15 TV Shows To Watch If You Like NCIS

In some ways, "NCIS" is without comparison in its genre. The military police procedural has survived the departure of some of its favorite characters, constantly evolving while staying true to its core. It has even managed to introduce an array of excellent and memorable antagonists, despite the fact that even the best "NCIS" villains are often fairly short-lived. That's all very impressive, especially for a show that has been going strong since 2003 and lost its biggest star when Mark Harmon's Leroy Jethro Gibbs exited "NCIS" after 19 seasons in 2021.

Of course, in other, arguably more accurate ways, "NCIS" is just one hefty fish in a vast ocean of thematic procedurals. This means that there are plenty of other shows that share similar DNA, which is great news for fans who have made their way through the entire show and are looking for the next great police procedural to be obsessed with. Here's a collection of 15 shows that are more than likely to make any "NCIS" fan happy as a clam.

Did someone order a classic, investigation-themed procedural that focuses on its colorful cast of characters as much as it does on the cases at hand? Here's Anthony E. Zuiker's "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," which debuted in 2000 and spent a good few years as the uncontested king of forensic procedurals.

By focusing on a team of forensic specialists instead of rough-and-tumble detectives, "CSI" laid the path for the many deduction-based investigation shows that would go on to rule the procedural roost. This focus on the scientific side of criminal cases allowed for a character roster of awkward, flawed, and overall interesting characters that were a far cry from your average cop show cast. This helped perfect a winning formula that combined captivating, character-driven drama with grim investigations.

After several spin-offs and 15 seasons, the original "CSI" bowed out in 2015, having left a lasting impression in the world of TV. If you love "NCIS" and somehow have managed to avoid "CSI" so far, it should absolutely be your next procedural destination.

Dun dun! For those who are looking for a show like "NCIS" that shares a comparable pedigree, the granddaddy of themed procedurals is a natural addition to the viewing list. Dick Wolf's "Law & Order" debuted on NBC in 1990 and is still going strong, which means there are even more seasons to binge than "NCIS" can offer. The show's famous split between standard police procedural and legal drama has proven to be an enduring hit for a reason: It's a fantastic watch that offers the rare combination of a set formula and opportunities for nigh-endless variations to keep things fresh.

Every "Law & Order" show dates back to the original, which means that both this series and "NCIS" are members of the exclusive franchise starter club. There are other similarities, too. Both "Law & Order" and "NCIS" are heavily character-driven series that balance police procedural aspects with another, equally important theme — legal drama in the former's case, military drama in the latter's.

Take a generous scoop of "NCIS," substitute the Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the FBI and the Major Case Response Team with the Behavioral Analysis Unit, and you've got Jeff Davis' "Criminal Minds." The eccentric, yet capable team members of the Quantico-based "Criminal Minds" team are also very similar to the ones you'll find wandering the Washington Navy Yard. Pick a random episode, take a look at the likes of Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) or Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), and see if you can claim that they wouldn't have a whale of a time sharing experiences with Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette).

Due to its profiler-themed premise, the "Criminal Minds" characters often find themselves in the middle of serial killer investigations and other urgent situations where they have to find the "unsub" (unknown subject) of the hour while the clock is ticking. This sense of urgency and a comparatively grounded approach make "Criminal Minds" a great show for any "NCIS" fan who appreciates an added pinch of realism.

There's no avoiding Donald P. Bellisario's "JAG" on a list of shows like "NCIS." After all, the latter wouldn't exist without the former, seeing as the two-part "JAG" Season 8 backdoor pilot "Ice Queen"/"Meltdown" introduced the NCIS team to the world. 

The "NCIS" precursor's acronym stands for the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General's office, and many elements that would later make the "NCIS" family of shows so popular are already present here. In David James Elliott's Harmon "Harm" Rabb Jr., we have a central character with a magnificent name. There's a team of capable, personable figures, and a never-ending series of amazing Navy-themed cases for them to dive into. The major difference is that "JAG" is principally a military legal drama, while "NCIS" is more procedural-minded. "JAG" also often uses real cases as inspiration for its plots, which was also the premise "NCIS" was originally built on, according to Mark Harmon.

Considering the legacy of "NCIS," it would be easy to write "JAG" off as a side note in the show's history. However, the legal drama was a juggernaut in its own right, running for 10 seasons between 1995 and 2005 and winning three Emmys. As such, the show is essential viewing for "NCIS" completionists and casual fans alike.

If you've ever found yourself hoping that the more eccentric characters on "NCIS" would receive even more screen time, ABC's "High Potential" has you covered. "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" star Kaitlin Olson is fantastic as Morgan Gillory, the chaotic, garishly dressed genius who's drifted aimlessly in life until she almost accidentally becomes a consultant for the Los Angeles Police Department.

