NCIS: Sydney Season 2 Has A "Very Cool" Reference To Larger NCIS Universe, Showrunner Considers Crossover Possibilities

NCIS: Sydneyis gearing up to broaden its connection to the greater NCIS universe. The procedural follows Special Agent Michelle Mackey (Olivia Swann) and Australian Federal Police Sergeant JD (Todd Lasance) as they lead a joint task force of eclecticU.S. NCIS agents andthe AFP in Sydney, Australia. The NCIS spinoff is the first in the military police franchise to venture beyond U.S. borders, and the season 2 premiere recently made mention of NCIS Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll). While NCIS is known for crossovers between its flagship series and its spinoffs, Sydney is almost 10,000 miles away from its predecessor.

In a conversation with TV Insider, showrunner Morgan O’Neill assured that crossovers within NCIS: Sydney are being considered, and Swann also revealed that there will be another reference to the broader NCIS franchise in season 2. Given the distance between the series, with the NCIS mothership filmed in Southern California and Sydney in the titular city, it's a lot harder to get a fan-favorite character to make an appearance in the latest spinoff. Here's what they had to say:

Olivia Swann: There’s a very cool [reference]. I don’t know if I can say specifically which episode, but towards the end of the season, there’sa very cool one which we drop in there.
Morgan O'Neill: It’s a challenge for us. We’re not just in the studio next door. We can’t just pull Rocky Carroll out and drag him on our set. It’s not quite that easy. But I would say the great thrill of a franchise like NCIS is that it’s an interconnected world. Fans love that it is, and we’re certainly trying to work out ways where we can satisfy the desire for a kind of crossover or an interaction of sorts. So that may be happening in our future, I suppose, is the best way to put it.

What NCIS: Sydney's Connection To The Franchise Means

Expanding The Global Footprint Of NCIS

With NCIS: Sydney's season 2 premiere, the spinoff has now referenced Vance twice. He has yet to make an actual appearance in Sydney, but the show's team is brainstorming ways to integrate the spinoff more fully into the broader universe. In 2023, CBS aired a three-show crossover event connecting NCIS, NCIS: Hawaiʻi, and NCIS: Los Angeles for the first time ever. While Hawai'i was technically filmed within U.S. borders, production for the series took place overseas at the Naval Station in Pearl Harbor and Waikiki. Nonetheless, production managed to include Hawai'i in the massive NCIS-verse crossover.

JD (Todd Lasance) and Mackey (Olivia Swann) stills from NCIS: Sydney

8 Biggest Reveals & References In NCIS: Sydney Season 2 Trailer

The latest NCIS: Sydney season 2 trailers may have been short but they revealed a lot of exciting information about what to expect when it premieres.

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This suggests that NCIS: Sydney could follow a similar path in establishing stronger ties with the NCIS franchise, despite its distance. Fortunately, the showrunner has affirmed solutions are being explored to make inter-series interactions possible. While physical appearances may be more difficult to manage, a potential crossover episode could include virtual briefings, shared cases, or the introduction of characters with past ties to NCIS headquarters.Since a majority of the procedural's spinoffs have ended (Los Angeles, Hawai'i, and New Orleans), a lot of beloved characters may also be available to make that journey to Australia.

Our Take On NCIS: Sydney's Place In The Franchise

A Unique Opportunity For International Storytelling

Tuuli Narkle as AFP Liaison Officer Constable Evie Cooper, Sean Sagar as Special Agent DeShawn Jackson, Mavournee Hazel as Forensic Pathologist Bluebird 'Blue' Gleeson, William McInnes as Forensic Pathologist Dr. Roy Penrose and Todd Lasance as AFP Liaison Officer Sergeant Jim 'JD' Dempsey in NCIS: Sydney season 2, episode 1

NCIS: Sydney has already set itself apart from the rest of the franchise by embracing a new location, unique team dynamics, and a blend of American and Australian law enforcement styles. The spinoff show has been free to explore different storytelling avenues without relying on constant franchise tie-ins. That said, even an NCIS guest appearance through a video call or the creative use of a green screen could provide that satisfying connection for fans eager to see their favorite characters interact. In the meantime, the upcoming reference is an exciting breadcrumb to keep us intrigued about what’s next for NCIS: Sydney.

Source: TV Insider