Following its inception in 2003, NCIS soon became one of CBS’ biggest cash cows. With 22 seasons under its belt, the IP is still going strong with numerous spin-offs, including NCIS: Origins, which marked Mark Harmon’s return to the franchise. Although the series is still witnessing immense growth even in the age of streaming, the show hit its peak during the 2010s.
However, for a brief period, the show did lose its top billing to another procedural drama, The Good Doctor, which concluded last year.
The Good Doctor dethroned NCIS from its top spot for a week
In 2011, NCIS was voted as America’s most-watched television show, and throughout the mid-2010s, the show enjoyed its status as one of the most popular network dramas the medium had to offer. But for a brief period, ABC’s The Good Doctor, starring Freddie Highmore, managed to dethrone the CBS giant in that regard.
At the time, Nielson reported that the ABC drama averaged a whopping 16.42M viewers during its brief stay at the top (via IndieWire). Although NCIS regained its top billing within a week of being dethroned, considering it was the first season of The Good Doctor, this feat is all the more impressive, even if it was just for a single week.
The Good Doctor showrunner planned the show’s ending in advance
Despite dominating the charts upon its arrival, a plethora of issues, including reported financial struggles and the Hollywood strike, led to its ending after seven seasons. As for the ending, showrunner David Shore confessed that he penned the ending of the procedural drama years in advance, and when the call from the network arrived, he was ready to depart on his own terms.
He added (via TV Guide):
I was asked, ‘Do you know how this show is going to end?’ I was asked that early on. And I said, ‘Yes, I know exactly how this show will end. One day, I will get a phone call from the network telling me the show is ending… being able to go out on your own terms is such a blessing in this industry, and we’ve been fortunate.
NCIS, on the flip side, hasn’t displayed any signs of slowing down. Not only has a 23rd season been greenlit for one of the longest-running network dramas in the medium’s history, but Mark Harmon, who parted ways with the parent show, is gearing up for season 2 of NCIS: Origins, which follows a young Leroy Gibbs as its central focus.
NCIS is available to stream on Paramount Plus.
The Good Doctor is available to stream on Hulu.
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