As previously and sadly reported, this may be the final season of Grey’s Anatomy.
It’s crazy, but it may be true, as ABC is yet to determine the fate of its longest-running drama.
CBS, conversely?
It revealed that the future remains bright for its longest-running drama… sort of.
First, the good news: NCIS has been renewed for Season 19!
Fictional super agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs and company will, indeed, return in the fall of 2021 for plenty of brand new episodes.
But will this season mark the end for series lead Mark Harmon, who portrays Gibbs and who has been at the center of the intense action ever since the very first episode?
It sounds very possible, even not even likely.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Harmon will absolutely be back in the main role next season.
It remains unclear, however, whether or not he’ll be in every installment or whether he only agreed to return on a part-time basis.
Back in February, sources told the aformentioned entertainment news outlet that Harmon was prepared to move on from the character he originated on the CBS show JAG back in 2003.
Then, these same insiders explain, the actor — who also serves as executive producer — was informed told CBS would probably cancell NCIS if he retired from the program.
Such an ultimatum prompted Harmon to enter negotiations to reprise his beloved role.
CBS also announced the renewal of three other hits on Thursday.
Blue Bloods (for Season 12), S.W.A.T. (for Season 5), Magnum P.I. (for Season 4) and Bull (for Season 6).
All of these shows aired a limited number of episodes in 2020-2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the network did not specify the number it ordered for these upcoming seasons.
NCIS, meanwhile, is inching closer to some historic television milestones.
It now has a chance to become the longest-running U.S. primetime drama series of all time, with only Law & Order: SVU (22 seasons and counting), the original Law & Order (20 seasons) and Gunsmoke (20 seasons) having a more protracted run.
Might this entice Harmon to stick around even longer?
We can’t say at the moment — but series does still draw a huge audience of around 12 million viewers per week.
As for CBS as a whole?
It previously renewed dramas The Equalizer (for Season 2), FBI (Season 4) and FBI: Most Wanted (Season 3)… as well as comedies Bob Hearts Abishola (Season 3), The Neighborhood (Season 4) and Young Sheldon (Seasons 5-7).
CBS series still on the bubble include All Rise, B Positive, Clarice, NCIS: Los Angeles, SEAL Team, The Unicorn and United States of Al.