When most fans think of NCIS spinoffs, the obvious ones come to mind: NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, and the more recent NCIS: Hawai’i. But what many don’t realize is that the NCIS franchise has flirted with other ideas—projects that existed behind the scenes, in pilot form, or even as short-lived concepts that never made it to air. These hidden spinoffs reveal just how ambitious CBS has been in expanding its most successful crime drama.

One example was a potential NCIS: Red, a mobile task force spinoff introduced through a backdoor pilot on NCIS: Los Angeles. The show was designed to follow a team of agents who worked out of mobile command centers, traveling to crime scenes across the country. Despite a strong cast and intriguing setup, the series was never picked up, leaving it as one of the franchise’s “what could have been” moments.

There were also early talks of a spinoff centered around international operations, highlighting how NCIS handles cases abroad. While the idea gained some traction, it never moved forward, largely due to the logistical challenges of filming on a global scale. Fans might also be surprised to learn that producers once explored a series focusing on the younger years of Leroy Jethro Gibbs—a prequel idea that eventually transformed into NCIS: Origins, which is now in development.

These little-known spinoffs prove that the NCIS universe is much bigger than most fans realize. With the success of Tony & Ziva now on the horizon, it’s clear that CBS is far from finished experimenting with new ways to expand the beloved franchise. Who knows? Some of these shelved ideas could one day find their way back onto the screen.