The Legacy TV Series That Quietly Launched The NCIS Universe

When “NCIS” premiered on CBS during the fall television season of 2003 (initially as “Navy: NCIS), there was good reason to expect it would be a solid performer for the network. Created by noted TV hitmaker Donald P. Bellisario (“Magnum P.I.,” “Quantum Leap”) and Don McGill, the military procedural entered the marketplace during a moment of extreme war hawkishness in the United States, which was taking out its 9/11 frustrations on Iraq for reasons we now know were extremely dubious. Many viewers were amped up about anything relating to Americans in uniform, and they already loved crime-of-the-week dramas, so surely this would hit one if not both sweet spots.

NCIS” also had the good fortune to land prime Tuesday night real estate at 8 PM, where ABC and NBC were struggling to make some direly unfunny sitcoms work (like “8 Simple Rules” and “Whoopi”). The WB had solid niche performer “Gilmore Girls,” while Fox would have the ratings juggernaut “American Idol” returning in the winter, but until then “NCIS” was well positioned to win its time slot as a meat-and-potatoes hour-long headed up the eminently