‘NCIS: Hawai’i’: Why Is Sam on the Island? How Are Kensi & Deeks Involved?
Spoiler Alert
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for NCIS: Hawai’i Season 3 Episode 3 “License to Thrill.”]
Why is Sam (LL COOL J) in Hawai’i? That’s the mystery that’s been set up across the first three episodes of NCIS: Hawai’i Season3, and as Vanessa Lachey told us, “Tennant will figure it out.” Well, we’re certainly seeing her trying to do just that.
It all began in the premiere, when Ernie (Jason Antoon) tried to get anything out of Sam, only to come to the conclusion that he’s hiding something, despite the agent’s insistence he’s not. Then, in the second episode, Swift (Henry Ian Cusick), on his way out, told Tennant that Sam was sticking around and she’d have to ask him why. Sam evaded the question and would only say that brass has him teaching a seminar on unconventional tactics in modern law enforcement.
Now, in the third episode, Ernie remains suspicious of Sam, especially since he’s going around telling everyone about that seminar, as he notes to Tennant. It’s odd, that NCIS would send its top OSP agent to Hawai’i to teach a class. She agrees, but she doesn’t get anything more out of Sam, who tells her she can’t attend the seminar because it’s fully booked.
Then, Tennant and Kai (Alex Tarrant) find Sam has taken over the war room—and set it to SCIF (sensitive compartmented information facility) level—for some work. “I was checking in with Kensi and Deeks back in LA, getting some details about a past case,” he claims, agreeing, when she suggests it, that it was for his seminar. “Safety first,” he says. Tennant’s clearly not buying any of it … which is why she tracks his visitor ID’s access and follows when he sets foot in the old admin basement across the street that hasn’t been used since WWII. Inside, she finds him teaching his seminar. It’s both as frustrating as Tennant finds it and entertaining as it sounds. But come on, would you expect this to play out any other way?
Karen Neal/CBS
At the end of the episode, Tennant joins Sam on his boat, and he again pretends he’s just in Hawai’i for the seminar. As far as an official cover goes, it’s a good one, she remarks, reminding him, “I spent half my life as a CIA officer. I know cover.” It doesn’t matter what she believes, she adds, just that she trusts him and she knows he’ll tell her why he’s really in Hawai’i when he can.
But we’re not as patient as Tennant is. Now, we have to wonder if Sam was really talking to Kensi and Deeks (played by Daniela Ruah and Eric Christian Olsen on NCIS: Los Angeles, which ended its 14-season run in May 2023) or someone else, plus if it was about a past case or something else. Before he came to the island, Sam was last seen in the LA finale in Morocco, alongside Callen (Chris O’Donnell), Nell (Renée Felice Smith), and the team she’d put together—including Nate (Peter Cambor) and Sabatino (Erik Palladino)—as part of the mission to rescue Hetty. He was still there and therefore in the neighborhood, when he came to Tennant and Kate’s (Tori Anderson) aid in the Hawai’i Season 2 finale.
Could Sam have been talking to Kensi and Deeks or someone from that team Nell put together about Hetty? We haven’t heard anything about that mission to rescue her. What if Sam’s in Hawai’i because that’s the only place to get information as to her location or something that will help there? Or maybe there’s another open case that Sam’s working and he was talking to Kensi and Deeks about that. It could even technically be a past case that was never closed and therefore he wasn’t technically lying to Tennant and Kai. This could be why LL COOL J was vague when we tried to find out if we’d get an update on any of the LA characters with him now on Hawai’i.
Whatever’s going on, at least it’s clear that we will get answers, with Ernie suspicious and Tennant letting Sam know that he can talk to her when he can. What do you think is going on? Let us know in the comments below.
NCIS: Hawai’i, Mondays, 10/9c, CBS
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Comments are closed on this story.
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B
NCISLA was always their best NCIS because of the cast. Best show ever. Hawaii is just OK and no chemistry in Australia at all. Writers ruined NOLA with all the crazy head games. Original NCIS is a classic, and I like Parker better than Gibbs surprisingly because he brings more stability to the team. There will never be another show as good as NCISLA though!! Miss it 😪
21 1
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C
I'm a NCIS Las Angeles fan so I like Sam in Hawaii.
20 2
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O
Please keep Sam in Hawaii. Love that he's there!
23 6
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T
😩😩 Too many questions and not enough answers. Just tell us where Hetty is already!
14
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T
And if I had to guess, I'd say that the Morocco mission is not complete and he's trying to find info on where Hetty really is. Course, that will probably be wrong, but at this point, just say that she's alive, and that would greatly help!
7 1
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G
I'd love to see Kensi and Deeks pop up!
10 1
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G
It was nice that Sam mentioned Kensi and Deeks. Would be nice if we see them make a cameo appearance too. Sam has some nice lines in the show.
10 1
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G
This show just doesn't hold any interest for me. The only reason I watch it is because there's nothing else on I'd rather see. If there was..... bye-bye Hawa'ii.
6 2
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O
NCIS Sydney does the same for me..I havent watched past episode 3...
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O
I think they will link the end of la to Hawaii to bring Hetty back!! Wish it would kind of move along a little bit quicker or at least hint to it a little bit quicker. I think it would be cool to merge some of the old cast in with Hawaii.
5 2
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G
I agree I want to see Kenzie, Deeks and Callon, especially, Hetti...I miss them.... I really loved NCIS Los Angeles
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O
I see a romance brewing between Sam and Jane and I love it!! There are definitely sparks between them!
6 4
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G
Don't care about this program
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R
The Sydney show is truly pathetic.
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R
Sam seems as though he's in the show as part of his contract deal, see no other reason for it. Agree with previous responder, the let a good show go when they dumped NCIS/NOLA.
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B
The only reason I am watching NCIS Hawaii is because of Sam. The show is more interesting with Sam.
1 1
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R
Don't need Sam in hawaii, go back to L A and stay there.
3 3
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O
Why is Sam even on Hawaii? I liked the cast better without him. LA is over. Move on Sam.
3 4
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O
I think he should have stayed where he was at ! Him and Callan were the stars on the show ! Seems like everything evolved around them ! NCIS HAWAII DOESN’T NEED NO HANNA OR SAM !!! Send him packin’ !
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P
I believe the show is lots better without Hanna. Let’s get back to the original cast!
11 13
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O
To many changes .Dont see any reason for his casting ,Story line foolish .others from l A. Cast better
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