CBS Delays ‘NCIS: Sydney’ Season 2 Premiere for Unannounced Special

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — CBS has postponed the season 2 premiere of ‘NCIS: Sydney‘ by one week, the network announced Thursday, January 16. Originally scheduled for Friday, January 31, the show will now debut on Friday, February 7, due to an unannounced special taking its time slot.

The delay affects only ‘NCIS: Sydney,’ as other CBS shows, including ‘Fire Country‘ and ‘S.W.A.T.,’ will air as planned on January 31. The network has not yet disclosed details about the special program replacing ‘NCIS: Sydney.’

The upcoming season of ‘NCIS: Sydney’ promises high-stakes drama, with the NCIS/AFP team pursuing a rogue assassin while investigating a threat to regional stability. The season 1 finale hinted at a deeper mystery involving Mackey and JD’s team, setting the stage for a suspenseful return.

‘NCIS: Sydney’ is part of the expansive ‘NCIS’ franchise, which began in 2003 as a spinoff of the military legal drama ‘JAG.’ The franchise has since expanded to include multiple series, including ‘NCIS: Los Angeles,’ ‘NCIS: New Orleans,’ ‘NCIS: Hawaiʻi,’ and the recent prequel ‘NCIS: Origins,’ which premiered in October 2024.

‘NCIS: Origins’ explores the early career of fan-favorite character Jethro Gibbs, portrayed by Mark Harmon in the original series. The prequel, set shortly after the tragic loss of Gibbs’ wife and daughter, follows his transition to a special agent role at the NIS Camp Pendleton office.

Austin Stowell, who plays the young Gibbs in ‘NCIS: Origins,’ spoke about the challenges of stepping into the iconic role. ‘It’s a daunting task to recreate Gibbs and to go back and try to tell this story while being respectful to the fans and to the storyline of the original show,’ Stowell told Us Weekly in November 2024. ‘Mark Harmon makes us feel so comfortable and justified in our decisions.’

Harmon, who serves as an executive producer on the prequel, has been actively involved in guiding the cast. Stowell shared that Harmon provided immediate feedback during rehearsals, focusing on posture and mindset. ‘He’s been so welcoming — not just to me and not just to the rest of the cast, but the whole crew,’ Stowell added. ‘He’s really such a wonderful leader for us.’

The ‘NCIS’ franchise, including ‘NCIS: Sydney’ and ‘NCIS: Origins,’ is available for streaming on Paramount+.