“We built a lot of momentum coming out of the strike. We cranked up the pressure in the last eight or so episodes,” he says. “It was unrelenting for the audience.”

The season was inherently shorter, so the series itself was more densely packed, according to the producer, who also seems to be saying they’ve maintained that approach this season.

Perhaps the cable model of 12 or 13 episodes per season would increase the popularity of most shows, procedural or otherwise.

NCIS has serial storylines. Ari, La Grenouille and now the traitor have all taken up episodes here and there in between the procedural episodes.

I was going to mention that military/law enforcement make up maybe the largest TV base in America. NCSI, JAG, The Unit, Army Wives and for 50 years, Cops and AMW, have been hits as a direct result.

I guess just the “values” type of show that pleases middle America! It’s the Dancing with the Stars of scripted TV.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2008-11-16-ncis_N.htm

Contrast NCIS with my #1 favorite cult-like show, TSCC. It takes a lot of ramping-up in order to understand what’s going on with TSCC. A new viewer could watch 3/4 of an episode and not understand Cameron isn’t a person, and not be able to understand why characters react the way they do. So it gets confusing and nuanced — and inaccessible to new or casual viewers.

With NCIS, everyone’s role is more-or-less defined. The characters ARE well written and well developed. They express their quirks in ways that reward long-time viewers of the show but in ways that do not distract or confuse the core audience (e.g. giving the goth girl soda, or smacking Denozzo upside the head, or Ducky’s ramblings).