Fresh off its record ratings night - 22.8 million people watched this week's episode - NCIS has been officially renewed by CBS. Season nine will commence in September.

TV's #1 drama will likely make it at least a decade, too. Mark Harmon signed a new, two-year contract with the network, keeping Gibbs at the helm through 2012-13.

Most of the cast also signed extensions at the end of last season, which should allow the hit procedural to continue its unprecedented success for years to come.

"It's simply amazing that a show in its eighth season continues to perform at such an elite level," Nina Tassler, president of CBS Entertainment, said in a statement.

"This is a tribute to the hard work of its talented writers, producers and cast for bringing to life these compelling stories and characters with intrigue and humor."

No arguments here. Most shows wane after a few good years, but this one hasn't missed a beat. Congrats to the cast, crew and writers and keep up the good work!

Steve Marsi is the Managing Editor of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Google+ or email him here.