The Biggest Show On Earth

With over 18 million viewers in more than 200 territories worldwide, NCIS has become a global phenomenon

- Tom Roston

THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO GAUGE THE INCREDIBLE SUCCESS OF NCIS. You might start with the fact that it’s been the No. 1 or 2 most watched show in the world over the past three years. Or that it has consistently been the top-ranked drama in the United States for more than a decade. Or you could peruse the internet to count the rabid fan offerings—from Tolstoy-length fan fiction to “Mrs. Mark Harmon” T-shirts to a variety of Abby dolls (crochet, any one?). Another clear indicator is something Harmon recently said over lunch to his longtime NCIS executive producer, Chas. Floyd Johnson: “After 14 years, I still love coming to work with this cast and this crew.”

During those 14 years, and while watching NCIS marathons on TV, Johnson has noticed that the show, about a Navy criminal investigation unit, “becomes like an old friend,” thanks to its main characters, the procedural format, and its particular brew of humor and drama. He credits show creator Donald Bellisario for forging the original subtle interplay between comedy and crime. “NCIS has an ability not to let the humor step on the drama,” Johnson says. “It doesn’t belittle the actual investigation.” It’s something that Bellisario developed on The Rockford Files in the 1970s and on Magnum, P.I. in the 1980s; Johnson worked as a producer for the latter.

“It’s really smart to stick with the idea that they are going to solve a case every week,” says Donna Kauffman, who has been writing NCIS recaps for the past two seasons for USA Today. “A lot of shows that have strong characters devolve into a soap opera.”