‘NCIS’ Season 24 Release Date, Time, Where to Watch and Preview
The long-running CBS procedural ‘NCIS’ returns today with a new season that has a cliffhanger to resolve and a familiar face coming back. The premiere airs on CBS on Tuesday, October 6, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. After more than two decades on the air, the series is still going strong.
This guide covers the release date, the time slot, how to stream, and what the premiere sets up for the new season of ‘NCIS’. Fans have waited months to learn how the finale’s final shot plays out, and the first episode looks ready to answer that question.
‘NCIS’ Release Date and Premiere Night Lineup
CBS set its fall premiere dates over the summer, and the network placed the return of its flagship crime drama on October 6. The date falls during what the network calls premiere week, which brings back most of its scripted shows.
The evening is built as a three hour block. A new spinoff set in New York follows at 9 p.m., and the prequel series returns for its third season at 10 p.m. That makes Tuesday the busiest night yet for the franchise.
After the premiere, one new episode is scheduled each week on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The same outlet reports that the third episode is titled “Sleeping Dogs” and airs on October 20. Recent seasons have run 20 to 22 episodes, and most expect that pattern to hold.
What Time ‘NCIS’ Airs on CBS
The new season begins at 8 p.m. ET on October 6. The show anchors the start of the night and leads into the two related series that follow it.
The slot is a familiar one for longtime viewers. The series spent a few seasons on Mondays before reclaiming its Tuesday home last year. CBS appears to be sticking with what works.
Last season premiered on October 14, 2025, and wrapped on May 12, 2026, after 20 episodes. It also included the show’s 500th episode, which underlines how deep the series has become.
Where to Watch ‘NCIS’ on Paramount+ and CBS
New episodes air on CBS and are also available to stream on Paramount+. Anyone with an antenna or a cable package can tune in live at the scheduled time.
For streamers, the timing depends on the plan. Paramount+ Premium subscribers can watch live as episodes air on CBS, while all subscribers can stream on demand the day after. That means a next day viewing option is available for those who miss the broadcast.
Newcomers and returning fans can also catch up before tonight. Earlier seasons are available on Paramount+, along with several franchise spinoffs. The cliffhanger will land harder for anyone who revisits the finale first.
‘NCIS’ Preview and What the New Season Sets Up
The premiere is titled “Wayward Son,” written by Steven D. Binder and Christopher J. Waild and directed by Diana Valentine. The team deals with the fallout from the shooting involving McGee’s son while investigating a mysterious new threat to the Secretary of the Navy.
That shooting comes from the end of last season. The finale closed on a shot ringing out after a standoff between Torres and Mateo, McGee’s eldest son. Showrunner Steven D. Binder confirmed that someone was hit, yet the trailer shows Torres alive and a McGee who does not appear to have lost a child.
The unexpected help comes from Tony DiNozzo. Michael Weatherly returns as a recurring guest star for a significant arc across the season. Tony arrives in D.C. to open a satellite office of his private security firm. In the trailer he warns the team that something very bad is coming.
Behind the reunion, the team is changing. Rocky Carroll is not expected back as a series regular after his character, Director Leon Vance, was killed off last season. Wilmer Valderrama has teased a major shakeup and new additions to the team. Reports also point to a potential new NCIS boss. If Tony’s return as an outsider offering help feels like the right way to bring Weatherly back while the team mourns Vance, are you ready to see him fully back at the Navy Yard desk, or should he keep his distance?
