NCIS Season 20 release date and cast latest: When is it coming out?

NCIS finished its 19th season on May 23, 2022, and enjoyed its highest ratings since Season 13.

Even with Gibbs gone, it seemed that fans still wanted to tune in and watch the long-running procedural series.

The fact that it is still one of the most-watched shows on TV, much less on CBS, made a renewal almost guaranteed.

However, did CBS renew NCIS for another season, as only one original team member remains?

Here is everything we know so far about NCIS Season 20.

This article provides everything that is known about NCIS Season 20 and all related news. As such, this article will be updated over time with news, rumors, and analysis. Meanwhile, let’s dig down into what is known so far.

Is there going to be a Season 20 of NCIS?

Season 19 was a huge test for NCIS as a series. Gibbs, the beloved leader of the team left after Season 18 and the only original team member left was Timothy McGee, although Nick Torres was back, as was Ducky and Jimmy Palmer.

However, the show never missed a beat, bringing in an 11.9 rating, which was up from Season 18’s 10.3 and the very low 9.6 in Season 16.

That made the renewal an easy decision for CBS.

In March, with two months left of Season 19, CBS renewed NCIS, as well as its spinoffs NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: Hawaii.

“NCIS, one of the most popular and enduring series in the world, and fan favorite NCIS: Los Angeles have been hugely successful on the CBS schedule for years,” said Kelly Kahl, president, CBS Entertainment. “With the strong new addition of NCIS: Hawai’i, we are able to expand the strength of this formidable franchise across our schedule. We couldn’t be more excited to have all three talented casts and creative teams back to bring more compelling NCIS stories to viewers in the U.S. and around the globe.”

Release date latest: When does NCIS Season 20 come out?

Things are back to normal in Hollywood after COVID-19 wrecked things in 2020 and 2021. That means that NCIS will be back like clockwork for the new season.

The only seasons that started at an unusual time were the first (April 2003) and Season 18 in 2020 (November 2020). However, every other season of NCIS started as early as September 19 and as late as September 28.

As long as NCIS stays on Monday nights, it should premiere on Monday, September 19, 2022.

NCIS Season 20 cast updates

The longest-running characters still on the show that will return in Season 20 are David McCallum as Ducky Mallard and Sean Murray as Timothy McGee. The other long-running star coming back is Brian Dietzen as Dr. Jimmy Palmer.

Up next is Wilmer Valderrama as Nicholas Torres, the only other main team member with more than one year of full-time experience. Also returning for her fifth season on the show is Diona Reasonover as Kasie Hines. She is the forensic specialist who took over for Abby when Pauley Perrette left the show.

Gary Cole will be back as Alden Parker, the man who replaced Gibbs as the team’s leader. Finally, the newest member of the team, Jessica Knight (Katrina Law) will also return.

Now for the fun part.

There are two rumored returns for NCIS in Season 20.

The first, and it will always be a rumor, is Mark Harmon coming back as Leroy Jethro Gibbs? He is still the executive producer of the show and left open the door for a return.

The other is even bigger. Michael Weatherly had his own show, Bull, canceled. This opens the door for Tony DiNozzo to possibly make a return, even if just for a cameo. Could DiNozzo show up with Cote de Pablo as Ziva David to give fans the reunion they never got a chance to see?

NCIS Season 20 spoilers

NCIS finished off Season 19 with some twists, which made the renewal good news for fans.

Parker’s ex-wife was kidnapped and the team learned that the Raven had returned. Earlier in the season, he almost killed Kasie and Jimmy.

However, the twist came when Parker went into hiding with his wife, only for the audience to see her text the words, “It’s done. I have him.” That is where Season 20 will start.

CBS has yet to announce when NCIS Season 20 will premiere.