(Photo: Art Streiber/CBS)

The NCIS series is one of the longest-running live-action series and most successful franchises in TV history. However, nothing lasts forever, and this show has likely become very expensive to produce. As the show’s ratings have dwindled downward, is NCIS approaching its end? Will this CBS staple be cancelled or renewed for season 23? Stay tuned.

A procedural drama series, the NCIS TV show stars Sean Murray, Wilmer Valderrama, Katrina Law, Brian Dietzen, Diona Reasonover, with Rocky Carroll and Gary Cole. Following the departure of NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), Special Agent Alden Parker (Cole), a sharp and sarcastic former FBI agent, has taken over as lead of the NCIS team, a highly skilled and colorful group of professionals. The team includes NCIS Special Agent Timothy McGee (Murray), an MIT graduate with a knack for computers who is now a Senior Field Agent; NCIS Special Agent Nicholas “Nick” Torres (Valderrama), who frequently goes undercover; and NCIS Special Agent Jessica Knight (Law), a formidable REACT agent who specializes in hostage negotiations high-risk operations. Assisting the team is Chief Medical Examiner Jimmy Palmer (Dietzen) and Forensic Specialist Kasie Hines (Reasonover). Overseeing operations is NCIS Director Leon Vance (Carroll), a highly trained agent who can always be counted on to shake up the status quo. From murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, these special agents investigate all crimes with Navy or Marine Corps ties.

Nielsen Ratings
The Nielsen ratings are typically the best indication of a show’s chances of staying on the air. The higher the ratings, the better the chances of survival. This chart is updated as new ratings data becomes available.

12/11 update: You can see the latest night’s ratings in context.

Note: If you’re not seeing the updated chart, please try reloading the page or view it here.

For comparisons: Season 21 of NCIS on CBS averaged a 0.42 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 6.72 million viewers.

Note: These are the final national ratings, including all live+same day viewing and DVR playback (through 3:00 AM). While these numbers don’t include further delayed or streaming viewing, they are a very good indicator of how a show is performing, especially when compared to others on the same channel. There can be other economic factors involved in a show’s fate, but typically the higher-rated series are renewed and the lower-rated ones are cancelled.

Your Ratings (aka Viewer Votes)
Here’s your chance to rate episodes of NCIS yourself. You can see how this show compares to others here.

What do you think? Do you like the NCIS TV series on CBS? Should it be cancelled or renewed for a 23rd season?