‘NCIS: Sydney’ Review: CBS Drafts a Promising Spin-Off of the Beloved Franchise

Typically, it’s pejorative to call a series formulaic. But when it’s a franchise spin-off of one of CBS’s longest-running, most beloved dramas, the question is whether it’s faithful to the big daddy, “NCIS.” The series first premiered starring Mark Harmon as man-of-few-words and dynamic-action-hero-with-a-dark-past Leroy Jethro Gibbs on Sept. 23, 2003. It’s now celebrating its 20th anniversary; does the franchise, beloved by audiences global and domestic, still have juice?

Is the latest offspring the painful dud of “NCIS: Los Angeles” or the spry Creole-flavored “NCIS: New Orleans”? With the first four episodes available for preview, the good news is that “NCIS: Sydney” is faithful to the formula, while developing its own individual vibe at the frequently awkward intersection of American and Australian culture.