# NCIS: Sydney

NCIS: Sydney is a military police procedural series that aired on 10 November 2023 on Paramount+ in Australia and premiered on Network 10 on 15 May 2024. The series is the first spin-off for the NCIS franchise outside the United States and features Australian actors and producers. In March 2024, the series was renewed for a second season by Paramount+ in Australia, which premiered on 7 February 2025. On 21 February 2025, the series was renewed for a third season.

## Premise

NCIS: Sydney is a spin-off of NCIS and its franchise, which follows a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) investigating crimes. The series is set in Sydney, Australia. It follows a joint task force that involves NCIS agents and Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers working together on investigations involving American military personnel.
Although the show is set in Sydney, the closest real-life NCIS field office in Australia is actually located in Perth, which is 3,290 km (2,040 mi) away.

## Cast
### Main

* Olivia Swann as Michelle Mackey, NCIS Special Agent-in-Charge
* Todd Lasance as Jim "JD" Dempsey, Australian Federal Police (AFP) Second-in-Command
* Sean Sagar as DeShawn Jackson, NCIS Special Agent (SA)
* Tuuli Narkle as Constable Evie Cooper, AFP Liaison Officer
* Mavournee Hazel as Bluebird "Blue" Gleeson, AFP forensic scientist
* William McInnes as Roy "Rosie" Penrose, AFP forensic pathologist

### Guests

* Arky Michael as Russian Orthodox Priest
* Bert LaBonté as NCIS Special Agent Ken Carter
* Conrad Coleby as Lieutenant Commander Lee
* Daniela Farinacci as Foreign Minister Quinn
* Dorian Nkono as Frank Lupo
* Dustin Clare as Kane / Porter
* Georgina Haig as Ana Niemus / Monica Rowe
* Jack Aldo as Grant
* Jake Ryan as Nails
* Lewis Fitz-Gerald as Richard Rankin
* Lex Marinos as Dimi
* Linal Haft as Frank Doherty
* Matt Holmes as FBI Special Agent Cummins
* Matt Nable as Detective Sergeant Skelton
* Nathan Phillips as Finn
* Nicholas Brown as Quarter Master Rennie
* Richard Huggett as Assessor
* Tiriel Mora as Theo Blainey

## Episodes

| Series | Episodes | Episodes | Originally released | Originally released |
| Series | Episodes | Episodes | First released | Last released |
| 1 | 8 | 8 | 10 November 2023 (2023-11-10) | 29 December 2023 (2023-12-29) |
| 2 | TBA | TBA | 7 February 2025 (2025-2-7) | TBA |

