Aussie version of smash hit US series NCIS: Sydney to film two-part special in Darwin in 2024

The series’ US production company said the Top End would feature as a backdrop for ‘compelling storylines resulting in high action for our brilliant and eclectic team of agents’.

2 min read

July 28, 2024 - 5:30AM

The cast of NCIS: Sydney is coming to Darwin later this year to film two one-hour special episodes.

Northern Territory

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The Aussie franchise of smash hit US martial mystery series NCIS is coming to Darwin in 2024.

The cast and crew of NCIS: Sydney will touch down in Darwin later this year to film a two-part special featuring two one-hour episodes set in the tropical Top End.

The first international iteration of the global NCIS franchise outside the US features a crack team of NCIS and Australian Federal Police agents who have been grafted into a multinational taskforce to keep naval crimes in check down under.

The plot lines of the Darwin episodes are subject to the strictest secrecy so as not to ruin the fun for viewers but producers Endemol Shine Australia, CBS Studios, Paramount Australia and Screen Territory have dropped a few hints.

Having only just found their feet, in season two, the upcoming episodes will see the agents of NCIS: Sydney “square off against a much more powerful adversary, threatening the very stability of the region … and the team itself”.

Endemol Shine Australia’s head of scripted programming Sara Richardson said “the entire cast and crew are extremely excited to be bringing NCIS: Sydney to the Northern Territory”.

Australian TV royalty William McInnes plays Doc Roy in NCIS: Sydney.

“The rare beauty of Australia’s Top End will be showcased to audiences both around Australia and around the globe, as it is the backdrop for some compelling storylines resulting in high action for our brilliant and eclectic team of agents,” she said.

NCIS: Sydney is one of the most watched local series since the launch of Paramount+ Australia and premiered on CBS in the US as the number one new series in the 2023-2024 season.

The series premiere attracted more than 10.2m viewers in the US, including an encore episode, while the show’s first season averaged more than 8m multiplatform viewers per episode across all platforms.

NCIS: Sydney is also up for an award at this year’s Logies for best drama series and is one of the world’s most successful television franchises with more than 300m viewers globally across all platforms.

Todd Lasance stars as AFP sergeant Jim ‘JD’ Dempsey.

Chief Minister Eva Lawler said the Darwin episodes were made possible through the Territory government’s production attraction incentive program and would give local industry professionals an opportunity to work alongside some of the best in the business.

Ms Lawler said productions filmed in the NT made significant contributions to the local economy through jobs, goods and services while highlighting the Territory as a destination both nationally and worldwide.

“Today’s announcement is another step towards growing the vibrant screen industry in the Territory,” she said.

“Major screen productions bring significant economic benefits for Territory businesses and assist in the expansion of the local screen sector while sharing the stunning NT with audiences from all over the world.”