You’re sprawled on the couch, remote in hand, and NCIS is on—again. It’s season 12, episode 8, and Gibbs just gave that signature head-slap. You don’t even need to pay attention; it’s just comfortable background noise. But as you watch Mark Harmon solve yet another crime, a thought creeps in: Is he making bank off this rerun right now?
The short answer is yes, but it’s way more complicated than a simple check. For actors on a massive hit like NCIS, reruns are a golden ticket—but they’re not all first-class passengers. The show has been in syndication since 2008, meaning it airs on cable channels like USA Network and broadcast syndication almost constantly.
The Syndication Payday (Or Lack Thereof)
When a show enters syndication, the original actors typically get residuals. These are payments from the TV networks for re-airing episodes. But here’s the kicker: those residuals shrink dramatically over time, especially for older episodes.
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For a primetime drama like NCIS, the standard residual formula pays about 30% of the actor’s original fee for the first rerun. By the tenth rerun, that number drops to around 5%. So Mark Harmon’s per-episode salary of roughly $525,000 might net him a residual of about $26,000 for a rerun in its first cycle—and much less for later ones.
But wait—do the supporting cast get the same deal? Nope. Actors like Sean Murray (McGee) or Wilmer Valderrama (Torres) earn less per episode, so their residuals are proportionally smaller. A cast member making $100,000 per episode might only see $3,000 to $5,000 for a single rerun in early cycles.
The "Big Three" and the Syndication Goldmine
There’s a famous exception in TV history: the cast of Friends. They negotiated a profit-sharing deal that nets each original actor about 2% of the show’s backend—that’s $20 million a year per person in residuals alone. The NCIS cast didn’t get that sweet deal.
Mark Harmon, however, is a different story. As an executive producer for later seasons, he likely has a profit participation clause. This means he gets a cut of syndication revenue beyond standard residuals—potentially millions annually. For him, reruns aren’t just pocket change; they’re a retirement fund.
For everyone else? Think of it like a nice bonus check once or twice a year. Pauley Perrette (Abby Sciuto) reportedly earned around $175,000 per episode, so her residual checks are decent but not life-changing. Most actors joke that they get a "Christmas card and a check for $50" for a rerun that aired twelve years ago.
Bigger Stars, Bigger Paydays—Sometimes
Hollywood contracts are a tangled web. For example, Cote de Pablo (Ziva David) left the show in 2013 but still gets residuals for every rerun featuring her. Her per-episode salary was around $100,000, so her residual checks are modest—especially since episodes from season 3 are in heavy rotation but pay less than newer ones.
Timing matters enormously. If you’re on a show that runs for 400+ episodes (like NCIS), you hit the "maximum residual" limit after a certain number of airings. After that, residuals become a flat fee—think $250 to $1,000 per rerun, depending on the network and time slot. That late-night 3 AM rerun on a local station? Barely pays lunch money.
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Fun fact: The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) has a "residuals cap" of about $50,000 per episode for union actors on high-budget shows. But that cap applies to original fees, not reruns.
The Streaming Wildcard
In the age of Netflix and Paramount+, reruns aren’t just on TV—they’re on demand. The NCIS streaming deals add a new layer of income. Actors get residuals for streaming, but it’s a fraction of TV syndication rates. For a full season streamed on Paramount+, an actor might earn $2,000 to $10,000 total, depending on viewership.
Think of it this way: a single episode streamed 100,000 times might pay an actor less than a dollar. It’s not nothing, but it’s not buying a yacht. The exception? If the show is a global phenomenon—and NCIS is huge in Europe and Australia—those international residuals can add up to a solid six-figure yearly income for top-tier cast members.
But here’s the kicker: most actors on the show are union members. The union has negotiated a system where reruns on cable pay less than network reruns. So a USA Network rerun at 5 PM pays less than a CBS rerun at 8 PM. It’s a game of pennies and patience.
Practical Tips: What You Can Learn
Tip 1: Negotiate like a star. Mark Harmon’s backend deal wasn’t an accident. If you’re ever in a position to negotiate a contract—whether for a gig, a freelance project, or a book—ask for a piece of future revenue, not just a big upfront check.
Tip 2: Diversify your "reruns." Actors don’t rely on one show forever. You can do the same: create content that keeps paying you—a blog post, a digital course, or even a smart side hustle. Think of it as your personal syndication deal.
Tip 3: Know the fine print. The NCIS cast deals vary wildly. Always read the fine print on anything that pays over time. Residuals are great, but they’re not a guarantee. Just ask any actor who got a $11.99 check for a rerun of a cancelled sitcom.
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A Little Pop Culture Context
Remember when The Office cast didn’t get backend deals? Steve Carell reportedly fought for a stake in the show’s syndication, but the rest of the ensemble didn’t. Today, John Krasinski gets a check for every rerun, but it’s not as life-changing as you’d think. The NCIS situation is similar—except the show has been on for 21 years.
That’s a lot of reruns. In fact, NCIS is so reliably popular that it’s become a cultural comfort food. You see it on your grandma’s TV in the hospital waiting room, or in a hotel bar in a random city. And every single time it plays, a small check flows into some actor’s bank account.
Here’s a fun fact: The show’s theme song is "NCIS Theme" by Brian Kirk, but the original opening music was from the band Junkie XL. The band likely gets a tiny sync fee for every rerun, but nothing compared to the actors.
Another fun fact: David McCallum (Ducky), who passed away in 2023, was one of the original cast members. His estate still receives residuals for every rerun—a quiet legacy that keeps giving. Even death doesn’t stop the syndication machine.
A Reflection for Your Daily Life
So, as you lean back and watch Gibbs assemble a whiteboard for the hundredth time, remember this: Every frame has a price tag. The actors on your screen are living proof that consistent work, smart negotiation, and a little luck can turn a TV show into a lifelong asset.
But it’s also a reminder that even success is relative. A $26,000 residual check sounds amazing until you realize it’s split among agents, managers, and taxes. For every Mark Harmon, there are a dozen supporting actors whose rerun checks barely cover a nice dinner out.
In your own life, the lesson is simple: Create things that last. Whether it’s a skill, a relationship, or a piece of work, aim for something that pays off long after the initial effort. And the next time you see NCIS on TV, give a little nod to the actors—because their rerun is funding someone’s mortgage. Probably not yours. But hey, you’re still getting free entertainment.