Who’s on board for these investigative stories set in the Land Down Under?
Not only is the main series NCIS set to begin its 21st season, but the franchise as a whole is still going strong, 20 years after it debuted on CBS. NCIS: Los Angeles ended earlier this year, after 14 seasons, and NCIS: New Orleans terminated in 2021, after seven seasons. However, NCIS: Sydney has now joined the procedural family, with NCIS: Hawaii returning for Season 3. This is the first NCIS program to be set outside of the US. Although it will have a domestic premiere on CBS, its primary global streaming feature will be available to Paramount+ subscribers.
Created by Morgan O’Neill, who executive produces alongside Sara Richardson and Sue Seeary, NCIS: Sydney follows agents from the United States’ Naval Criminal Investigative Service teaming up with officers in the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to solve crimes in, you guessed it, Sydney, Australia. Ironically, in real life, the agency’s Australian field office is actually located in Perth (per the NCIS website), which is at the other end of the country, but I digress. Ahead of the show’s premiere, let’s go over who’s comprising our main cast of characters.
Olivia Swann
After making her TV debut in an episode of the British soap opera Doctors, Olive Swann scored what was, until arguably now, her biggest role: Astra Logue in Legends of Tomorrow, the third TV show set in The CW’s Arrowverse franchise. Initially depicted as an antagonist who’d been accidentally been sent to Hell by John Constantine and sought revenge as an adult, she later redeemed herself, became a member of the title team of protagonists and stuck around until Legends of Tomorrow was abruptly cancelled after seven seasons. Now Swann is starring in NCIS: Sydney as Michelle Mackey, the NCIS Special Agent-in-Charge of the law enforcement agency’s Sydney operation. Swann is the second Arrowverse alum to score a leading role in an NCIS show, following Katrina Law, who recurred on Arrow as Nyssa al Ghul, being cast as Jessica Knight on the main NCIS.
Todd Lasance
Todd Lasance is a well-known television personality in Australia, having starred in series including Home and Away, Rescue: Special Ops, Crownies, and Bite Club. For American viewers, he is most recognized for his roles as Michael B. Jordan’s co-star in Without Remorse, Edward Clariss, a.k.a. The Rival, in two brief episodes of The Flash, and Julius Caesar in Spartacus: War of the Damned. He portrays Michelle Mackey’s 2IC AFP counterpart, Sergeant Jim “JD” Dempsey, on NCIS: Sydney, so expect to see a lot of scenes with her.
Sean Sagar
When Michelle Mackey moves to Sydney, Australia, she’ll be accompanied by fellow NCIS agent DeShawn Jackson, played by Sean Sagar. His major credits include playing Marco in Fate: The Winx Saga, Mal in The Gentlemen, Robbie in Buffering and Charlie “Jizzy” Crow in The Covenant. Presumably Jackson doesn’t have as much experience compared to Mackey, but he’ll undoubtedly be a valued asset in the field.
Tuuli Narkle
Most American viewers likely aren’t familiar with Tulli Narkle, but NCIS: Sydney will change that. She’s taking part in the spinoff as Constable Evie Cooper, the AFP Liaison Officer, which reminds of how NCIS: Los Angeles’ Marty Deeks spent a long time on that show as the LAPD’s liaison officer (speaking of which, Eric Christian Olsen is game to appear on Sydney). If you watch Australian TV, then you might have seen her in All My Friends are Racist, Mystery Road: Origin or Bad Behaviour.
Mavournee Hazel
After discussing the characters who will be going after villains head-on, let’s talk about the ones who will support them covertly. First, there’s AFP forensic scientist Bluebird “Blue” Gleeson, also known as Mavournee Hazel. In other words, Blue will be the one evaluating the evidence that the field agents bring in and, most likely, also lending computer skills, much like Katie Hines on NCIS (and before her, Abby Sciuto until Pauley Perrette departed the series after 15 seasons). In addition to portraying Piper Willis on the Australian serial opera Neighbours from 2015 to 2019, Hazel also starred in two episodes of Shantaram, which are available to stream on Apple TV+.
William McInnes
Finally, we have William McInnes, who was cast to play AFP forensic pathologist Roy Penrose, meaning he’s the one conducting the autopsies on bodies brought back to base, just like the late David McCallum’s Ducky Mallard did on NCIS for many years, and Brian Dietzen’s Jimmy Palmer is doing nowadays. McInnes has been acting in Australian productions for over three decades, with some of the movies and TV shows on his resume including The Heartbreak Kid, Dirty Deeds, SeaChange, Blue Heelers, The Slap (the original show, not to be confused with the American adaptation that aired on NBC), Total Control and The Newsreader.
While Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers can watch NCIS: Sydney live, those with Paramount+ Essential will have to wait until the next day to stream the show. NCIS: Sydney begins on CBS on Tuesday, November 14 at 10 p.m. ET. Look through our TV schedule for 2023 to see what else is on the horizon, and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for updates about the return date of NCIS and NCIS: Hawaii.