NCITrivia
It's one of the most watched TV shows of the 21st Century, but how much do you know about the popular NCIS series? See how many of these 20 questions about the show you can answer correctly.
Answer 15-20 Correctly: NCI Yes!
10-14: NCI Pretty Good
5-9: NCI Not Great
0-4: NCI No!
Q: What Does "NCIS" Stand For?
Might as well start there, right?
A: Naval Criminal Investigative Service
And as you probably know—the NCIS is a real government agency.
Q: NCIS Premiered On September 23rd Of What Year?
1: 2001
2: 2003
3: 2005
4: 2007
A: 2003
And speaking of that first season...
Q: What Was The Show Called For The Entire First Season?
Hint: It wasn't NCIS.
A: Navy NCIS
Yes, even though the "N" in NCIS stands for "Naval"—making the word "Navy" in the title redundant.
Q: "NCIS" Is A Spin-Off...
Of what series?
A: JAG
Episodes 20 and 21 of JAG's eighth season were the backdoor pilot episodes.
Q: There Have Been How Many Spin-Offs Of The Original NCIS Series?
1: 4
2: 5
3: 6
4: 7
A: 6
NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, NCIS: Hawaiʻi, NCIS: Sydney, NCIS: Origins, NCIS: Tony & Ziva
Note: Since NCIS: Tony & Ziva hasn't premiered yet—you can give yourself a point if you answered five instead of six.
Q: NCIS Was the Most-Watched TV Show For Five Years In A Row Until The 2023-24 Season.
What show just edged it out to take the top spot that season?
A: Tracker
Tracker racked up 10.8 million weekly viewers—as compared to the 9.7 million brought in by NCIS.
Beekeeper Entertainment, Tracker 2024-
Q: What Actors Played The Following Characters On NCIS?
- Leroy Jethro Gibbs
- Anthony DiNozzo
- Jenny Shepard
- Dr Donald "Ducky" Mallard
Note: Get at least three out of four correct to earn a point.
A: They Are...
- Leroy Jethro Gibbs: Mark Harmon
- Anthony DiNozzo: Michael Weatherly
- Jenny Shepard: Lauren Holly
- Dr Donald "Ducky" Mallard: David McCallum
Q: Which One Of These Isn't A Gibbs's Rule?
1: Never let suspects stay together.
2: Never, ever involve lawyers.
3: Never laugh during an interrogation.
4: Always be specific when you lie.
A: Never Laugh During An Interrogation
Although, there are rules about interrogations, including: "Never, ever interrupt Gibbs during an interrogation".
Q: Another Gibbs's Rule Is, "Never Say You're Sorry. It's A Sign Of Weakness".
But he does make one exception. Who does he say it's okay to apologize to?
A: A Friend
Gibbs tells Ducky that it's okay to apologize to a friend—and then apologizes to Ducky.
Q: Caitlin Todd Worked For What Agency Before Joining The NCIS Team In Season 1?
Actress Sasha Alexander spent two years as part of the main cast—leaving at the end of season 2.
A: Secret Service
Todd was part of the President's Secret Service detail when her character was introduced on the show in the pilot episode.
Q: NCIS Is The Longest-Running American Scripted, Live-Action Prime-Time TV Series Currently Airing?
TRUE or FALSE
A: False
That honor goes to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (premiered in 1999). NCIS is actually in third place if you count the OG Law & Order which aired from 1990–2010 and then picked up again in 2022.
Wolf Entertainment, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 1999-
Q: What Was The Title Of Mark Harmon's Final Episode Of NCIS?
1: "Road to Nowhere"
2: "Great Wide Open"
3: "Nearly Departed"
4: "First Steps"
A: "Great Wide Open"
The episode originally aired on October 11, 2021. It was the fourth episode of the 19th season.
Q: Actress Pauley Perrette Was The Lead Singer In An All-Female Punk Band.
What was the name of the band?
A: Lo-Ball
You can hear one of the band's songs, "Can't Get Me Down", in the movie Legally Blonde.
Q: How Many Primetime Emmy Awards Has NCIS Won?
1: 0
2: 1
3: 2
4: 6
A: 0
The series has only been nominated three times:
2005: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
2008: Outstanding Stunt Coordination
2013: Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Miniseries, or Movie
Q: The Character Of Agent Timothy McGee Graduated From Both MIT And What Other Prestigious School?
1: Yale University
2: Stanford University
3: Johns Hopkins University
4: Harvard University
A: Johns Hopkins University
He has a Bachelor of Science in bio-medical engineering and an Master of Science from MIT in computer forensics.
And sticking with Agent McGee...
Q: McGee Speaks English And Is Pretty Fluent In What Other Language?
1: French
2: Spanish
3: Klingon
4: Swahili
A: Klingon
You might remember the Halloween episode where the team crashes a costume party looking for a suspect and finds one dressed as a Klingon. When they begin the questioning the suspect answers in Klingon—and McGee translates it back into English for Gibbs.
Q: As Of December 2024, NCIS Surpassed 500 Episodes.
TRUE or FALSE
A: False
The December 16th episode (the final episode of 2024), was number 476.
Q: NCIS Co-Creator Donald P. Bellisario Also Co-Created Magnum, PI
TRUE or FALSE
A: TRUE
Bellisario also created Airwolf, JAG, and Quantum Leap, among other shows.
Belisarius Productions, Airwolf (1984–1986)
Q: What Was Abby's Vanity License Plate?
The one on her red hot rod 1931 Ford Coupe.
A: 4NS CHIK
Get it? "Forensics chick".
Q: Which Member Of The Cast Also Directed An Episode?
Actually, they directed two episodes.
A: Michael Weatherly
Season 8, episode 17, titled "One Last Score", was Weatherly's directorial debut. He was also at the helm for the 18th episode of season 10, "Seek".
How Did You Do?
Did you put all those hours of watching NCIS to good use and ace this quiz? Add it all up and, if you want, leave your score in the comments.
