NCIS: Sydney Season 2 Set to Raise the Stakes
NCIS: Sydney, the first international spin-off of the NCIS franchise, debuted in 2023 to mixed reviews. While audiences were less enthusiastic—resulting in a 28% Rotten Tomatoes audience score—critics were more receptive, giving it a 73% rating. Now, as Season 2 premieres on CBS this Friday, February 7, series creator Morgan O’Neill has teased what’s in store, revealing that the team behind the show has become “more ambitious” in both production quality and storytelling.
A Bold Step for the NCIS Franchise
As one of television’s longest-running franchises, NCIS has spawned six spin-offs, with NCIS: Origins being the most recent addition. However, NCIS: Sydney stands out as the first iteration set outside the United States. Taking the series overseas was a risk, but it paid off—NCIS: Sydney became the most-streamed CBS network premiere ever on Paramount+.
Now, with the groundwork laid in Season 1, O’Neill says the creative team had the freedom to dive deeper into the characters and elevate the stakes. Speaking to TVLine, he explained:
“On a global scale, we’ve just been more ambitious—in terms of production values and the breadth of the stories we’re telling. But one of the things that’s allowed us to be ambitious is that we now know the characters. We’re not in those first-season days where you’re still trying to work out who they are and how they interact.”
With Season 1 establishing the dynamics of the NCIS and Australian Federal Police (AFP) team, Season 2 provides an opportunity to explore the characters on a deeper level.
“Now that we’ve established those characters, we have that fabulous opportunity to peel back the lid and actually see what makes these guys tick in a much more profound way.”
Meet the Team
NCIS: Sydney follows a joint task force between the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) as they work together to solve naval crimes. The main cast includes:
- Olivia Swann (Legends of Tomorrow) as NCIS Special Agent-in-Charge Michelle Mackey
- Todd Lasance as AFP Second-in-Command JD Dempsey
- Sean Sagar as NCIS Special Agent DeShawn Jackson
- Tuuli Narkle as AFP Liaison Officer Constable Evie Cooper
- Mavournee Hazel as AFP Forensic Scientist Blue Gleeson
- William McInnes as AFP Forensic Pathologist Roy Penrose
Where to Watch
NCIS: Sydney Season 2 premieres on CBS on February 7, with Season 1 available for streaming on Paramount+.
With higher stakes, deeper character exploration, and an expanded global scope, NCIS: Sydney is poised to build on its success and bring a fresh new energy to the franchise.