Morgan's combination of a highly peculiar personality, extreme intelligence, and surprising situational toughness will resonate with anyone who's found themselves enjoying the "NCIS" episodes that put Abby Sciuto front and center. Her rapport (and the occasional lack thereof) with her colleagues also adds to the "NCIS"-esque character-driven experience, as does the heavy focus on her personal life. Granted, "High Potential" is a decidedly more comedic show than "NCIS," but it's not like life in the Major Case Response Team is completely without its humorous moments either, is it?

"NCIS" often veers toward full-on military action drama, and for fans of that aspect of the show, "SEAL Team" is a perfect companion series. Just like "NCIS" does, "SEAL Team" focuses on a very special Navy unit — namely, Bravo Team of Navy SEALs, led by Jason Hayes (David Boreanaz).

"SEAL Team" has been noted for its realism, which gives it a refreshing spin on the military show theme. It offers viewers a different flavor of Navy life than "NCIS," while still providing a similar structure with its unit of specialists who play their role in the grand scheme of things.

Cancellation news hit "SEAL Team" while Season 7 was mostly written, so you shouldn't expect a decades-long run here. Still, the show's focus on the team's relationships and the dangerous missions that they tackle on a regular basis make the show a fitting watch for fans who love both the character work and action-oriented aspects of "NCIS." 

If you enjoy the "NCIS" arcs that veer toward the grim and brutal side, look no further than Hart Hanson's Fox procedural "Bones." If you're more into the show's character chemistry and romantic subplots, well — look no further than "Bones."

The show is basically about three things: a long string of morbid crime cases, the peculiar use of criminal anthropology to solve them, and the incredibly long and turbulent arc of main characters Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz again). Deschanel and Boreanaz followed an important "Bones" agreement to help each other portray their characters and their evolving relationship to the best of their ability. Aided by a capable supporting cast and some truly interesting villains, this makes for a show that's dynamic and complex, but still wholly unafraid to get goofy and deliver that comfort watch procedural goodness. In other words, the "Bones" recipe for success is one that "NCIS" fans are no doubt familiar with.

If we're being honest, pretty much every "Law & Order" show skirts close enough to "NCIS" to be a fitting companion watch for the CBS juggernaut. However, in the interest of not making this list just about a handful of procedural franchise spin-offs, let's limit our entries to two shows per series.

With that, it's pretty clear what the second "Law & Order" show on this list should be, both because "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" is arguably the finest show in the franchise and because Mariska Hargitay's Olivia Benson would likely get along swimmingly with Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Due to its focus on often incredibly horrid sex crimes, "SVU" is a good touch darker than "NCIS." Still, the two shows very much share the same core procedural DNA. The two also share a similarly impressive longevity: "SVU" has been running since 1999, so there's plenty of entertainment to sit through here. 

Both "NCIS" and "The Blacklist" focus on a carefully selected team of experts tackling a highly specific subset of the criminal element. The difference is that on "The Blacklist," one of the very top level criminals they'd normally hunt is actually working with the team. Or is he?

Granted, "NCIS" doesn't really have anything that compares to the very specific dynamic between international criminal mastermind turned FBI consultant Raymond Reddington (James Spader) and young profiler Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone). However, the two shows undeniably share a similar case-of-the-week vibe where determined but often conflicted investigators chase entertaining villains through unconventional means. Though his role on the show is different, Red often comes across as an affable, yet intense and capable leader type who could easily be a NCIS Supervisory Special Agent — which isn't exactly surprising since his backstory involves a lengthy stint as a Naval Intelligence officer. 

If Red isn't your vibe, Harold Cooper (Harry Lennix), another Navy guy, is a good fit for a more traditional chief archetype. His FBI task force is the exact kind of ragtag agent collection that "NCIS" favors, so fans of the CBS show are at home here. There's also another, more subtle connection between "The Blacklist" and "NCIS" universes. Diany Rodriguez plays both Weecha Xiu on "The Blacklist" and Vera Strickland on "NCIS: Origins."

"NCIS" has inspired an impressive number of spin-offs over the years; "NCIS: Los Angeles," "NCIS: New Orleans," "NCIS: Hawai'i," "NCIS: Sydney," "NCIS: Origins," and "NCIS: Tony & Ziva." In all honesty, all of them deserve a place on the list by the simple virtue of, well, being "NCIS" shows. However, the "Law & Order" rule applies here, as well — "JAG" notwithstanding, only two "NCIS" shows can make the cut.

Our first pick from the "NCIS" franchise is, quite naturally, the other show that start Leroy Jethro Gibbs. "NCIS: Origins" looks into the early years of Mark Harmon's iconic Major Case Response Team leader. It retains Harmon's services as the narrator and rare onscreen presence, but stars Austin Stowell as the character's younger version. 

The year is 1991, Gibbs has just joined the Camp Pendleton office of Naval Investigative Service, and things are going to get very interesting. Gina Lucita Monreal and David J. North's prequel spin-off is a fun watch that features numerous younger versions of fan-favorite "NCIS" characters and a healthy cast of fresh faces. Both different enough to stand out and familiar enough to satisfy, fans of classic "NCIS" are liable to enjoy this comparatively fresh spin of the recipe.

