The NCIS Franchise Transformed Itself in 2016 - With Mixed Results

In November, it was announced that NCIS executive producers and writing partners George Schenck and Frank Cardea would take over showrunner duties.

Unfortunately, the new blood hasn't translated into viewership numbers for NCIS, whose ratings have inched downwards this season, with a few spikes; and whose most recently holiday episode notched a 1.7 rating in the adults 18-49 demo (down from 2.2 for the season premiere, which was itself down more than 10 percent).

[...] a large portion of the show's fanbase was comprised of "Tiva" shippers (Tony and Cote de Pablo's Ziva), and with Ziva being killed off (off-screen) in Tony's exit episode, the will-they-or-won't-they of that relationship has pretty much been answered once and for all.

Though it still doesn't draw as many overall viewers as NCIS, it's notable that the Los Angeles-based spin-off is drawing a bigger audience in its eighth season (up more than 20 percent in the demo some weeks), after being shuffled around on CBS' schedule for the past few years.

LA has focused heavily on the popular 'shipper couple Kensi (Daniela Ruah) and Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen), with a compelling storyline about Kensi being gravely injured and struggling to recover, so it's possible that grieving Tiva fans are simply looking for a new pair to root for.

[...] while its rating in the demo has remained relatively consistent, the show's overall viewership numbers have inched downward since the start of the season, with a few upticks, including the most recent Dec. 13 episode.