### Season 1 (2023)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Network 10 airdate | Prod. code | Aus. viewers (millions) |
| 1 | 1 | "Gone Fission" | Shawn Seet | Morgan O'Neill | 10 November 2023 (2023-11-10) | 27 November 2023 | 101 | 0.310 |
| During an AUKUS ceremony at Sydney Harbour, a US Navy sailor dies of radiation poisoning, resulting in USS Ronald Reagan NCIS Special Agents Michelle Mackey and DeShawn Jackson partnering up with their Australian Federal Police counterparts, Sergeant Jim "JD" Dempsey and Constable Evie Cooper, with assistance from AFP scientist Bluebird Gleeson and Roy Penrose, a Forensic Pathologist with the AFP, to investigate. During their investigation, the team question a peace activist, who is cleared of wrongdoing. They also find another dead US naval officer who was killed by a mysterious woman. While attempting to enter a nuclear-powered US submarine, they are attacked by a group of deep cover infiltrators, who were seeking to steal classified intelligence from the US Navy. Following a firefight, the surviving infiltrators are killed when their boat explodes in a remote-detonated explosion. Following the incident, a joint NCIS/AFP task force is created to facilitate cooperation between the US and Australian officers. |||||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Snakes in the Grass" | Shawn Seet | Written by : Michael Miller & Morgan O'Neill Story by : Stuart Page | 17 November 2023 (2023-11-17) | 22 May 2024 | 102 | 0.341 |
| The team investigate when a Navy compliance officer is found dead in a waterhole, leading them to begin uncovering the origin of the rare, deadly taipan which is uncommon to the area. During their investigation, Jackson and Cooper discover the taipan was part of a group of animals stolen from a pet shop. Mackey and Dempsey investigate the US Navy depot in Sydney and uncover an animal smuggling operation involving staff members and a corrupt US Navy officer. Jackson also discovers that the Navy compliance officer had infiltrated the smuggling ring but had been killed by his associates after learning he was a mole. Jackson and Cooper discover that the pet shop owner is part of the smuggling operation and are captured by her criminal associates. They are rescued by Mackey and Dempsey. Gleeson also adopts a rescued budgerigar as her pet. |||||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Brothers in Arms" | David Caesar | Andrew Anastasios | 24 November 2023 (2023-11-24) | 29 May 2024 | 103 | 0.332 |
| When a shark spits out an arm that's wearing US Navy equipment, the team investigate a trio of former Navy divers, who have established a diving instruction business in Sydney. Penrose and Gleeson discover that the arm belonged to a former SEAL PFC Coleman, who was a business partner of the former Navy divers. During the investigation, Gleeson discovers that an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) was present in the location where Coleman perished. The team discovers that the divers stole the UUV's data chip and that drugs were planted in their store to blackmail them into returning the stolen chip. One of the divers confesses to killing the murder victim while the team use the other two to lead them to the buyer seeking to reclaim the drone footage. The buyer is quickly detained by Department of Defense Attache Colonel Rankin, who blocks the group's investigation. After Gleeson learns that the drugs planted in the divers' store originated from a ceased DEA bust, Mackey blackmails Rankin into letting the remaining divers go in return for not leaking evidence suggesting that the Central Intelligence Agency was spying on the Royal Australian Navy. Jackson and the others formally initiate Gleeson as a full member of the team. |||||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Ghosted" | Kriv Stenders | Tamara Asmar | 1 December 2023 (2023-12-1) | 5 June 2024 | 104 | 0.252 |
| When US Petty Officer Eddie Backer is found dead in the historic the Rocks area, the team investigate with a decades-old Navy Cross medal giving them a motive for the death and sending them on a race to catch a killer. The suspect is Frank Doherty, a US Navy seaman and Vietnam War veteran, who went AWOL in 1971 and married his Australian girlfriend Mei Koo. Though Mackey is convinced of his guilt, Dempsey and Penrose discover evidence clearing Doherty. During the investigation, the team discover that Backer was attempting to repatriate the Navy Cross medal to Doherty. Jackson also learns that a third man was seen entering the building where Backer was thrown from. The murderer is exposed as Armen Standish, a curator at the Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre, who was attempting to extort money from Doherty and Mei Koo. The team find a loophole around Doherty's desertion charge by arranging his marriage to Mei Koo. |||||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Doggieccino Day Afternoon" | David Caesar | Michael Miller | 8 December 2023 (2023-12-8) | 12 June 2024 | 105 | 0.359 |
