NCISis one of the most popular TV shows, and for good reason, but there are also many similar shows that deserve the same attention.NCIShas been on the air for over 20 years and has also led to the formation of severalNCISspinoffs. The show has managed to maintain its popularity despite numerous cast changes and character exits, highlighting the success of its formula. RecentNCISseasonshave even revealed the exit of major main characters, demonstrating its ongoing development.
NCIS’s popularity over the years can be attributed to its familiarity, routine, and likable characters. However,NCISis just one of many procedural TV shows that highlight charismatic characters who work together to bring criminals to justice.The niche ofNCISis that it focuses on crimes related to Navy and Marine Corps personnel, and while every show has its own focus, there are a few crime shows that stand out as being most similar toNCIS.
NCIS: Los Angeles
Cast
NCIS: Los Angeles began in 2009 and currently has 14 seasons. Created by Shane Brennan, the release is the second installment in the NCIS franchise and the first major spinoff. The premise follows a group of special agents within the Naval Criminal Investigative Service as they aim to investigate and protect people in the Lost Angeles area.
NCISfans are in luck if they are looking for similar shows as there are plenty of spinoffs in the franchise that they can check out next. LikeCSI: Crime Scene Investigation,NCIShas simply taken the set-up and premise of the show to new locations with a new set of characters taking over the story. The firstNCISspinoff came in 2009 withNCIS: Los Angelesstarring Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J, which ran until 2023.
While the Los Ageles-based show also dealt with a team of law enforcement officers focusing on military crimes, there were also a lot of undercover missions explored in this series which added a fun element. It was followed byNCIS: New Orleans, which starred Scott Bakula in the lead role. There have also beenNCIS: Hawaiiand the Australian seriesNCIS: Sydney, all of which offer the kind of police procedural excitement fans of the genre will love.
NCIS: Origins
NCIS: Origins is set in 1991, preceding the events of the original series. The series introduces Leroy Jethro Gibbs as a new special agent at NCIS Camp Pendleton. Under the leadership of NCIS legend Mike Franks, Gibbs navigates his role within a tenacious, unconventional team.
Stepping away from the typicalNCISspinoffs that changed locations and characters,NCIS: Originsprovided the franchise with its first prequel series.Mark Harmon’s Gibbs leftNCISin season 19, taking away one of the show’s most beloved characters. However, the character makes a return alongside some other key characters from the franchise inNCIS: Origins,which follows Gibbs’s earlier days on the job, withAustin Stowell stepping into the role and Harmon serving as narrator.
The 1990s setting provides an interesting touch, but the show stays true to its roots as anNCISshow with compelling cases and likable heroes. It is a lot of fun getting to go on the job with Gibbs when he was not quite as experienced as he was when fans met him in the original series. Despite the daunting task, Stowell steps into the beloved role with ease.
Bones
Bones is a crime drama series centered around Dr. Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist at the Jeffersonian’s Medico-Legal Lab, who, along with Special Agent Seeley Booth, solves murder cases involving severely decomposed remains that defy standard identification methods.
NCISis one of those police procedural shows that excel because of the diverse team on hand to solve the cases. While it is fun to follow capable and stoic agents as they take down bad guys, their adventures are elevated when they are also dealing with lab technicians and those team members who are not as experienced in the field. There are a number of shows that strive for this dynamic, butBonesis one of the best.
The setup makes for a lot of interesting cases and some clever ways for Temperance’s skills to come in handy.
Bonesstars Emily Deschanel as Temperance “Bones” Brennan, a forensic anthropologist whose expertise in examining fossils and old bones leads to her working alongside David Boreanaz as FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth. The setup makes for a lot of interesting cases and some clever ways for Temperance’s skills to come in handy. However,the real charm of the series is the funny, romantic, and conflicting relationship between the two characters, who are very different people.
Vigil
Vigil is a British crime drama series that takes place aboard a Trident nuclear submarine. DCI Amy Silva (Suranne Jones) investigates a mysterious death within the closed confines of the submarine, revealing complex conspiracies and intense rivalries as she works to uncover the truth while maintaining national security.
British crime serieshave become the new obsession of many fans of police procedurals. Instead of having the long 20+ episode seasons of a typical American police series, these British shows tell more serious, dark, and involved stories over the course of only a few episodes per season. While shows likeBroadchurchandHappy Valleystand out as the best British crime shows,Vigiloffers something that is especially attractive forNCISfans.
The show is another series that deals with investigations into cases involving the military. The series stars Suranne Jones as Amy Silva and Rose Leslie as Kirsten Longacre,two Scottish detectives and romantic partners who find themselves wrapped up in conspiracies involving the military. The first season dealt with the duo investigating a mysterious death aboard a submarine, while the second involved a drone attack. These cases extend across the entire season of the show, making for gripping and complex mysteries.
Line of Duty
The story in each season deals with a conflict within a police department between the regular forces and the internal affairs or “anti-corruption” unit. Thematically, it is concerned with the moral ambiguities that arise when policemen investigate their own.
With so many police procedural shows out there, a series needs to find an interesting and unique approach to stand out. ForNCIS, the focus on the military makes for a lot of exciting cases. It also explores the idea of the flawed people who can be in these positions and takes a look at the corruption and evil that can exist in places known for heroism. That is also the approach taken with the intense and exciting British seriesLine of Duty.
