‘NCIS: Sydney’ Boss on Crossover Chances & Franchise Easter Eggs
Preview
The NCIS franchise expands on November 14 with the premiere of the first international series, and sure, it might be quite a long plane ride for a crossover, but we’re, of course, already wondering if we ever might see one. Could anyone from the mothership or Hawai’i or even Los Angeles or New Orleans make their way over to NCIS: Sydney?
“Crossover episodes are part of the DNA of the show, and fans of the show love those episodes for good reason,” Sydney showrunner Morgan O’Neill tells TV Insider. “We’ve definitely talked about it. There are obviously challenges to that just geographically. We’re 9,000 miles from the closest bit of America. But that said, never say never. It’s a pretty attractive part of the world for people to visit, so being able to twist someone’s arm from one of the other franchises to come out and shoot an episode or two out here is not beyond the realms of possibility.”
The drama showcases just how gorgeous Sydney is, something O’Neill, who was born and raised there, is proud to come across. (He returned to make the show after 15 years in Los Angeles.) “It is one of the world’s great cities, and astonishingly, I think it’s bizarre that this show hasn’t happened in this place already when you consider that you have the opportunity to get NCIS agents working with another agency as fish out of water in the world’s largest harbor on the world’s largest island in the most contested patch of ocean on the planet. It writes itself. So we’re hugely thrilled to be the first international franchise of the NCIS universe, and we’re really hopeful that it opens the door to audiences around the world to how incredible this country is and how dangerous and challenging and far away and unique and exotic it is as well.”
NCIS: Sydney puts together a multinational task force to keep naval crimes in check, with NCIS Special Agent Michelle Mackey (Olivia Swann) and her 2IC AFP counterpart, Sergeant Jim “JD” Dempsey (Todd Lasance), in charge. Also on board: AFP Constable Evie Cooper (Tuuli Narkle), Special Agent DeShawn Jackson (Sean Sagar), forensic pathologist Doctor Roy Penrose (William McInnes), and forensic scientist Bluebird “Blue” Gleeson (Mavournee Hazel).
Now, just because there might not be a crossover (yet) doesn’t mean there won’t be plenty for fans to enjoy regarding the franchise’s history. There will be Easter eggs on the new show.
“One of the really fun things about NCIS as a whole is that it does do that Easter egg game pretty strong. It sets things up, and it’s reluctant to pay them off immediately,” says O’Neill. “It really sort of demands the audience to strap in and watch the whole season or all the seasons of the show. We definitely wanted to lean into that. It’s part of the fun of watching the show. It’s part of the fun of being a long-term fan of the show is that you collect those Easter eggs, and when they pay off, they really feel like you’ve earned them.”
So expect Easter eggs throughout the first season — and “hopefully in seasons beyond that,” he adds. “For fans of the show, I think you’ll ping them pretty quickly and just kind of lock them away in the back of your head. And certainly, across the first season, we’ll pay off a few of those Easter eggs in ways that I hope are really satisfying for the audience.”
NCIS: Sydney, Series Premiere, Tuesday, September 14, 8/7c, CBS
