NCIS: Sydney season 2 isn't back in January 2026

NCIS: Sydney is taking a longer break than fans would expect, but we know when it will be back!

NCIS: Sydney is a bit of an outlier in the NCIS franchise. It’s a co-production with Australian TV and an attempt by CBS to branch out the franchise abroad. It was to be a Paramount+ exclusive but when the 2023 Hollywood strikes curtailed the fall season, CBS had it airing on the network.

The series has continued to do well, showing a joint NCIS-Australian task force handling military crimes across Australia. It has the same action and fun cast chemistry as the other NCIS shows and while the ratings haven’t been as good, it still has an audience.

However, the series is taking a break for the first month and a half of 2026, which may be a concern to fans.

“Truth Sabre” – NCIS: Sydney is thrown into the murky world of online conspiracies after a car owned by a U.S. Navy cyber engineer explodes just as her teenage daughter was about to take a driving lesson, on NCIS: SYDNEY, Friday, Feb. 28 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. L-R: Tuuli Narkle as AFP Liaison

Why is NCIS: Sydney taking a break?

The show, like the other NCIS series, won’t air a new episode until Tuesday, Feb. 24. In fact, CBS is holding off on almost its entire scripted slate until then, which is a surprise given that February is sweeps month, usually a key time for the networks.

There are some reasons behind this. For one, January will see new episodes from NBC, ABC and Fox, along with NFL playoffs on the weekends so CBS wants to avoid the crunch of viewers for those returning shows.

More importantly, the 2026 Winter Olympics begin in early February and are likely going to dominate the ratings on NBC. CBS doesn’t want to compete with that and historically has given the Olympics a wide berth.

It’s more interesting for NCIS: Sydney, as the midseason finale on Tuesday, Dec. 19 was pulled hours before it was to air. There has been no official explanation for it, with speculation that the recent mass shooting in Bondi Bay may have been seen as too close to Sydney viewers for a new episode to air.

There’s no word on when that episode will air as fans await the show’s return.

“Hell Weak” – The suspected suicide of a former U.S. Navy SEAL leads NCIS: Sydney to a wellness retreat to investigate a group of his fellow former SEAL buddies, on NCIS: SYDNEY, Friday, March 14 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. L-R: Mavournee Hazel as Forensic Pathologist Bluebird 'Blue' Gleeson, Olivia

What’s coming when NCIS: Sydney returns?

While CBS hasn’t revealed plot details for the coming episodes, it has been confirmed that Noah Eid will appear as the teenage son of Mackey (Olivia Swann). It will play on her family dynamics and Noah may aid the unique partnership between Mackey and JD (Todd Lasance).

There will also be further fallout from the discovery that lab tech Blue (Mavournee Hazel) had a criminal past, and while the team has accepted her back, Blue may face repercussions for keeping her secret. Also, Rosie (William McInnes) is still mourning his late wife, and we continue to get the wonderful friendship between Jackson (Sean Sager) and Cooper (Tuuli Narkle).

So it’ll be a longer wait for more NCIS: Sydney episodes yet fans can be sure the series brings more excitement Down Under when it comes back next February!

NCIS: Sydney season 3 returns on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 10/9c on CBS.

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