| While visiting a local dog cafe with his dog, Penrose and the other patrons are taken hostage by 15-year old Louie, who robbed a bank in order to obtain money for her cancer-stricken sister Casey. In addition to wearing a fake bomb vest, Louie also livestreams the hostage incident. The NCIS team joins the Australian police response to the hostage crisis. Dempsey clashes with Detective Sergeant Cath Welsh, who is willing to use lethal force to end the hostage situation. Penrose uses diplomacy to reason with the troubled Louie. Jackson and Mackey visit Louie's mother Fiona and Casey while Gleeson analyses Louie's social media profile. The team discover that a criminal named Stone had instigated the bank robbery, planted a hidden bomb inside Louie's vest, and that Fiona was originally going to wear the bomb vest. When Louie questions Stone's plan, he kidnaps Casey. Jackson, Mackey and Cooper manage to track down his whereabouts, rescuing Casey and confronting Stone, who attempts to detonate the bomb, but Dempsey and Welsh are able to jam Stone's signal before he can do so. Stone is ultimately shot and killed by Mackey, while the police disarm Louie's hidden bomb. Following the hostage crisis, Penrose visits his dementia-strickened wife, who is residing in her rest home. |||||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Extraction" | Catherine Millar | James Cripps & Clare Sladden | 15 December 2023 (2023-12-15) | 19 June 2024 | 106 | 0.341 |
| While on a crowded bus in Bondi, a man wearing a US Navy jacket dies of a cocaine overdose. Dr Penrose identifies the man as Robert Goddard, who works as a cook for the Peruvian drug syndicate Ramos Cartel. The resulting investigation sends Cooper looking back into her past as an undercover narcotics officer with the AFP. Evie is contacted by AFP undercover narcotics officer Kane, who has infiltrated the Ramos Cartel. Evie ghosts her NCIS colleagues during her undercover work. Mackey and Dempsey contact Cooper's former superior Detective Dan Skelton of the State Drug Squad, who briefs them on the case. The team also seek out Petty Officer Leeson, who sold the jacket to Goddard, but find him dead inside a warehouse. With Ramos Cartel's boss El Maestro due to visit Sydney, the cartel members including the undercover Cooper and Kane cook a batch of drugs. Mackey, Jackson and Dempsey raid the drug laboratory and confront the criminals. Mackey also encounters Skelton, who is revealed to be secretly working for the cartel and framed Kane for Goddard's murder. Skelton and one of the criminals is killed during an explosion that destroys the drug lab. After arresting El Maestro, Mackey reconciles with Cooper. |||||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Bunker Down" | Kriv Stenders | Kim Ho & James Cripps | 22 December 2023 (2023-12-22) | 26 June 2024 | 107 | 0.265 |
| Just before the agents of the NCIS team were scheduled to attend a glitzy AI tech launch event hosted by GaiaMetric in a secret underground World War Two-era bunker, Dr Howie Sutcliffe, a researcher with the US Navy, is found dead. Dempsey and Jackson investigate the murder, while Mackey, Cooper and Gleeson go to the bunker. The event is sabotaged, trapping the guests—including the killer—with just two hours' worth of oxygen. Mackey, Evie, and Bluebird search for a way out of the bunker while Dempsey, Jackson, and Penrose race to find them. The staff are unable to unlock the bunker due to a technological malfunction. JD and DeShawn discover evidence that Dr Sutcliff's invitation medal was stolen by the killer. They visit GaiaMetric's headquarters but discover that none of the staff know where the bunker is. Mackey and her team managed to find an old copper wire that allows them to temporarily contact Dempsey and Jackson. Mackey and Cooper also encounter an apparently pregnant journalist named Monica Rowe. Mackey and her team attempt to find exits but discover they have been sealed. With Penrose's help and information provided by Gleeson, Dempsey and Jackson manage to locate the bunker minutes before the oxygen runs out. Cooper and Mackey discover that Monica is the murderer and had masterminded the sabotage. After taking her into custody, the team recognise her as Xena, who was part of the team that infiltrated the nuclear submarine USS Navajo. |||||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Blonde Ambition" | Catherine Millar | Morgan O'Neill | 29 December 2023 (2023-12-29) | 3 July 2024 | 108 | 0.318 |
| Dempsey's nine year-old son Jack is kidnapped by an international assassin posing as a clown who wants to exchange him for Xena (aka Ana Niemus), the mercenary in their custody. The NCIS team and Australian police track the stolen clown's van to a carpark but finds that it has been booby trapped. Inside, they find the remains of the real clown, who has conifers on his hands. Using this evidence, Gleeson deduces that the kidnapper, Yaroslav Utkin, is a devoted Russian Orthodox believer. With the FBI heading to Sydney to arrest Niemus, JD escapes with her and meet up with Utkin to arrange the hostage swap. Utkin, however, reveals that Jack's kidnapping was a ploy to lure Niemus out in order to kill her. Before Utkin can kill Dempsey and Jack, Niemus releases herself from her handcuffs, as JD had actually unlocked them earlier, and kills him. Niemus then departs in the clown truck, but before leaving, she gives Dempsey a smartphone to call someone for help. When Dempsey dials the number, Mackey learns the number belongs to Colonel Rankin, ending the episode on a cliffhanger. |||||||||

