Skip to main content

LL Cool J’s Sam Hanna character is returning to the NCIS fold. 

On Wednesday, CBS revealed its fall 2026 schedule. The lineup includes a new series, NCIS: New York, which will star the rapper and NCIS: LA alum.

CBS orders new ‘NCIS’ spinoff, ‘NCIS: New York’

Related

‘NCIS’ Boss Explains Why [Spoiler] Had to Die in the 500th Episode

“Start spreading the news… NCIS: New York is coming to CBS this fall,” read a post on the official NCIS Instagram. 

The show will follow “legendary NCIS Agent Sam Hanna” as he “returns to his hometown of New York City to their field office,” according to CBS. Back in the Big Apple, he’ll partner “with a roguish agent (Scott Caan).” Together, they’ll “lead a new team as they are tasked with high-stakes missions to defend one of the most vital cities and ports in the world.”

Many fans were thrilled that NCIS would be getting yet another spinoff. (NCIS: New York will join currently airing shows NCIS, NCIS: Origins, and NCIS: Sydney.) 

“Love me some Sam Hanna!” one person commented. 

“I’m pumped about this duo!! Plus anything with LL Cool J I’m in!! two of my fave actors from previous CBS shows! “ another wrote. (Caan previously starred as Danno in Hawaii 5-0, which had a crossover episode with NCIS: LA, but he won’t be playing that character in the new series.) 

But there were some grumbles among the cheers. 

“You’ve gotta be kidding me……y’all just couldn’t renew Hawaii? All of a sudden you got money for this? Make it make sense,” one commenter wrote. 

Others were upset that CBS was making a new NCIS show not long after Paramount+ abruptly canceled another spinoff, NCIS: Tony & Ziva. 

“Making a new NCIS when they cancelled Tony & Ziva?!!!” someone commented.

“Sorry, I’ll pass. The only NCIS I want is NCIS: Tony & Ziva. Bring them back!!!” wrote another disappointed viewer.

Network ‘really wanted’ to bring back Sam Hanna character 

Deadline asked CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach why the network decided to launch a new spinoff instead of sticking with one that had already been created.

“LL is like a member of our family at CBS, he’s done pop-ins on NCIS the last two years since LA ended, and it’s been really successful,” she said. “And the opportunity for Sam Hanna, who is originally from New York but lived in LA for NCIS: LA, to send him back home felt like a really ripe creative space to play in. Plus, there is a huge port and Navy presence in New York — I cannot wait for the premiere party on the Intrepid. We always want to look for what makes an expansion unique and special, and we thought there was just so much opportunity with this.”

“We really wanted to bring the Sam Hanna character back,” she added.

For more​​ news and exclusive interviews, follow Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s Instagram.

Best in News