While it will make a triumphant return to the 2026 TV schedule this fall, NCIS already wrapped up its 23rd season. Yes, 24. With this in mind, it's hard to believe, the show still has two cast members who have been around since the first season. While they didn’t start out as core stars, both Sean Murray and Brian Dietzen have been some of the best NCIS characters, and some of the longest-lasting. A lot has changed since the early day, and not just with the actors and their roles. Dietzen recently recalled the procedural’s early days and was flabbergasted at the cost of shooting on literal film.
According to Shot on What?, NCIS was actually shot on 35mm film during its early years before transitioning to Digital over time. Dietzen, who had been on hand during that transition, remembered what it was like when NCIS shot on literal film. He revealed on Daniela Ruah’s episode of the Partners & Probies podcast that while he was aware of the quality of the film, he wasn’t exactly sure how much it was costing production and wanted to be extra careful of his takes:
