NCIS day is officially upon us, marking 22 years since the titular team took on their first mission under Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon). On this special occasion, with less than one month remaining until the premiere of Season 23, CBS wants to give back to the very real heroes who put their lives on the line and the families that support them. Collider can offer an exclusive first look at the network’s “Tuesdays of Honor,” a new campaign beginning this fall and presented by CBS, NCIS, and Lovesac in partnership with VIZIO that will honor military veterans, their families, and gold star families selected from trusted veteran service organizations TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) and Team Rubicon with some sweet comfort upgrades and a special spotlight. This program will kick off with the first all-NCIS primetime lineup on October 14.
Every week for eight weeks, starting with the Season 23 premiere, one deserving veteran or family will receive new living room items from Lovesac and VIZIO, tying into the loyalty of the always-present NCIS Tuesdays. Among the furniture being given away are the Snugg couch and a new VIZIO flat-screen television. The goal is to make it more comfortable than ever for service members to enjoy the action and drama of the long-running military police procedural and recognize them for their sacrifices. On top of that, the chosen families will be honored both on-air and on social media throughout the NCIS block and get to meet cast members in person for special tributes. Below you can see NCIS star Wilmer Valderrama and honoree Antoinette Raines, a U.S. Air Force Veteran and volunteer with Team Rubicon, as well as NCIS: Origins star Caleb Foote and family members (Wife Sandra Lopez and daughter Jasmine Lopez, who volunteers for TAPS as a Legacy Mentor) of honoree Sgt. Luis Lopez, a fallen U.S. Army hero.
The franchise’s renewed focus on service will take center stage on Veterans’ Day, which falls on Tuesday, November 11. To celebrate, a special two-part crossover event between NCIS and the prequel series NCIS: Origins will connect the past to the present with a case that reopens in the current day. As previously announced, the storyline will begin with a younger Gibbs (Austin Stowell) and his team investigating the death of a small-town naval officer, only for new developments to put the current NCIS team on the trail roughly 30 years later. For this occasion, Origins will swap with the flagship and air at 8 p.m. before NCIS wraps up the mystery at 9 p.m. and NCIS: Sydney rounds things out in its usual 10 p.m. timeslot.
‘NCIS’s New Tuesdays of Honor Campaign Honors the Show’s Legacy
Following the harrowing end to Season 22 for Alden Parker (Gary Cole) after the murder of his father, Season 23 will pick up with a hunt for justice and vengeance, with longtime nemesis Morina (Rebecca De Mornay) still on the loose. Throughout its many years and spin-offs on television, the flagship show created by Donald P. Bellisario has been consistent in how it investigates U.S. military-based criminal cases while also exploring the personal lives of the men and women at the center of it all. Mike Benson, CBS’s President and Chief Marketing Officer, expressed in a statement how that reliability and the power of purposeful storytelling with its fictional service members make a real impact, one that the network wants to amplify with its new campaign. “At CBS, we believe in the power of storytelling to connect, comfort, and honor — a spirit that lives at the heart of our NCIS series,” he said. “Through NCIS’ Tuesdays of Honor, we aim to extend those values beyond the screen, bringing meaningful recognition and warmth into the homes of veterans, military families, and Gold Star families, thanks to our partnerships with Lovesac, VIZIO, TAPS, and Team Rubicon.”‘
TAPS and Team Rubicon are both fitting partners for the NCIS family, with the former serving as a go-to resource for compassionate care and lifelong support for those grieving a military loss, and the latter providing veteran-led humanitarian aid before, during, and after crises. In her own statement, TAPS founder and president Bonnie Carroll further emphasized how the organization’s mission intertwines with all parties involved, adding that, “TAPS is deeply honored to stand with CBS, NCIS, and Team Rubicon in the Tuesdays of Honor campaign. This effort pays tribute to the extraordinary service and sacrifice of America’s fallen heroes and their families. We are profoundly grateful for the opportunity to share their stories with the nation, ensuring their legacies of courage, duty, and love of country will always be remembered and celebrated.” Meanwhile, Team Rubicon CEO Jim Brooks offered similar sentiments in a message about the importance of recognition.
“At Team Rubicon, we know that the right support at the right time changes everything. This campaign doesn’t just bring comfort; it delivers recognition for the sacrifice veterans and Gold Star families have made. We’re proud to stand with CBS, NCIS and TAPS to make sure their service is honored and never forgotten.”
CBS will begin showcasing families for its Tuesdays of Honor campaign starting on October 14, when the NCIS franchise returns for the fall. The flagship series will premiere Season 23 at 8 p.m., followed by Origins Season 2 at 9 p.m. and Sydney Season 3 at 10 p.m. Stay tuned here at Collider for more as the date draws closer.
