The NCIS team is facing one of their most personal cases yet. After the tense events of Episode 17, forensic scientist Kasie Hines finds herself in the middle of a dangerous situation. Someone stole a secret program called “Edna” from her computer, and now that program is being used to cause harm. The upcoming episode will show the team racing against time to clear Kasie‘s name and stop a larger conspiracy.
LL Cool J Returns for Another Episode as Sam Hanna
LL Cool J is back as Sam Hanna for the second week in a row. He made a surprise appearance in Episode 17 when his flight got delayed and he ended up helping the team at headquarters. Hanna will stay for Episode 18 to help the team deal with the Edna problem.
The show is getting viewers ready for the upcoming spinoff called NCIS: New York. In that new show, Sam Hanna will move back to New York City and work with a new team. Having him on NCIS now reminds everyone why they like his character so much.
Episode 18 Release Time and Streaming Information
NCIS Season 23 Episode 18 titled ‘Bad Impressions’ will come out on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. It will air on CBS at the usual time of 8 PM Eastern Time / 7 PM Central Time.
Here is how to watch in different regions:
- United States: CBS at 8 PM ET / Paramount+ after airing
- United Kingdom: Disney+ (typically next day)
- Canada: Global TV (same night as US)
- Australia: Paramount+ (next day)
- India: Amazon Prime Video or Voot (check local listings)
After the episode finishes on TV, it will be ready to watch on Paramount+. If you have the Premium plan, you can watch it live as it airs. With the Essential plan, you can watch it the next day.
What Happened in Episode 17 ‘Reboot’
Episode 17 left fans with many questions. The team stayed late at work for a system reboot. But things went wrong when someone broke into the building. The team found a dead body and discovered that a maintenance worker named Tommy was forced to help the criminals because his family was held hostage.
The biggest shock came when Kasie found out that a file named ‘Edna’ was taken from her laptop. She did not tell anyone much about what Edna does, but the episode made it clear that this program is very important and dangerous.
What to Expect in Episode 18 ‘Bad Impressions’
The next episode will show the team trying to help one of their own. The official description says that someone has been framed for murder, and the stolen Edna program is at the center of everything. The situation could put national security at risk.
A preview for the episode shows Kasie feeling very worried. McGee asks her if her program is valuable. She answers that it might be valuable to certain people. Later, she tells Sam Hanna that she might have made the program sound less important than it really is.
Sam Hanna calls Edna a ‘gamechanger’ in the preview. This suggests the program is much more powerful than anyone knew. Someone has already died because of it, and Kasie worries she will be blamed since she created it.
The Mystery Behind the Edna Program
The show has not fully explained what Edna does yet. But the clues point to something very serious. The criminals wanted this program badly enough to hurt people and hold families hostage. Now that they have it, they are using it in ways that can cause death.
This case is different for Kasie. She usually helps the team from her lab. Now she is the one in trouble. The team must find out who took the program and stop them before more people get hurt. They also have to prove that Kasie did not help the criminals on purpose.
Parker, McGee, Torres, and Sam Hanna will work together to solve this case. With Hanna‘s experience and the team’s skills, they have a good chance of finding the truth. But the clock is ticking, and the Edna program could already be causing serious damage.
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Where to Stream Previous Episodes
If you missed Episode 17 or want to watch earlier episodes from Season 23, they are all available on Paramount+. The streaming service has every season of NCIS, so new viewers can start from the beginning if they want.
The current season started on October 14, 2025. Episode 18 will be the second episode after the show came back from its winter break. The season is expected to have around 20 to 22 episodes total.
Regular Cast Members in Season 23
The main team continues to solve cases together. Gary Cole plays Alden Parker, the boss of the team. Sean Murray is Timothy McGee, the senior field agent. Wilmer Valderrama plays Nick Torres, who is good at undercover work. Katrina Law is Jessica Knight, a REACT agent who handles tough situations. Brian Dietzen plays Jimmy Palmer, the medical examiner. Rocky Carroll is Director Leon Vance, who runs the whole operation.
LL Cool J is only back for two episodes right now, but he will star in the new NCIS: New York spinoff later. His return to the main show gives fans a taste of what is coming.
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