Michael Weatherly Reveals Why ‘NCIS’ Might Be Better Off Not Being the #1 Show on TV
NCIS once dominated TV ratings, but former star Michael Weatherly jokes that being at the top isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Despite its massive success, Weatherly believes the show might have been better off as the No. 3 show on TV, avoiding the intense scrutiny that comes with being the best.
Reflecting on the show’s early days, Mark Harmon shared that NCIS initially flew under the radar, which allowed it to survive and eventually thrive. “We weren’t good enough to get noticed and not bad enough to get canceled,” Harmon quipped.
When NCIS finally found its audience by season three, it quickly became the most-watched show in the country. But Weatherly recalls the days of lesser fame with some fondness. “No. 3 is a little better,” he said, joking that the pressure is less intense when you’re not the top dog.
Weatherly also wondered if viewers took the show seriously, likening NCIS to a mix of Scooby-Doo and MASH* rather than a straightforward procedural. In some countries, like France, the show’s quirky nature was more evident, while in the U.S., it was often seen as a parody of similar series like CSI.
Ironically, NCIS gained even more popularity through reruns on networks like USA, attracting a different kind of audience that might have missed it during its prime time slot. Weatherly speculated that these late-night viewers, stumbling upon the show by chance, helped broaden its appeal beyond its core demographic.
Ultimately, Weatherly suggests that while being No. 1 brought NCIS fame, a little less attention might have made things easier.
