### NCIS Franchise Had a Completely New Spinoff Planned, But It Never Happened
The NCIS franchise has long been known for its location-based spinoffs like NCIS: New Orleans, NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: Hawai’i, and the upcoming NCIS: Sydney. However, there was once a plan for a unique addition that would have taken the franchise in a new direction.
Back in the day, NCIS followed a consistent pattern of launching spinoffs based on specific locations where its teams operated. Yet, it seems that the franchise considered a big change with a different kind of spinoff, which ultimately never made it to TV.
During its run from 2009 to 2023, NCIS: Los Angeles subtly introduced the idea for a new spinoff in its fourth season with two episodes titled “Red” and “Red 2.” These episodes acted as a backdoor pilot to gauge audience interest in the potential new series.
The proposed spinoff, NCIS: Red, was set to focus on The NCIS Red Team, a mobile unit linked to the department in Georgia but never actually stationed there. The team was led by Paris Summerskill, played by Kim Raver, who would have been the first female lead in the NCIS franchise had the show been greenlit.
Despite the initial introduction and potential, NCIS: Red never came to fruition. Instead, the honor of being the first female lead in the franchise went to Vanessa Lachey’s Jane Tennant in NCIS: Hawai’i. This spinoff decision marked a significant shift in the franchise’s history, moving beyond its traditional location-based formula.