Dick Wolf and Craig Turk's "FBI" focuses on New York City instead of the wider geographical net of investigations "NCIS" prefers, but the two action-tinted procedurals would have no trouble fitting in the same table at a social gathering. Missy Peregrym's Maggie Bell and Zeeko Zaki's OA Zidan are charming leads who anchor their team of specialists.

Like "NCIS," the show often deals with cases that are levels above your average whodunnit. The FBI New York office tends to busy itself with major situations that could potentially have nationwide ramifications, from terror threats to hacktivists and complex organized crime plots. Along with investigative elements, the show is rife with tense action, suspect chases, and various personal life quirks and crises that humanize the characters.

As it happens, there's plenty more to watch if "FBI" isn't enough to scratch that procedural itch. The show is a part of Wolf's larger universe, with connections to the One Chicago franchise in particular. Pay attention to Tracy Spiridakos' "Chicago P.D." character Hailey Upton dropping by in the Season 2 episode "Emotional Rescue."

David Caruso may have been one of those actors who regretted quitting their TV shows when his post-"NYPD Blue" film career didn't pan out, but boy, did he bounce back with a vengeance. With his laconic wit and meme-worthy sunglasses game, "CSI: Miami" main character Horatio Caine (Caruso) is a card-carrying member of the same club of hard lawmen with a tragic backstory and who are willing to get the job done by any means necessary that Leroy Jethro Gibbs belongs to. His team is also very much what an "NCIS" fan would hope to see in an enticing procedural: a balanced group full of strong personalities, quirks, and just the right amount of tension. As such, those who enjoy "CSI" but feel that it'd need to be slightly sillier to fully capture that "NCIS" vibe should look no further than "CSI: Miami."

"CSI: Miami" isn't a joke show, but it very much knows how to be a fun one. Unlike its progenitor series (but very much like "NCIS"), "Miami" isn't all that concerned with the hard science aspects, which allows supercop Horatio and his team a lot of comic book-y freedom. Granted, some of the episodes are pretty out there — but for "NCIS" veterans who are used to stuff like an experimental AI chatbot hijacking the investigation, this'll only make things seem more familiar.

As long-running CBS action procedurals go, there's no reason to sleep on the highly entertaining "Hawaii Five-0." Led by ex-Navy SEAL Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin), the titular Five-0 task force is a capable misfit collection of the "NCIS" variety — only with significantly more palm trees surrounding the action. 

The extremely Major Case Response Team-like Five-0 task force technically operates under the Hawaii Department of Public Safety, but in practice they're just as free to do anything to solve their cases as Leroy Jethro Gibbs ever was. This gives the show a very similar rogue cowboy vibe that "NCIS" often has, making "Hawaii Five-0" a distinct spiritual sibling even though the two shows don't exist in the same universe.

Peter M. Lenkov, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci's Hawaii-based cop show is a reboot of the Emmy-winning 1968 series "Hawaii Five-O," which ran for 12 seasons. As such, if you find yourself in a Hawaii-themed cop show rabbit hole and the reboot's 10-season run isn't enough for you, well ... you have options. 

The second "NCIS" spin-off on the menu is obviously the most obvious selection out of the lot; Shane Brennan's "NCIS: Los Angeles" is inherently connected to the original, not least because of Rocky Carroll's Leon Vance being an enthusiastic presence in the early seasons. However, the show is also very much its own thing, focusing on the undercover buddies G. Callen (Chris O'Donnell) and Sam Hanna (LL Cool J) and the team around them.

"NCIS: Los Angeles" is noticeably more action-oriented than its parent series, and often closer to an espionage series than a military police procedural. This is particularly notable by the way the show's Leroy Jethro Gibbs equivalent, Hetty Lange (Linda Hunt), plays the game as a well-connected spymaster, as opposed to Gibbs' field-oriented take on the role of an NCIS Supervisory Special Agent. Still, there's an abundance of recognizable "NCIS" elements in the mix, which guarantees fans of the original show plenty of bang for their buck.

"Line of Duty" gives viewers an inside tour of British law enforcement, as shown by the day-to-day activities of a special team with the grim task of upholding the law among their own people. Much like the "NCIS" characters often find themselves investigating the misdeeds of uniformed officers, the Anti-Corruption Unit 12 of "Line of Duty" brings the heat on bad apples in the police.

If you're otherwise fond of "NCIS" but wish that its villains would get larger story arcs, "Line of Duty" scratches the itch extremely well. The show's seasons tend to devote plenty of time into the investigation that goes into bringing down corrupt cops, and allows the unit's targets plenty of time to develop. This results in nuanced antagonists like "The Walking Dead" star Lennie James' DCI Tony Gates, which in turn adds stakes and depth to the AC-12 team's tricky and complicated investigations.