NCIS: Los Angeles may be over, but the series' legacy lives on, in a way. On top of cast member Daniela Ruah returning to direct an episode of both NCIS and its Hawai’i spinoff, her co-star, LL Cool J, is heading to Honolulu for the latter. It was previously announced that the rapper would be reprising his role as Special Agent Sam Hanna on the upcoming third season of Hawai’i and will recur throughout the season. Now, a synopsis has previewed just what will bring him to the tropical island, and it sounds like Sam will appear in a surprising capacity, which is linked to Vanessa Lachey's Jane Tennant.
Ahead of CBS’ highly-anticipated premieres that begin amid Super Bowl week, the network released synopses and photos from all of the upcoming shows, including the NCIS spinoff. In the Season 3 premiere, “Run and Gun,” Sam is the one who conducts Tennant’s final interview following her medical and psych evaluations -- all of which comes before she’s cleared to work. That’s not all Sam will be doing either, as he'll be teaming up with Jane in Las Vegas to locate a hacker after there’s a breach in the U.S. Marshal’s database.
This installment is likely the first of what is likely a two-part opener, which means LL Cool J will probably be in the second episode of the season as well. The exact number of episodes the star will appear in is unknown to viewers, but it sounds like the series is already making sure to incorporate him when and where they can. His surprise appearance in the Season 2 finale was surely a treat, and it's been great to know that he'll be back on our screens and playing into significant stories in the aftermath of NCIS: LA's conclusion.
Last November, Hawai’i star Noah Mills opened up about having LL Cool J on the show. Mills expressed his excitement, noting how he previously worked with him on the NCIS franchise crossover and how the musician told him behind-the-scenes stories from LA during their downtime. Mills stated, at the time, that they’ve “got a heavyweight coming,” and he was more than hyped for the new addition to the cast.
So with the Grammy winner hopping over to another series in the franchise, could more LA stars follow suit? There's always a possibility, as executive producer R. Scott Gemmill shared. It would likely depend on the storyline but, if Sam Hanna can return, who says the rest of his OSP buddies can’t do the same? Still, any of that should happen organically, and I think the notion of bringing Sam into Jane Tennant's orbit in such a surprising way is great. Let's hope Hanna's return lives up to the hype and that his further episodes are also exciting.
While you cross your fingers and hope that more LA alums show up on NCIS: Hawai'i, know that you can tune in to the Season 3 premiere on Monday, February 12 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS as part of the 2024 TV schedule. Also, catch up on past episodes of the show and its sibling shows by streaming installments using a Paramount+ subscription.
