NCIS season 23 episode 5 release date & time, what’s next, and everything you need to know about

Nostalgic times are ahead in NCIS season 23 episode 5, as it marks the second half of the two-hour crossover event with prequel show NCIS: Origins. While the flagship series has hosted many crossovers in the past, it will be the first time for the prequel series. One special agent from Origins, now retired, will be joining the A-team in their new case.

With the crossover event, NCIS season 23 episode 5 drops next Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at 9:00 pm ET, on CBS and Paramount+. Titled Now and Then, the team reopens a naval officer's death case that Gibbs and Franks originally investigated in the 1990s.

But besides a high-stakes prison break case, the team will also be challenged by their differing opinions regarding a special Navy time capsule.

Disclaimer: This article may contain spoilers for the show. Reader's discretion is advised.

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When does NCIS season 23 episode 5 come out?

A still from the series (Image via NCIS/YouTube)

While NCIS season 23 episode 5 will arrive next Tuesday night, November 11, 2025, it will air a little later than usual, as the episode marks the culmination of the show's crossover with NCIS: Origins. The latter will take over the show's 8:00 pm ET timeslot, while the new NCIS episode will air at 9:00 pm ET.

Check out the exact release dates and times for the upcoming installment below.

Like previous episodes, NCIS season 23 episode 5 airs exclusively on CBS on streams on Paramount+. Subscribers with a Paramount+ Premium plan can watch the episode at the same time it airs, while those with Paramount+ Essential Plans can start streaming the episode the following day.

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How many episodes are left in NCIS season 23

There is no official confirmation from CBS about how many episodes NCIS season 23 is going to get. But on Futon Critic, there are confirmed dates for at least seven more episodes, with two of them, including next week's NCIS season 23 episode 5, already having working titles.

Based on previous seasons, season 23 can have anywhere from ten to 22 episodes.

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A brief recap of NCIS season 23 episode 4

In NCIS season 23 episode 4, Gone Girls, Parker leads the team in an abduction case that has a bit of a power struggle because of who it's connected to. What is first assumed to be a Marine Sergeant, Molly Delgado, getting kidnapped quickly becomes a kidnapping case where she is the suspect and the victim is Deputy Attorney General Brett Gaines' wife, Claire.

However, as the case unfolds, it's revealed that Sergeant Delgado is part of a book club that rescues abused women. She's in charge of extraction, and she kidnapped or helped Claire sneak out because Brett Gaines is abusive. But he learns about the plan and sends a former FBI agent after Delgado, who she ends up killing. Brett Gaines is arrested in the end after the truth comes out.

Meanwhile, as the team focuses on solving the kidnapping case, they miss attending Barbara's show. But in true family form, Nick and the rest of the team stage a surprise by setting up a stage and bringing Barbara's theater group for an impromptu performance.

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Major events to expect in NCIS season 23 episode 5

Titled Now and Then, here are some potential plot points fans can expect in next week's NCIS season 23 episode 5:

• Episode 6 brings a more action-packed, suspenseful investigation as the team gets a new case that isn't so new after all, involving an inmate breaking out of prison when there are only a few short weeks left in their sentence, which doesn't make sense.
• It's a crossover event with NCIS and NCIS: Origins, the last one, so long-time fans of the franchise can expect the upcoming episode to bring some nostalgia mixed with a high-stakes investigation.
• With the team opening an old investigation from back in the 1990s, they are hiring a retired special agent, Vera Strickland, played by Roma Maffia. Also expect the team back to their usual banter as different views and opinions clash.

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Stay tuned for more NCIS season 23 news and updates as the series gets underway.

Edited by Kinette Sumadia