NCIS: Los Angeles season 11, NCIS: New Orleans season 6 renewal news
Before we dive into any individual stuff, let’s go ahead and get into the Happy Network Statement courtesy this time of CBS Entertainment President Kelly Kahl:
“Both shows have been key pillars to the CBS schedule for several years … They offer heroic stories, big stars and have attracted a passionate, loyal fan base. We’re excited to have [series stars] Chris [O’Donnell], LL [Cool J], Scott [Bakula] and these terrific casts back to bring more terrific NCIS stories to viewers in the U.S. and around the world.”
So why did CBS make decisions so early for these two shows, at least compared to some other stuff on the schedule? Well, let’s dive into that a little bit more on a granular level.
NCIS: Los Angeles – The LL Cool J – Chris O’Donnell series has had a pretty darn successful year, bringing in on average a 0.9 rating that is down only slightly from the show’s season 9 average — for the sake of those wondering, that’s probably going to drop with the move to 10:00 p.m. Eastern for the rest of the season. Consider this renewal CBS throwing their hands up and saying that they’re not altogether worried about it and neither should you.
We’ve had a good feeling about this renewal for some time now, largely due to the oh-so-simple fact that production has already been working to bank some material for the upcoming season, even if it was not officially ordered. This is a fairly-common practice for this show, and it is a way for them to officially get started on the upcoming batch of stories a little bit early.
NCIS: New Orleans – Meanwhile, the Scott Bakula series continues to hum right along on Tuesday nights, averaging a 0.8 rating for its current season. While it is down 15% from its season 4 average, this is still one of CBS’ top-rated 10:00 p.m. properties outside of Blue Bloods and it performers very well in both repeats and in total viewers. It’s taken some big creative swings this season in between some more serialized arcs and a new cast member in Necar Zadegan, and we think that some of these changes have played out quite nicely.
How long could both of these shows last?
Really, we think that there’s no real sign to be concerned about either anytime soon, unless some cast members decide to depart and viewers do along with them. Given Kahl’s statement, it at least seems like some of the leads are staying put for another season. (Bakula is likely still under contract, as most shows get their main players on board for six or seven seasons right away.)
What do you think about NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans being renewed for additional seasons? Be sure to share in the comments and stay tuned for more. (Photo: CBS.)