### Season 2 (2025)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Network 10 airdate | Prod. code | Aus. viewers (millions) |
| 9 | 1 | "Heart Starter" | Jennifer Leacey | Morgan O'Neill | 7 February 2025 (2025-2-7) | TBA | 201 | N/A |
| Mackey confronts Colonel Rankin but he collapses after an apparent heart attack. For allowing Niemus to escape, Mackey and Dempsey are suspended from active duty by NCIS Special Agent Ken Carter and the AFP respectively. Jackson is placed in charge of the NCIS team. During the course of their investigation, Penrose discovers that the comatose Rankin was fitted with a pacemaker that doubled as a listening device which was remotely detonated when he tried to expose the people he was working for. While analyzing his bank transactions, Penrose finds that Rankin was working for an unidentified party who had hired Utkin to assassinate Niemus. Mackey and Dempsey secretly assist their colleagues and discover that Niemus had triggered Rankin's heart attack. Niemus attempts to kill Rankin but is lured into a trap and captured by Dempsey and Mackey. Following Niemus' capture, Dempsey and Mackey are reinstated in the NCIS team. While the comatose Rankin is officially declared dead, the NCIS team resolve to find the true mastermind. |||||||||
| 10 | 2 | "Fire in the Hole" | Jennifer Leacey | Andrew Anastasios | 14 February 2025 (2025-2-14) | TBA | 202 | N/A |
| The NCIS team investigate the body of a man that was found in the Sydney Harbor. They discover that the man was scheduled to attend an upcoming wedding on a sailing ship in the Harbor. Cooper and Jackson get aboard the ship disguised as a marriage celebrant and photographer. Meanwhile, Dempsey and Mackey raid a Sydney address where they discover the homeowner had been stockpiling explosives in his bunker. The ship is hijacked by a group of Australian terrorists, who threaten to kill hostages in order to force the United States to leave Australia. Cooper is captured while Jackson is throw aboard but manages to cling to the stern. Cooper and Jackson managed to free the wedding party who overpower their captors. Mackey manages to convince the Captain of a US Navy warship not to open fire on the hijacked ship, thus averting a potential crisis that would have played into the terrorists' objectives. |||||||||
| 11 | 3 | "Back in the USSR" | Catherine Millar | Written by : James Cripps Story by : James Cripps & Clare Sladden | 21 February 2025 (2025-2-21) | TBA | 203 | TBD |
| The NCIS team investigate the body of a US Navy officer named Lieutenant Harvey Wilson, who was found inside a concrete slab. During the course of their investigation, they discover that Wilson was an undercover US intelligence officer feeding false intelligence to the Soviets' about the US missile programme during the 1980s. Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Agent Terry, who is an old friend of Penrose, is assigned to assist with the NCIS team. While investigating a former Russian agent, Mackey and Dempsey discover the man was poisoned with a nerve agent and narrowly escape death. The NCIS team later discover that Terry was secretly working for the Russian Counsul-General Lina Bukovska, who was then working as a KGB agent. Before they can apprehend Terry, he is poisoned with a nerve agent by Bukovska. Penrose finds a remorseful Terry, who confesses that he was spying for the KGB to get medicine for his dying wife. He also identifies Bukovska as Wilson's murderer. Though Bukovska claims diplomatic immunity, the NCIS team and Australian authorities manage to convince her to cooperate in exchange for avoiding extradition to Russia after revealing that the intelligence about the US missile programme was faulty. |||||||||
| 12 | 4 | "Truth Sabre" | Catherine Millar | Tamara Asmar | 28 February 2025 (2025-2-28) | TBA | 204 | TBD |
