For two decades, NCIS has been the unwavering flagship of CBS’s procedural lineup. A crucial part of its immense and enduring success has been its ability to deliver consistent, high-stakes seasonal storytelling. Yet, as the curtain fell on Season 23, the show broke an unspoken, two-decade-long contract with its loyal viewers: the tradition of the season finale cliffhanger.
For twenty years, the final episode of NCIS was synonymous with a shocking, often life-or-death, unresolved ending. Whether it was the death of a beloved character, the targeting of a team member, or a massive, looming threat, fans knew they would be left with a knot of anxiety, eagerly counting the months until the next season. Season 23, however, delivered a finale that was, by comparison, neat, resolved, and decidedly safe. This pivot away from the established formula has left a palpable sense of disappointment and confusion among the fandom, marking the end of a 20-year streak that nobody wanted to see broken.
The Power of the Cliffhanger: Why It Matters to NCIS
The annual cliffhanger was more than just a plot device for NCIS; it was a fundamental pillar of the show’s structure and a key part of its cultural footprint. It served several critical functions:
1. The Loyalty Binder
In the age of streaming and endless content options, the cliffhanger was a powerful tool for guaranteeing audience return. By leaving the fates of Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), Timothy McGee (Sean Murray), Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama), or Jessica Knight (Katrina Law) uncertain, the show ensured viewers would tune in for the premiere. It rewarded loyalty with high-stakes payoff.
2. Defining Character Arcs
Many of the show’s most iconic moments and character transformations were directly launched by a dramatic finale cliffhanger.
- Gibbs’s Shooting (Season 2): Shot and left in a coma, this finale gave us insight into his past and his rules.
- The Bombing (Season 9): The explosion that threatened much of the team defined the immediate future.
- The Reveal of the Mole (Season 13): Personal betrayal used to heighten the stakes.
These endings provided the necessary trauma and dramatic escalation to fuel the subsequent season, forcing characters into new dynamics and emotional territory. The cliffhanger was the engine of change.
3. The Finale Event Status
The anticipation surrounding the NCIS finale became an annual event. Water cooler conversations, online fan theories, and press speculation revolved around who would be in danger and what impossible scenario they would face. The finale felt like a major, consequential milestone.
Season 23: A Conclusion, Not a Crisis
In stark contrast to its history, the Season 23 finale wrapped up its central case cleanly. The team, after facing a significant, but isolated, threat, achieved a definitive victory. The episode ended not with a bang, but with a period: a scene focused on character reflection, closure, and, arguably, contentment.
While closure can be satisfying, in the context of a 20-year NCIS tradition, this lack of dramatic tension feels like a missed opportunity—or worse, a signal of narrative caution.
The Problem of Premature Resolution
When a procedural chooses to prioritize resolution over sustained suspense, it suggests a reluctance to commit to long-form consequences. For a show like NCIS, which has thrived on its ability to weave personal stakes into its investigative framework, this can feel like the writers pulling their punches.
If the writers don’t trust the audience to handle the uncertainty of a major cliffhanger, it implies a fear that any major upheaval might cause viewers to tune out. This is a conservative approach that, ironically, can lead to narrative stagnation. The core complaint from fans is not that the finale was bad, but that it was forgettable. It lacked the defining, high-stakes moment necessary to justify the long summer wait for Season 24.
Is This a Sign of the Post-Harmon Era?
The shift away from the cliffhanger tradition also aligns with the ongoing narrative recalibration since the departure of the show’s patriarch, Mark Harmon (Gibbs). Gibbs’s presence often justified the highest level of personal risk and confrontation. With the team now led by Alden Parker (Gary Cole), the show has adopted a slightly less aggressive, more team-oriented dynamic.
However, moving away from the cliffhanger could signal a broader, more cautious creative vision for the future of the franchise. It suggests that the writers might be settling into a comfortable rhythm, avoiding the kind of disruptive, high-risk storytelling that often defined the show’s peak years. The risk is that safety leads to predictability, and predictability is the death knell of a procedural drama.
What the Lack of a Cliffhanger Implies for Season 24
The ending of Season 23 sets a distinct, and arguably less exciting, trajectory for Season 24.
A Slow Burn Start
Without a massive, immediate threat looming over the team, the Season 24 premiere will lack the frenetic, “pick-up-where-we-left-off” energy that defined so many previous premieres. Instead of starting with a resolution to a crisis, the new season will have to manufacture a new threat from scratch, likely leading to a slower, more procedural-focused start.
The Character Arc Void
The absence of a life-altering finale event leaves a void in the characters’ immediate emotional arcs. Characters like Torres, Knight, and McGee rely on external pressures to force their personal growth. A major finale crisis gives them material to work through for the first few episodes. Without it, their Season 24 storylines will need to be driven by more internal, perhaps lower-stakes, conflicts. While internal conflict is valuable, it rarely provides the initial thrust needed to pull in a massive premiere audience.
The Challenge of Staying Relevant
In a crowded television landscape featuring spin-offs like NCIS: Hawai’i and the upcoming Gibbs/DiNozzo show, the flagship series needs to demonstrate why it remains essential. The high-stakes finale was its annual statement of intent. By breaking this streak, NCIS has signaled a softening of its narrative edge, which could put it at a disadvantage compared to the newer, flashier branches of the franchise.
The Verdict: A Tradition Worth Keeping
The two-decade tradition of the NCIS cliffhanger wasn’t an artistic necessity, but it was a crucial fan service and an engine of drama. It embodied the show’s willingness to disrupt the status quo and remind viewers that in the world of naval law enforcement, no character is truly safe, and no case is ever truly closed.
The choice to break this streak in Season 23, and deliver a neatly tied bow instead of a gaping loose end, represents a significant cultural shift for the series. It’s a move that, while perhaps intended to offer a moment of breathing room, has instead generated a feeling of disappointment.
For Season 24 to succeed, the creative team needs to understand that the NCIS audience loves the drama, the personal risks, and the commitment to high-stakes storytelling. While they missed the mark on the finale, the next season must quickly prove that the show has not abandoned its willingness to shock, evolve, and demand the unwavering attention of its dedicated, twenty-year-strong viewership. The return to a sense of danger and consequence is the only way to quickly restore the faith that was shaken by the end of a cherished, two-decade tradition.
