‘NCIS’ Season 24 Episode 3 Release Date, Time, Where to Watch and Preview
‘NCIS’ returns to CBS on Tuesday, October 20, with an episode titled ‘Sleeping Dogs’. The story centers on Nick Torres and an undercover identity he believed was long retired. It arrives as the long running procedural settles into a new weekly rhythm after a premiere that carried a lot of unfinished business.
For viewers planning their week, this guide covers the ‘NCIS’ release date, the air time, the streaming options and a preview of the case ahead. The episode follows two installments that have already reshaped the season, so a short look back is included for anyone catching up.
‘NCIS’ Release Date and Episode Schedule
‘Sleeping Dogs’ is scheduled to air on Tuesday, October 20, on the CBS Television Network. That places it exactly one week after the previous episode, which fits the pattern the network has followed since the season began.
The season opened on October 6 with ‘Wayward Son’, and ‘Clean Slate’ followed on October 13. After the premiere, one new episode is scheduled each week on Tuesdays at 8 p.m.
The episode is written by Marco Schnabel and directed by José Clemente Hernandez. Production on the full season effectively began in mid July.
The total episode count for the season has not been announced, and neither has a finale date. That means the weekly Tuesday schedule is the only firm guide viewers have for now.
Air Time and Where to Watch the Latest ‘NCIS’
The episode airs from 8 to 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time on CBS. Viewers in other time zones should check their local CBS listings, since the broadcast follows the standard primetime window.
Anyone with an antenna or a cable package can tune in live at the scheduled time. Paramount+ Premium subscribers can watch live as episodes air on CBS, while all subscribers can stream on demand the day after.
The ‘NCIS’ hour sits inside a Tuesday night block, with ‘NCIS: New York’ and ‘NCIS: Origins’ following with new episodes. For fans of the franchise, that makes the evening an easy one to plan around.
‘Sleeping Dogs’ Episode Preview and the Return of a Past Identity
The official synopsis says Torres’ retired undercover identity is used to commit a string of murders. He is forced to team up with his former handler and face a darker version of himself that he thought he had left behind. It is a premise that promises a personal case rather than a standard procedural puzzle.
Mike O’Malley guest stars as Walt Keller, described as Torres’ grizzled former handler. O’Malley is a ‘Glee’ and ‘Heels’ alum who has worked across many genres. His arrival suggests the story will lean on history between the two men.
Wilmer Valderrama, who plays Torres, previously teased a major shakeup after the last season’s finale cliffhanger. A story that digs into Torres’ undercover past could be one way the series follows through on that promise.
What Came Before in the New ‘NCIS’ Season
‘Wayward Son’ dealt with the fallout from the shooting involving McGee’s son while the team investigated a threat to the Secretary of the Navy. Tony DiNozzo arrived in Washington to open a satellite office of his private security firm and offered help.
‘Clean Slate’ followed with a murder after a neighborhood dinner party, where the team found that every guest was lying. The episode set a more standalone tone after the premiere’s heavier continuity.
Michael Weatherly’s return as Tony was announced on July 1 as a season long arc. Rocky Carroll is not expected to return as a series regular after his character, Director Leon Vance, was killed off. The season also marks Sean Murray’s 500th episode.
With Torres facing a version of himself he thought he had buried, and a former handler who knows exactly what that cost him, how far do you think ‘Sleeping Dogs’ should go in rewriting the character’s undercover history?
