CBS’ Naval Criminal Investigative Service is heading Down Under for its first international edition.
“NCIS: Sydney,” premiering Tuesday (8 EST/PST and streaming on Paramount+), is the fourth spinoff of last season’s most popular scripted broadcast series. It follows stateside versions based in Los Angeles (2009-23), New Orleans (2014-21) and Hawaii, which debuted in 2021. Though initially intended only for Australian viewers, the CBS-produced series was picked up to help fill a schedule affected by writers and actors strikes, both resolved as of last week.
“You’ve got the world’s largest (natural) harbor, and (a continent) in the most contested patch of water on the planet,” says “Sydney” creator Morgan O’Neill. “It’s astonishing that ‘NCIS: Sydney’ doesn’t already exist. It’s a really fertile ground for telling the type of stories that the ‘NCIS’ franchise tells.”
‘NCIS: Sydney’ upside-down commercials
The network had some fun with NFL viewers Sunday, airing promos for “Sydney” that were upside down, playing off the the continent being known as “Down Under.” Some questioned on X, formerly Twitter, whether the commercial aired upside for everyone. Others were split as to whether the stunt was “great marketing” or nausea-inducing and “annoying.”
Main ‘Sydney’ characters ‘lock horns’ during premiere
The Royal Australian Navy granted access to film on its bases, ships and helicopters, O’Neill says. The executive producer also spoke to actual members of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the agency that probes crimes involving members of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, to understand how they partner with Australian authorities.