NCIS Fans Were Pleasantly Surprised By The Historic 3-Way Crossover Event

The highly-anticipated "NCIS" three-way crossover event has finally aired, and it's one for the books. Featuring characters from "NCIS," "NCIS: Hawai'i," and "NCIS: Los Angeles," each installment was a wild ride from start to finish. It all kicks off with everyone assembling to celebrate the retirement of FLETC professor Dale Harding (Robert Picardo), whose shocking death puts an abrupt halt on the festivities. L.A. agents Callen (Chris O'Donnell) and Hanna (LL Cool J) initially rule out any foul play, but after Tennant (Vanessa Lachey), Boone (Noah Mills), Parker (Gary Cole), Knight (Katrina Law), McGee (Sean Murray), and Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) descend on the crime scene, missing evidence and a faulty timeline get them digging deeper into the professor's life.

Crossovers, by nature, can be a bit of a toss-up. It's not guaranteed that fans of one show will be familiar with another series in the same franchise, or that the narrative will be able to integrate all of the characters in a way that makes sense. Although the historic "NCIS" crossover was a nightmare to coordinate, the results were worth it. With plenty of twists and turns to keep viewers on their toes as the night wore on, fans of the "NCIS" franchise enjoyed seeing the different characters work together to untangle the mystery.

With characters from three different shows assembling to solve one crime, some confusion was expected. However, the crossover's initial setup provides the perfect excuse for the characters to get together in Washington, D.C. — a throughline that seamlessly connects each of the three installments. In a Reddit thread discussing the crossover, viewers expressed delightful surprise at the high-stakes plot. Even as different characters come in and out of the story, the overarching narrative proved enough to keep people hooked. And with smooth transitions from episode to episode, the crossover definitely hit the mark with "NCIS" fans. 

"Okay this is actually really good," wrote Reddit user u/Clint8813. "I was afraid you would need to be caught up on the other shows but that doesn't seem to be the case. It's a great plot." Even people who hadn't watched the shows for some time found themselves invested. "I've not kept up with any 'NCIS' in years, but I thoroughly enjoyed this episode," wrote Reddit user u/MattCW1701. "I know virtually nothing about the Hawaii team, nothing about the new folks on the LA team, and very little about most everyone on the DC team, but I could follow easily."

Viewers reacting on Twitter felt similarly. "Love love loved the crossover!!! We need more!!! Many more!" wrote Twitter user @1224Shirley. Hopefully, the powers that be at CBS incorporate more crossover events in the "NCIS" franchise down the line. For now, though, it's back to our regularly scheduled programming.