In a television landscape dominated by procedurals, CBS has long held a firm grip on the genre, thanks in no small part to the success of NCIS and its many spin-offs. Yet not every attempt to expand the franchise has made it to air—NCIS: Red, a planned series starring fan-favorite actor John Corbett, came surprisingly close to becoming a reality in 2013 but was ultimately shelved by the network.
What Was NCIS: Red?
Backdoor piloted through a two-part episode in Season 4 of NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: Red was poised to explore a new mobile unit of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Unlike the other teams we’ve come to know, the “Red Team” would travel across the United States solving crimes, instead of being rooted in one specific location.
Corbett was set to star as Roy Quaid, a former NCIS special agent turned analyst. Joining him were Kim Raver as team leader Paris Summerskill, Scott Grimes as forensic specialist Dave Flynn, and Edwin Hodge as tech-savvy agent Kai. NCIS: LA’s own Miguel Ferrer was also slated to crossover in a recurring role as Assistant Director Owen Granger.
Why It Didn’t Happen
Despite the franchise’s track record and a solid cast lineup, CBS ultimately decided not to move forward with NCIS: Red. According to then-entertainment president Nina Tassler, the decision came down to one critical factor: protecting the integrity of the brand.
“Sometimes [spinoffs] work and sometimes they don’t,” Tassler told Digital Spy. “Protecting [the franchise] was really important.”
At the time, the network was likely wary of oversaturating its prime-time schedule with too many NCIS-branded shows. The failure to greenlight Red came just a year before NCIS: New Orleans was launched in 2014, a series that ultimately proved to be another hit, running for seven successful seasons.
There were also practical considerations. Launching a new series—particularly one with a mobile, location-jumping premise—would have required a higher production budget and greater logistical coordination. Add to that the uncertainty of scheduling and viewership, and CBS decided the risk wasn’t worth it.
A Missed Streaming Opportunity?
Looking back, many fans and TV insiders speculate that NCIS: Red would have thrived if pitched in today’s content-hungry streaming era. With Paramount+ now a hub for all things NCIS, from classic episodes to new originals like the upcoming NCIS: Tony & Ziva, it’s not hard to imagine a retooled Red making its way to the platform.
But for now, NCIS: Red remains one of the more intriguing “what-ifs” in the franchise’s history—a fully cast, concept-ready series that never got the green light.
