3 Ways To Watch NCIS Without A Cable Subscription

Cutting the cord can be a liberating experience, but it can also raise a lot of questions, primarily about how to watch your favorite TV shows. If you count yourself among the millions of NCIS fans worldwide, saying goodbye to cable doesn't mean giving up watching your favorite team of special agents take on the most difficult criminal cases facing the U.S. Navy and Marines. NCIS is one of the longest-running primetime series in the U.S. and one of the most popular crime procedural shows ever made, so, understandably, you'd want to keep watching it after cutting the cord.

The good news is there are several ways to watch NCIS without paying for a cable subscription, with Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST), Over-the-Air (OTA) TV broadcasts, and Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming services being the best options for most people. What works best for you will depend on your lifestyle and preferences. Whether you want to watch the latest episodes live or binge-watch past seasons during your free time, you can continue to get your NCIS fix even after leaving cable behind.

Streaming has become a way of life for most of us, making it easy to watch our favorite programming on-demand. So, it comes as no surprise that streaming is one of the best ways to watch NCS without a cable subscription. You only need a compatible device, like a smart TV, smartphone, or Amazon Fire TV stick, to watch NCIS on a streaming platform.

If you're a diehard fan and want to watch the original NCIS from beginning to end, subscribing to Paramount+ is your best bet. Paramount+ has all 20 seasons; in contrast, you can only watch the first 15 seasons on Netflix, and nobody knows if or when they'll get the rest. Since Paramount+ includes live streaming of local CBS stations in many markets, you can also watch NCIS live, which will come in handy for those wanting to watch season 21 as it airs beginning on February 12, 2024.

While Paramount+ is the best streaming service for watching NCIS, you can also watch the popular series on Netflix, Hulu + Live TV, FuboTV, and YouTube TV without a cable subscription; just keep in mind that the catalog won't be as extensive as what you'll find on Paramount+ and the viewing options will be limited based on the service you choose. For example, with Hulu + Live TV, FuboTV, and YouTube TV, you'll be using the service to watch NCIS as it airs live on CBS.

As hard as it may be to believe, there are still ways to watch TV for free, although it's something that cable providers and paid streaming services would probably like us to forget. OTA broadcasts are an old-school way to watch TV shows like NCIS without a cable subscription. All you need to take advantage of OTA broadcasts is a good antenna and a nearby broadcast tower. Gone are the days of fighting with rabbit ears, TV antennas have come a long way and now deliver crystal-clear digital signals. That means you can enjoy your favorite shows like NCIS in HD, often with better picture quality than cable — all for free.

Follow these steps to access OTA broadcasts to watch NCIS: 

1. Purchase a suitable TV antenna. Options include easy-to-set-up indoor antennas to more complex outdoor antennas that offer better reception.

2. Connect the antenna to your TV and scan for available channels. 

3. Locate the CBS affiliate broadcasting NCIS in your area.

You can use online tools like the FCC's DTV reception maps to find channels in your area and get information on what type of antenna you may need based on your location. The biggest drawback of OTA broadcasts is you can only watch currently airing episodes. However, you can invest in an OTA DVR to record live TV broadcasts from your antenna. That way, you can watch NCIS episodes on your schedule and skip commercials.

When it comes to streaming NCIS on FAST TV platforms, the old adage, "There's no such thing as a free lunch," certainly rings true. However, the price isn't too high. In exchange for unlimited free programming, you agree to watch a few ads now and then. On most FAST platforms, you get all of this without ever needing to create an account or sign in to the platform, although you can do so if you'd like to organize favorites, save your viewing preferences, or resume watching where you left off. Unlike paid platforms, Fast services may not offer the latest episodes or complete seasons of popular shows like NCIS, with content limited to certain seasons or a selection of episodes. 

Pluto TV and the ION Channel on Plex TV offer limited free access to certain seasons and episodes of NCIS. Neither platform offers the original NCIS, so if you're interested, you'll have to use an OTA or paid platform. Five episodes of NCIS: Sydney are available on demand on Pluto TV for those who want to check out the latest spin-off of the popular series. If you just want to watch an episode here and there, you can't go wrong with the ION Channel on Plex TV, which most recently has been live-streaming NCIS: New Orleans for a few hours daily. Check the TV guide on the Plex App for times in your area.