This is another crime show dealing with cops, however,they are a team of officers who investigate the crimes of other police officers. The show offers a more in-depth and dark look at the distinction between heroes and criminals while also reflecting on the fact that justice within the police system can also be imperfect.
Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds follows an elite team of FBI profilers from the Behavioral Analysis Unit as they analyze the nation’s most complex criminal minds, led by experienced agent David Rossi. The team works to anticipate and prevent crimes by understanding the behavior of these dangerous individuals.
Criminal Mindsis another long-running TV show that shares a lot of similarities toNCIS. It focuses on FBI profilers who work together to try and get into the mindset of serious criminals in order to stop them before they attack again.Criminal Mindsis also another long-running TV series that has led to spinoffs, includingCriminal Minds: Suspect BehaviorandCriminal Minds: Beyond Borders.Criminal Mindsepisodes are known to feature strange and interesting plots that make the show so appealing.
The show features a brilliant cast that partially resemblesNCISin the way that each character is different, but they all work together to form a cohesive team. WhileCriminal Mindsfeatures the FBI, whereasNCISfeatures its own team, both shows portray the teams investigating crimes and developing trusting relationships with each other.Criminal Mindsis another highly popular police procedural with an exciting and brilliant cast, and it is definitely worth watching.
Law & Order
Law & Order is a procedural crime drama series that premiered in 1990, featuring New York City police detectives and prosecutors as they investigate and prosecute serious crimes. The show is known for its two-part approach, dividing between the crime-solving efforts of the detectives and the legal proceedings in court.
Law & Orderis a highly captivating TV show that focuses on the intersection of detectives and prosecutors to bring perpetrators to justice. The show originally ran for 20 years before being canceled in 2010 following season 20. However,Law & Orderwas renewed in 2022 and has been gaining popularity ever since.The revival featured a mainly new team with only two returning cast membersbut continued the format of the episodes that made the show so popular.
The greatest part ofLaw & Orderis that it mixes police work with legal procedures and loopholes. Police procedurals typically focus solely on work done on the front lines, butwithLaw & Order, there is a large emphasis on work that happens behind the sceneswhen trying to convict a criminal. Just likeNCIS,Law & Ordercharacters are likable, charismatic, and have a strong sense of justice.
Chicago P.D.
Chicago P.D.: This police drama, set in Chicago’s District 21, follows the distinct units within the Chicago Police Department—uniformed officers addressing street crimes and an Intelligence Unit tackling major offenses such as organized crime and drug trafficking, capturing the dedication of those who serve and protect their community.
Chicago P.D.follows the everyday cops of Chicago as they investigate and bring down Chicago’s most dangerous criminals.Chicago P.D.is a spinoff fromChicago Fireand is one of several TV shows in theOne Chicagouniverse. The series is very similar toNCISin that it also focuses on a team as they work together to deal with a new crime in every episode.
Similar toNCIS,Chicago P.D.is led by a strong and loyal leader.Sergeant Hank Voight leads theChicago P.D.team and guides his team in a strong quest for justice. LikeNCIS’s Jethro Gibbs, Voight also has a tough exterior and is tough on crime. He helps bring his team together in order to protect the city he loves the most.Chicago P.D.is another similar show toNCISand will appeal to the show’s fanbase.
Law and Order: SVU
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU) is a procedural crime drama series created by Dick Wolf that follows cases handled by a fictional New York Police Department’s 16th precinct that centers around sexually-based crimes. The Show follows a rotating group of detectives that will tackle some of the most heinous crimes while trying to help the victims - and themselves - adjust to the new normal as the darkness in the world reveals itself with each new case.
A spinoff fromLaw & Order,Law & Order: Special Victims Unitfollows a special team of detectives and prosecutors whose purpose is to fight New York City’s most heinous crimes. The team is led by Mariska Hargitay’s Olivia Benson, whose pursuit of justice and passion for victims cements her as one of the greatest show leads in a police procedural.The team typically deals with crimes related to sexual assaults and more sensitive matters, which separates it fromLaw & Order.
Law & Order: SVUis a very serious show due to its serious subject. It is similar toNCISin that respect becauseit does not use humor to reduce the impact of the cases the team deals with. The show mainly emphasizes the cases that the team investigates, with a smaller focus on the main characters' personal lives, just likeNCIS.
S.W.A.T.
S.W.A.T. (2017): This crime-action series follows a locally born S.W.A.T. lieutenant in Los Angeles who must navigate his loyalties between the streets and his duty to commanding a highly-trained unit responsible for resolving challenging crimes. The series explores themes of allegiance, justice, and responsibility within law enforcement.
A remake of the classic crime show from the 1970s,S.W.A.T.is a captivating and action-packed show that follows the team members of the LAPD’s SWAT unit as they investigate and fight crime.The team is led by the strong and loyal Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson, played by Shemar Moore. LikeNCIS,S.W.A.T.focuses on crimes on a case-by-case basis, with each episode featuring a different crime. The show also examines the characters' personal lives, as Hondo’s partner Nichelle becomes a major part of the series.
WhileNCISfeatures a lot of action-packed scenes,S.W.A.T.does emphasize the action a little more.The team is mainly seen on the field while in pursuit of criminals, with less time being spent at headquarters thanNCIS’s team. The two shows have some differences, but bothS.W.A.T.andNCISfeature a strong cast of trusting characters.
