but he would very much like to continue exploring it:
"I'm assuming they have a plan. And whatever's next in that plan, I think it's going to be fun. I mean, whether or not they get back together, who knows? But those scenes will be filled with some interesting stuff."
Who is in the cast of NCIS season 23?
"NCIS" season 23 will almost certainly feature all the major characters who are either active members of the team or hover in its immediate orbit. Though the cast is yet to be officially confirmed, you can almost certainly expect Gary Cole's Alden Parker, Katrina Law's Jessica Knight, Wilmer Valderrama's Nicholas Torres, Brian Dietzen's Jimmy Palmer, Sean Murray's Timothy McGee, and the rest of the Major Case Response Team gang to make a return.
On the other hand, the renewal of the spin-offs means that longtime star Mark Harmon (who currently narrates the prequel series "CSI: Origins") is even more likely to continue his absence than he was before. However, the same can't be said about the noted season 22 villain Carla Marino (Rebecca De Mornay), who's still very much on the loose and will likely be the team's main target in season 23.
Arguably, the most interesting cast-themed question is whether Michael Weatherly's Anthony DiNozzo and Cote de Pablo's Ziva David make an appearance in season 23. They have their own "NCIS" spin-off in the pipeline and DiNozzo has a relatively recent history of dropping by on the main series — he last appeared in the Ducky Mallard (David McCallum) tribute episode in "NCIS" season 21 – so it will be interesting to see whether the pair turn up on the parent show to promote their own.
Who are the writers, directors, and producers of NCIS season 23?
Barring any upcoming announcement that may disrupt the status quo, it's likely safe to expect that the key creative role behind "NCIS" remains unchanged for season 23. Since co-creator and producer Donald P. Bellisario stepped down from his showrunner role in 2007, the show has been helmed by a handful of people — but there are no signs that the current showrunner, Steven D. Binder, won't continue in his role for the upcoming season.
"NCIS" seasons feature a large cast of writers and directors, which is another thing that is highly unlikely to change for season 23. Binder will likely write an episode or two, with usual suspects like Christopher J. Waild making their own contributions. Likewise, it wouldn't be the most shocking thing in the world if some of the more prominent current "NCIS" directors like Michael Zinberg, Lionel Coleman, José Clemente Hernandez, and Diana Valentine will once again direct a few episodes of the season.
Fans can also potentially expect members of the "NCIS" cast to dabble in directing or writing the occasional episode. The one to watch is of course Rocky Carroll, who plays Leon Vance and has directed at least one episode per season since "NCIS" season 12. Another possible contributor is Brian Dietzen, who has teamed up with writer Scott Williams to write three different episodes so far.
What do we need to remember about NCIS season 22?
"NCIS" season 22 marked a monumental change in the status quo when it comes to Leroy Jethro Gibbs' successor on the show, NCIS Supervisory Special Agent Alden Parker. The character started his monumental task to pick up where Gibbs left things in season 19, and has performed quite admirably. Parker can occasionally have a temper, but overall, he's a considerably nicer and more mellow character than his predecessor. This has helped Parker differentiate himself from Gibbs, who's not only his predecessor but also the show's single most iconic character.
However, if the former FBI agent's comparative lack of a hard edge has rubbed some viewers the wrong way, "NCIS" season 2 took steps to add some steel to Parker's spine by having a mysterious assailant (who's all but confirmed to be Parker's mortal enemy, Carla Marino) kill his father at the closing moments of the season. This plot twist will likely have serious ramifications for Parker and his team in "NCIS" season 23.