'NCIS: LA' spinoff in works at CBS to launch later this season

In the beginning, there was "JAG." And "JAG" begat "NCIS," which begat "NCIS: LA," which will now serve as host for an untitled spinoff in the works for later this season.

It's a spinoff of a spinoff of a spinoff!

Deadline was the first to report CBS' plans to further extend the "NCIS" brand in an untitled project that will follow a "small mobile team of agents" who "crisscross the country solving crimes." The concept and characters will be introduced in a two-part "NCIS: LA" episode airing later this season. Although there are no firm details yet, it's not typical for the spinoff series to include preexisting characters, so "NCIS: LA" fans shouldn't be worried about losing any of their favorites.

The move may not be a triumph of originality, but it's hard to blame CBS for trying to cash in: Both the tenth season of "NCIS" and the fourth season of "NCIS: LA" remain among the most-watched series on all of network TV.

"JAG," the military legal series that launched "NCIS," aired for one season on NBC and an additional nine on CBS.