When viewers think about the “NCIS” universe, it’s probably safe to assume the first things that come to mind are the captivating criminal cases, compelling character arcs, and high-stakes drama each entry offers. While the show’s name has arguably become a beacon for those looking to dive headfirst into an exciting naval crime drama, after seeing it draped across caps, bulletproof vests, and everyone’s screens for so many years, there may be several people who find themselves unaware of what the famous acronym actually stands for. In addition to being the official designation of the popular CBS series and franchise, the four letters stand for Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
The U.S. Department of the Navy’s primary investigative law enforcement agency’s mission involves combating crimes involving individuals from the Navy or Marine Corps. The agency’s origins reach as far back as 1882 when the Office of Naval Intelligence was established. In 1966, during the Cold War, the organization underwent several changes and transitioned into the Naval Investigative Services. The designation “Naval Criminal Investigative Service,” or NCIS, came later in 1992.
Not only has “NCIS” left its mark on history and the small screen, but some might be surprised to learn what people who work for Naval Criminal Investigative Services in the real world think of the series.
Real NCIS agents respect the series
After hundreds of episodes, multiple spinoffs, and dozens of seasons, “NCIS” fans have watched more than their fair share of teams take on a multitude of riveting cases involving cartels, terrorists, and several other organized crime elements. From deadly assassinations to massive military heists, there is rarely a dull moment when it comes to what happens when viewers watch the Navy crime procedural. The franchise’s longevity and success are clear indicators many people enjoy the experience, and it appears real-life NCIS agents do as well.
When comparing the show to what happens in the real world, NCIS Agent Kevin Dodds, who worked with the agency for many years, made it clear to CBS News that certain aspects of the show are accurate, saying, “Agents with NCIS will work counter-terrorism, protective operations, general crimes, economic crimes, fraud.” NCIS Agent Bob Milie concurred with the assessment, adding, “‘NCIS LA’ is very realistic of what we do.” But even though the franchise gets certain things right, it does veer off the path of authenticity at times, especially considering how quickly cases get solved. “They wrap everything up in an hour, that’s nice, but it’s not reality,” Agent Dodds said. Despite the creative liberties taken at times, Agent Milie confirmed one thing about the show, saying, “We just appreciate the respect they give the real agency.”
While the real NCIS may have positive things to say about the show’s realism, fans have a different opinion.
Some fans feel NCIS is anything but authentic
Fans feel very differently than the real-life NCIS about the realism the series brings to the table. Several of them haven’t been shy about declassifying the evidence they have obtained to support their bold claims against the show’s accuracy. u/TheBeneGesseritWitch didn’t pull any punches comparing it to several of the franchise’s big-name competitors, posting, “I would say it is somewhere on the scale of ‘way less realistic than Law and Order,’ ‘slightly less realistic than Criminal Minds or CSI’ and ‘more realistic than Castle.’ Some even got specific when throwing shade, like u/Boonpocket, who posted, “The computer forensics is mainly jibberish.”
But others went all out, like u/I_am_the_Jukebox, who threw out some heavy criticism, writing, “On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being complete fabrication and 10 being a 100% accurate representation, I’d say ‘NCIS’ is about a -7. I have not seen a single thing about the show that is even close to accurate.” Some have even claimed the inaccuracies and lack of authenticity caused them to quit the show. “‘NCIS’ was never realistic,” u/William_Wisenheimer wrote. “I stopped watching because the show drifted from the casework and got way too soapy.”
While there are two schools of thought regarding how the show depicts life working in the Naval Criminal Investigative Services, viewers will have to decide for themselves when watching episodes of “NCIS.”
