Why NCIS & Your Other Favorite Network Police Procedurals Barely Have Fourth Of July-Themed Episodes

Network TV series (e.g., NCIS, Bones, The Rookie, etc.) often produce specials revolving around specific holidays, but that holiday is very rarely the Fourth of July. Consequently, fans can’t celebrate Independence Day by watching themed episodes of their favorite shows. Instead, they’ll have to turn on movies such as Captain America: The First Avenger, Independence Day, Hamilton, and so on.

Plenty of reasons contribute to the lack of Fourth of July-themed specials on TV, especially when it comes to police procedural series. On the flip side, those same shows release episodes featuring the characters celebrating other holidays, like Christmas. So, why not the Fourth of July?

NCIS & Other Prominent Police Procedurals Barely Have July 4th-Themed Episodes

Holidays Like Halloween & Christmas Are More Prominent

Fourth of July specials are almost nonexistent compared to Christmas, Halloween, or Thanksgiving ones. All the prominent police procedural TV shows (NCIS, Chicago PD, Law & Order: SVU, Blue Bloods, The Rookie, Criminal Minds, Bones, etc.) don’t have episodes celebrating the summer holiday. The only one that comes close is NCIS season 10, episode 9, “Devil’s Trifecta,” and it doesn’t even take place on Independence Day.

Instead, “Devil’s Trifecta” is famous for Tobias Fornell’s quote — “Holy Fourth of July Weenie Roast, what the hell am I looking at?” Diane Sterling later referenced the same line in season 12. Essentially, the best that cop TV series can do is reference the holiday in a funny quote. In fact, there aren’t many shows in general that celebrate Independence Day.

These NCIS episodes do not need a rewatch since they are not part of larger story arcs and do not contribute to the character arcs of the series.

However, The Pitt season 2 will reportedly take place over the course of the Fourth of July weekend. It might not be a police procedural, but it’s still a procedural. So, since The Pitt season 2 is scheduled to premiere in January 2026, those who want to spend Independence Day watching patriotic-themed episodes can do so next year with the acclaimed HBO Max drama.

July 4th’s Timing Makes It Difficult To Do Themed Episodes For Network TV Shows

Most Series Are On Hiatus

Gibbs and his team at a crime scene in the NCIS episode Hereafter

The biggest reason why police procedural network shows like NCIS (although it has 22 seasons) don’t have any Fourth of July specials is that they are typically on hiatus in the summer. Broadcast TV series usually end their respective seasons in the spring (April or May). Then, they take a few months off before returning in the fall (September or October).

If the TV shows are taking their breaks in the summer, then that means Fourth of July-themed episodes are irrelevant.

In most cases, holiday specials air around the same time as said holiday. Christmas episodes come around in December, while Halloween ones premiere in October. If the TV shows are taking their breaks in the summer, then that means Fourth of July-themed episodes are irrelevant. As a result, NCIS (among others) doesn’t have a specific Independence Day episode.