CBS has penned another contract for “NCIS’ return for its 9th season this fall. The Naval Criminal Investigative Series has continued to top the charts since its debut in 2003. According to Reuter’s the shows episode this week has drawn NCIS’s biggest audience, collecting an estimated 23 million viewers.

Owned by CBS, NCIS has been America’s favorite for it provides viewers with compelling and moving stories. What sets the show apart from its contemporary is the successful mixture of thrill, suspense and intrigue, shown with a combination of wit and humor among its cast.

Mark Harmon is featured as the one-liner leader of the team who plays Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He is joined by Michael Weatherly ( Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo); Cote de Pablo (Ziva David); Pauley Perrette (Abigail "Abby" Sciuto); Sean Murray (Timothy McGee); Rocky Carroll (Leon Vance); David McCallum (Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard); Lauren Holly (Jenny Shepard); Sasha Alexander (Caitlin "Kate" Todd); Brian Dietzen (Jimmy Palmer).

The cast of the popular investigative series said in various interviews that they have really grown closer to one another, on and off the set.