CBS & CBS Studios Chiefs On Building ‘NCIS’ Universe: Pending Renewals, Possible Crossovers & Bringing Back Tiva
deadline.comThe NCIS franchise will be airing its 1,000th episode on April 15, and CBS Studios President David Stapf has been involved in every single one of them.
Because he was head of CBS current programming at the time, he even participated in the development of the mothership series from Day 1 because it originated as two back-door pilot episodes of an existing show, JAG, that aired in April 2003.
He was in on all casting sessions and still remembers Pauley Perrette’s audition that won her the role of Abby in the room. Scheduled against then-Fox juggernaut American Idol, NCIS, about a little known branch of the U.S.
military, got off to an inauspicious start, finishing its first season ranked #26. By Season 7, it was the most watched TV drama, holding its own against Idol, and became the most watched program overall three seasons later while also ruling syndication.
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