CBS’s Ambitious ‘NCIS’ Formula Change Gives Its Newest Series a Major Advantage
CBS is taking an unusual approach with its newest NCIS spinoff, NCIS: New York, by actually filming the series on location in New York City rather than recreating the setting elsewhere. This marks a departure from franchise norms, as previous entries such as NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: Origins were largely shot on the Paramount lot and around Southern California, meaning the new show benefits from an authentic visual identity that distinguishes it from its predecessors before audiences even get to know its characters.
Production began in July, with cast members including LL Cool J, Scott Caan, Jacqueline Byers and Shane Harper photographed filming in locations such as Brooklyn and Central Park. Shooting on real New York streets is a costlier and more logistically demanding choice than studio-based production, though the state's television tax credit helps offset some expense. The commitment signals CBS's investment in giving the spinoff its own distinct character within the long-running procedural franchise.
- NCIS: New York is filmed on location in New York City, not a studio.
- This differs from NCIS: LA and Origins, shot mainly in California.
- Filming began in July at spots including Brooklyn and Central Park.
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NCIS: New York is the latest addition to CBS's long-running NCIS crime drama franchise, which began with the original NCIS in 2003 and has since spawned several spin-offs set in different American cities, including NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: Origins. Each series follows a team of Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents solving crimes connected to the US military, typically with its own regional cast and setting. The new instalment stars LL Cool J, Scott Caan, Jacqueline Byers and Shane Harper.
Traditionally, NCIS spin-offs have been filmed largely on studio lots and around Los Angeles, using sets and camera tricks to stand in for their supposed locations rather than shooting in the real cities. NCIS: New York breaks with this by filming on actual streets in New York City, including areas such as Brooklyn and Central Park, since production got under way in July.
This matters because the choice of filming location shapes how a show looks and feels to viewers, and location shooting is generally more expensive and complicated to organise than studio work, though tax incentives offered by New York State help offset the cost. The decision reflects how CBS is trying to give this newest entry a distinct identity within an established and long-running franchise.