Of the many shows ending and canceled in 2024, one of the biggest surprises was arguably NCIS: Hawai’i’s cancellation. The procedural was axed by CBS after just three seasons, and fans were quick to start petitions and campaigns to save the series. One cast member even trolled CBS’ decision, while avid vieweres have not been holding back their feelings, especially after the network used Hawai’i for further promo. Despite how everything has played out, though, the EPs are as “proud” of the show for some key reasons.
NCIS: Hawai’i brought some firsts to the franchise. The spinoff was different in that it was the first offshoot in the franchise’s history not to be initiated by a backdoor pilot. With that, fans weren’t introduced to any of the characters before the series premiere. The show also made franchise history with its casting, as Vanessa Lachey became the first female lead of any show in the NCIS franchise. Co-showrunners Jan Nash, Christopher Silber and Matt Bosack named the cast and other elements of the series while speaking to TVLine following the cancellation:
We did what we set out to do. We created a show with a strong female lead and a cast that reflected the diversity of Hawai’i and the world. We told interesting Navy crime stories. All while maintaining a workplace where people could hopefully do their best work and be valued for it. That gives us a lot to be proud of.
While Hawai’i didn’t last nearly as long as most fans would have hoped, it did become quite the groundbreaker, especially when it comes to the stars involved in it. Somone who’s also proud of that is Vanessa Lachey, who credited Daniela Ruah of NCIS: Los Angeles for paving the way for a female lead in the franchise. Between Jane Tennant leading the charge, Lucy and Whistler’s LGBTQ+ relationship, the Hawaiian culture and much, much more, one can’t help but still be proud of what was accomplished just as the EPs are.
What also hurts, though, is that CBS Studios President David Stapf admitted that if this were any other year, Hawai’i and So Help Me Todd may have survived. Fans have also criticized CBS for stating that the Vanessa Lachey-led show’s viewership played a part in the cancellation, even though it reportedly amassed more viewers than shows that were renewed. With that, it’s hard to say exactly why the network pulled the plug.
All of that aside, there may be a silver lining here. NCIS is still going strong, with Season 22 arriving this fall amid the 2024 TV schedule. If LL Cool J’s Sam Hanna can return to the fold following the end of Los Angeles, then perhaps the same can be true for the stars that populated Hawai’i’s cast. Any character returns would have to make sense, but it would be fun to dig deeper into the relationship between Jane Tennant and Nick Torres (from the flagship show) as well as any other dynamic between the two teams. But, even if that doesn’t happen, I’m still happy about what the spinoff did manage to achieve in a short amount of time.
NCIS: Hawai’i’s cancellation still stings and probably will for a while but, at the very least, fans have three seasons they can always rewatch with a Paramount+ subscription, which is certainly better than nothing.