NCIS fans were left heartbroken after the release of Season 22, as the latest episodes brought up the painful memory of all the canceled spinoffs that never came to fruition. From NCIS: Red to NCIS: New Orleans, many promising spin-offs were abruptly shelved over the years, leaving viewers disappointed and wondering what could have been. In Season 22, subtle references to these spinoffs reignited the conversation about the untapped potential of these shows, fueling the nostalgia for what fans had hoped would be a wider NCIS universe.

While NCIS continues to thrive with its original series, the revival of these past spinoff ideas has left many fans longing for a deeper dive into the untold stories. The references in Season 22 serve as a bittersweet reminder of what could have expanded the NCIS franchise even further. Despite the emotional blow, the fanbase remains hopeful that the series might eventually revisit the idea of expanding the NCIS universe, giving fans a chance to experience those canceled spinoffs in some form in the future.