39 Intriguing NCIS Details That Gibbs Wouldn’t Want People To Find Out

First aired in 2003 on the CBS network, NCIS has proved to be one of the most popular television shows in history. But the show has also suffered its fair share of behind-the-scenes drama. There was that time two co-stars fell into a Twitter feud, for example, and when the creator of the show sued the network. And that's not to mention when three major stars in Cote de Pablo, Pauley Perrette, and Mark Harmon left the show for good. So here's everything you need to know...

1. It was originally called Navy NCIS

It’s funny now, but yes, the show was once called Navy NCIS. Why? Well, the CBS network was worried people would confuse it with shows such as CSI and SVU. But they needn’t have fretted — fans quickly came to know and love the show as NCIS and “Navy” was dropped from service.

2. Mark Harmon had the show’s creator fired

NCIS star Mark Harmon did not see eye to eye with the show’s creator, Donald Bellisario, on the set. The frustrations eventually boiled over in 2007 — when Bellisario stepped back from the show altogether. So while Harmon played the central character, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, from 2003 to 2021, Bellisario has not had creative input since 2007.

3. The network was sued over the spin-off

It seems logical that CBS would want to have a spin-off show, given how well NCIS was received by fans. But when NCIS: Los Angeles set sail in 2009, creator Donald Bellisario wasn’t having it. Pointing out that his contract stipulated that he had the right to launch the inaugural spin-off, Bellisario sued. He eventually settled for an undisclosed sum.

4. Before NCIS: New Orleans, we were about to see Red

Ever seen NCIS: Red? It featured in a couple of episodes of NCIS: LA — but blink and you’ll have missed it. Producers floated the idea of a new spin-off series called NCIS: Red, starring John Corbett as the head of an anti-terrorist squad. Alas, the network didn’t really think the idea was seaworthy and scuttled it before it ever had a chance to hit the airwaves.