Why isn't NCIS: Sydney season 3 episode 9 on tonight, Tuesday, Dec. 16?

You're likely tuning into CBS right now, looking for the NCIS: Sydney season 3 fall finale. It was supposed to air on Tuesday, Dec. 16, just at an earlier time than usual. Well, that was before some disappointing news just hours before the episode.

NCIS: Origins season 2 wasn't airing a new episode at all tonight. That fall finale had aired the previous week, which was why the Australian-set spinoff was being moved forward an hour, running straight after the NCIS season 23 fall finale. So, what's going on?

“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: Tuuli Narkle as AFP Liaison Officer Constable Evie Cooper and Sean Sagar

CBS has pulled NCIS: Sydney from the schedule

Just hours before the episode was due to air, TVLine shared some surprising and disappointing news. The episode was pulled from the CBS schedule.

There was no reason given for this. When this has happened before, it's usually due to the episode including something sensitive connected to events in the news. FBI once held an episode back and aired it at a later date due to events that happened in the episode that eerily connected to the real world. Some medical dramas chose not to air specific episodes or storylines as the COVID-19 pandemic due to the nature of their storylines.

So, it is possible that there is something like this linked to attacks that have happened around the world, specifically the terrorist attack on Bondi Beach in Australia. However, CBS hasn't made the reasoning clear.

“South of Nowhere” – L-R: Todd Lasance as AFP Liaison Officer Sergeant Jim 'JD' Dempsey, Olivia Swann as NCIS Special Agent Captain Michelle Mackey, Sean Sagar as NCIS Special Agent DeShawn Jackson, Tuuli Narkle as AFP Liaison Officer Constable Evie Cooper and William McInnes as Forensic Pathologist Dr. Roy Penrose in NCIS: Sydney episode 9, season 3 streaming on Paramount+, 2025. Photo Credit: Daniel Asher Smith/Paramount+ © TM & © 2025 CBS Studios Inc. NCIS: Sydney and related marks and

When will NCIS: Sydney season 3 episode 9 air?

Now the question is when the series will air, and this is something we don't have answers to right now. CBS hasn't confirmed if NCIS: Sydney season 3 episode 9 will air during the winter break, or if it will be the first episode on Tuesday, Feb. 24 when the series returns.

As of right now, we may want to prepare for a lack of new episode until February. It wouldn't be good for the linear ratings for NCIS: Sydney season 3, which are currently already struggling, for the episode to air without the rest of the NCIS lineup.

However, this will through the episode counts off. Presuming that NCIS: Sydney had the same number of episodes to go as NCIS, it would mean that the series would need to run an extra week. CBS may want to use a big football game in January as a special air date, which could help with the ratings.

We'll be sure to keep an eye on things for what was supposed to be the NCIS: Sydney season 3 fall finale.

NCIS: Sydney is available to stream on Paramount+.

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