NCIS Fans Are Not Going to Like This Announcement About the New Season

From Good Housekeeping

• CBS' hit crime drama NCIS is not canceled, but the premiere of season 18 will be delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

• The show is set to begin production in September, but won't start airing new episodes until November at the earliest.

Earlier this year, production on season 17 of CBS' hit crime drama NCIS was shut down in early March due to the coronavirus pandemic. That left fans four episodes short of what was meant to be a 24 episode season — and with some major cliffhangers.

But when the show went off the air in May 2020, fans were also heartened by the announcement that the show would be returning for season 18.

Since then, viewers have been desperate to know when the series will return (in particular, the 400th episode special). On August 14, actor Wilmer Valderrama, who plays Nick Torres on the show, confirmed season 18 was on its way via Instagram, writing "We have a start date.. this is not a drill ladies and caballeros.. season 18, #NCIS and your boy #NickTorres back on your TVs soon!" — and fans couldn't have been more thrilled.

But what does that mean for the premiere date of season 18? According to a Deadline report from early August, NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles are set to start L.A.-based production under COVID-19 safety guidelines in early- to mid-September. But now that CBS has released its September and October TV lineup, it seems that fans won't be too happy to learn that there likely won't be any new episodes coming to the small screen in the near future.

CBS confirmed the show will eventually appear on its fall lineup in its Tuesday slot at 8 p.m., but won't be airing until November at the earliest (the schedule also has no sign of NCIS: New Orleans, even though the show was renewed earlier this year).

Related: Law & Order: SVU cast then and now

"This is hardly a traditional fall season, but we are prepared with a strong slate of original content while our regular scripted series begin production," said Kelly Kahl, the president of CBS Entertainment in a statement. "Based on our current timeline, we hope to start rolling out our previously announced fall series as they become available in November."

Better late than never, we say!

You Might Also Like

• A Cleaning Expert Explains the Best Way to Clean Cloth Face Masks After You Wear Them — Good Housekeeping

• 35 Delicious Pantry Recipes That Use What's Already in Your Cabinets and Freezer — Good Housekeeping

• The Amish keep to themselves. And they’re hiding a horrifying secret. — Cosmopolitan