‘NCIS’: Should There Be a Crossover With ‘LA’ or ‘Hawai’i’ in the 2021-2022 Season?
The NCIS franchise may not feature crossovers within its world as often as other shared universes on TV do, but there have been some great ones over the years. The last one, however, came in the New Orleans Season 5 premiere in September 2018, and with a new series joining the original and Los Angeles this fall, Hawai’i, is it time for that to change?
We pose this question as the three shows are set to air across back-to-back nights: NCIS: Los Angeles on Sundays, then NCIS and NCIS: Hawai’i on Mondays. (NCIS moved from its Tuesday, 8/7c slot.) That makes it quite easy for any sort of combination of crossover in the 2021-2022 season.
Best of all? NCIS: Hawai’i executive producer Christopher Silber hasn’t ruled one out. “Never say never,” he told TV Insider while discussing the NCIS: New Orleans series finale and a possible update on its characters on Hawai’i. “I’ll be a hundred percent honest with you. We are happy for all crossovers. It’s fun. I was fortunate enough to be involved in the NOLA and mothership crossovers the couple of times we did it. I know the shows like it, the writers like it, the actors like it, and the audiences like it.”
Below, we take a quick look at the history of NCIS crossovers (not counting the extended world), suggest some possibilities, and ask you to share your thoughts in a poll.
Past NCIS Crossovers
NCIS introduced both the Los Angeles and New Orleans teams in two-part episodes (in 2009 and 2014, respectively). There were a couple of two-part crossovers between NCIS and New Orleans in 2016 and 2017. That’s it in terms of the major crossovers.
However, there have been episodes on all three which featured a character or two appearing on another show. For example, NCIS‘ Mark Harmon (Leroy Jethro Gibbs), Rocky Carroll (Leon Vance), Pauley Perrette (Abby Sciuto), Michael Weatherly (Tony DiNozzo), and David McCallum (Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard) have appeared on Los Angeles and New Orleans. (Several guest stars have also crossed over, including Diane Neal, Joe Spano, and David Dayan Fisher.)
Sonja Flemming/CBS
Possible Future NCIS Crossovers
As TV’s shared universes and the above have taught us, the possibilities are endless for crossovers. There can be two-part events or just one character popping up. The locations of the three NCISes do seem to rule out anything like One Chicago or SVU and Organized Crime, which can feature quick, one-scene appearances, though LA‘s Daniela Ruah (who plays Kensi Blye) did just that in her guest spot on Hawaii Five-0 prior to their two-part crossover.
Hawai’i is already breaking pattern from the previous successful spinoffs by not introducing its characters on one of the other shows. So how could we see it tied into the other shows? The easiest way would be for Carroll’s Director Vance to appear via video. The same can happen with members of the other teams as well. (If Katrina Law‘s Jessica Knight appears in any way, it would be great if there was a nod to her time on H50.) Anything else would probably depend on production and COVID-19 protocols, at least for now.
Sonja Flemming/CBS
But if that doesn’t have to be taken into consideration, it’s easy to imagine a case that moves from Los Angeles (on Sundays) to D.C. and/or Hawai’i (on Mondays) to bring two or all three together. Whatever the case, we do expect there to be something between NCIS and Hawai’i with the former’s night change, even if it doesn’t happen until the second half of the season. And hey, who knows where Gibbs is swimming off to after his boat exploded? (To be honest, we doubt he’s going to be appearing on another show, given the uncertainty of his episode count on NCIS, but who knows if his team might look for help from someone in LA or Hawai’i?)
But what do you think? Vote in our poll below.
NCIS, Season 19 Premiere, Monday, September 20, 9/8c, CBS
NCIS: Hawai’i, Series Premiere, Monday, September 20, 10/9c, CBS
NCIS: Los Angeles, Season 13 Premiere, Sunday, October 10, 9/8c, CBS