| The NCIS team is dispatched to investigate a car bombing outside the residence of Commander Kira Mason, who is in charge of a classified computer security program for the US Navy. Widowed, the workaholic Mason has an estranged relationship with her teenage daughter Grace, who is influenced by a network of online conspiracy theorists. Jackson and Cooper are tasked with watching over the Mason household. During their investigation, Mackey and Dempsey discover that Grace's boyfriend Jake is an AI-created character who is being operated by nefarious forces seeking to steal classified information from the US military. The NCIS team discover that Kira's engineer Gene was responsible for the bombing but find that he was murdered. Under the manipulation of the mysterious mastermind, Grace hacks into her mother's computer and downloads classified information relating to US Navy SEALs. She meets up with the mastermind, who turns out to be Kira's chief of staff Heather. Heather attempts to kidnap Grace but is thwarted by Mackey. Following Heather's arrest, Grace reconciles with her mother. |||||||||
| 13 | 5 | "Shucked" | David Caesar | Ella Cook & Michael Miller | 7 March 2025 (2025-3-7) | TBA | 205 | TBD |
| The NCIS team investigate the death of US Navy petty officer Reuben Daniels, whose frozen body was found by a beach. Penrose and Gleeson discover that Daniels' body was covered in abalone semen. During their investigation, Mackey and Dempsey discover that Daniel and his flatmate Craig were involved in an abalone smuggling ring. After discovering a photo of Daniels' Vietnamese girlfriend Kim Dang, Cooper and Jackson investigate the Rezzy's strip club, whose Vietnamese strippers have been ensnared into a sex trafficking ring. Jackson meets Kim Dang, who reveals that she is searching for her sister who had disappeared after her student visa expired. The NCIS team converge on Daniel meeting with the Rezzy's manager's henchmen. Mackey convinces Daniel not to kill the henchmen, who lead Police to the missing strippers including Kim's sister. The team celebrate Gleeson's birthday following the investigation. |||||||||
| 14 | 6 | "Hell Weak" | David Caesar | Michael Miller | 14 March 2025 (2025-3-14) | TBA | 206 | TBD |
| The NCIS team investigates the death of US Navy SEAL Lieutenant Pete Levinson, who was staying at an outdoor fitness camp run by former SEALS including Chief Finn McKay. McKay had retired following a tragic training accident in California, which claimed the life of trainee Victor Austin. During scene examination, Jackson and Cooper determine that Levinson was murdered and that his death was staged to look like a suicide by hanging. Meanwhile, Penrose, Gleeson, Mackey and Dempsey discover that Levinson had been investigating a steroid smuggling ring among the SEALS. Jackson and Cooper are later taken prisoner by two of McKay's former SEAL associates, who are implicated in the smuggling operation. Jackson convinces the smugglers to play a game of hunt and seek instead of shooting them. With the help of McKay, the NCIS team overpower the two SEAL associates. The team resolves to continue their investigation into the smuggling ring. |||||||||
| 15 | 7 | "Breathless" | Jennifer Leacey | Michael Miller & James Cripps | 4 April 2025 (2025-4-4) | TBA | 207 | TBD |
| 16 | 8 | "Blood Is Thicker Than Vodka" | TBA | TBA | 11 April 2025 (2025-4-11) | TBA | 208 | TBD |

## Production

On 16 February 2022, it was reported that a spin-off set in Sydney, Australia, was in the works. NCIS: Los Angeles producer Shane Brennan was attached to the project.
The series was created by Morgan O'Neill. It was executive produced by O'Neill, Sara Richardson, and Sue Seeary and produced by Michele Bennett. It began filming in May 2023.
On 20 March 2024, NCIS: Sydney was renewed for a second season, which premiered on 7 February 2025. Two special episodes are set to film in Darwin and surrounding areas for season 2.
The series was renewed for a third season on 21 February 2025.

## International broadcast

In New Zealand and the United Kingdom, the series was also available to stream from 10 November 2023, on TVNZ+ and Paramount+ respectively. It is distributed internationally by Paramount Global Content Distribution and is available for streaming on Paramount+ in selected territories internationally.
In the United States, the series premiered on the franchise's parent network CBS on 14 November 2023 as part of 2023 Hollywood labor disputes replacement programming, after it was initially only intended for airing on Paramount+ in Australia and only tentatively internationally. The second season premiered on 7 February 2025. In Canada, the series premiered on Global and was simulcast alongside the CBS broadcast, also premiering on 14 November 2023.