Why was there no new episode of NCIS: Origins season 2 this week? Explained

CBS briefly paused its regular NCIS franchise programming this week, leaving viewers without a new episode of NCIS: Origins season 2. The break came on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, when the network opted to air reruns instead of continuing its usual three-hour NCIS lineup.

While CBS did not provide an official explanation, the timing aligns with the network’s annual Thanksgiving week adjustments. At this time, many scripted shows temporarily step aside for holiday specials and alternative programming. 

Fortunately for fans, the hiatus is brief: NCIS: Origins returns on December 2, 2025, with episode 7, followed by another new installment before the series heads into a longer winter break. The temporary disruption ensures the remaining episodes air more consistently.

CBS pauses NCIS: Origins season 2 during Thanksgiving week

CBS temporarily halted new episodes of NCIS: Origins season 2 as part of its annual holiday scheduling shift during Thanksgiving week. It is common for the network to adjust its primetime lineup during this period. This is done to accommodate seasonal specials, anniversary events, and alternative programming that catches the eye of holiday audiences. This year, the change impacted the entire NCIS franchise. The network replaced new episodes with curated reruns from NCIS, NCIS: Origins, and NCIS: Sydney.

Although CBS did not issue an official explanation, the pause aligns with standard industry practice. Networks often avoid premiering new installments during weeks when viewership patterns fluctuate. It ensures that major story developments are not missed due to holiday travel or competing festivities. The break also comes at a strategic moment in the season. It allows the show to maintain momentum heading into December’s final run of episodes before its winter hiatus.

To fill the primetime slot, CBS selected episode repeats that highlight key crossover moments and fan-favorite storylines. Overall, the short delay is a routine scheduling decision, designed to preserve ratings stability ahead of the season’s next major narrative turns.

When NCIS: Origins season 2 returns with new episodes

NCIS: Origins season 2 resumes on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, bringing the series back to its regular 9 PM ET/PT slot with episode 7, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” The upcoming installment shifts the focus toward both an intense case-of-the-week and significant character developments that deepen the show’s narrative.

The team solves the murder of a Marine who had been selected for a classified mission. The team’s inquiry uncovers contradictions in the victim’s final movements. It forces Gibbs and Franks to piece together competing accounts as they navigate pressure from military officials. The case also highlights Lala’s role within the NIS, as she challenges outdated assumptions about female Marines and pushes the team toward a more nuanced understanding of the victim’s life.

Beyond the procedural plot, the episode delivers major personal revelations. Wheeler receives unexpected news that begins to clarify his guarded behavior and ambition. His personal life which is less talked about, also gets the spotlight. It adds dimension to his relationship with Gibbs and the rest of the team.

Lala also faces a turning point after receiving surprising information from Vera, hinting at challenges that may follow her into the second half of the season.

Randy’s storyline moves forward as well, with a double date featuring Randy and his wife alongside Gibbs and Diane. The moment offers a lighter contrast to the case and continues to build the dynamics that will influence Gibbs’ early years.

Another new episode airs on December 9, 2025, before the season enters its extended winter break ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics coverage. The next batch of episodes arrives February 24, 2025, promising new characters—including a young Dwayne Pride—and deeper connective tissue to the broader NCIS universe.

What has happened in NCIS: Origins season 2 so far?

Across its first six episodes, NCIS: Origins season 2 follows a steady, case-driven arc in the early careers of Gibbs and the original NIS team. The premiere opens with a missing Marine whose trail leads to a dangerous compound, while also resolving the season-one cliffhanger by confirming Lala survived her crash and is back in the field.

The next hour keeps the team on a high-risk investigation tied to military secrecy and internal pressure. In episode three, a murder initially staged as a freezing accident is exposed through Ducky’s first major autopsy after he joins from D.C., uncovering strangulation and a broader smuggling operation.

Episode four turns personal when a Navy bank robbery intersects with Frank’s past after his brother appears, linking family conflict to the case’s resolution. Episode five sends the unit to a small town where a supposed train-related death is revealed as a carefully concealed homicide rooted in long-kept secrets. By episode six, a birthday celebration becomes a ritualistic murder investigation, exposing how an old failure of justice was recreated to force the truth into the open.

Catch NCIS: Origins season 2 on CBS.