Skip to main content

The NCIS franchise is heading down under with the Australia-set NCIS: Sydney, which premieres Nov. 14 on CBS and Paramount+. But what about NCIS‘s other currently airing spinoff, NCIS: Hawai’i? While that show has been renewed for season 3, new episodes won’t air anytime soon due to the Hollywood strikes. 

‘NCIS: Hawai’i’ Season 3 is coming to CBS 

Henry Ian Cusick and Vanessa Lachey standing in an office in 'NCIS: Hawai'i'
Henry Ian Cusick as John Swift, Noah Mills as Jesse Boone, and Vanessa Lachey as Jane Tennant in ‘NCIS: Hawai’i’ | Karen Neal/CBS ©2023 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved

NCIS: Hawai’i is the third series in the NCIS universe. It premiered in 2021 and stars Vanessa Lachey as Jane Tennant, the agent in charge of a team of Hawai’i-based NCIS investigators. A second season premiered in 2022. In February 2023, CBS confirmed that NCIS: Hawai’i would return for season 3. 

When will ‘NCIS: Hawai’i’ Season 3 premiere? 

New episodes of NCIS: Hawai’i were originally supposed to start airing in fall 2023. However, the now-resolved WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes forced CBS to make some major changes to its schedule. With writers and actors both unable to work for months, release dates for scripted series like NCIS: Hawai’i were delayed indefinitely. 

The WGA strike ended in early October and SAG-AFTRA reached a tentative deal with the major Hollywood studios on Nov. 8. While NCIS: Hawai’i Season 3 doesn’t yet have a premiere date, the show’s writers are already back at work, according to TVLine, which means production should begin soon. 

Depending on how things play out, new episodes of NCIS: Hawai’i may begin airing on CBS sometime in early 2024. According to Deadline, network dramas such as NCIS, NCIS: Hawai’i, and Chicago P.D. would be able to get back on the air by March 2024 if the SAG-AFTRA strike ended by mid-November.

What to expect from ‘NCIS: Hawai’i’ Season 3

LL Cool J talking on the phone and looking through a telescope on 'NCIS: Hawai'i'
LL Cool J as Sam Hanna in ‘NCIS: Hawai’i’ | CBS ©2023 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Highest quality screengrab available.
Related

‘NCIS’ Had to Make a Big Change to Not Annoy ‘CSI’ Creatives

NCIS: Hawai’i Season 2 ended with Jane Tennant springing her former mentor (and spy) Maggie (Julie White) from jail. That led to a shootout, during which Maggie escaped. The events could have a big impact on Jane’s career, which will likely be explored in season 3. The two-part season 2 finale also introduced Supervisory Agent John Swift (Henry Ian Cusick) from the Office of Special Projects. His job is to handle “grey-area cases,” like Tennant’s involvement in the murder of an ex-MI6 agent. Sources told TVLine that Cusick’s role was open-ended, which means we may see more of him in season 3.

The NCIS: Hawai’i Season 2 finale also featured a surprise appearance from LL Cool J as Sam Hanna. The NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles character showed up to help Tennant in Venezuela, setting the stage for future appearances in NCIS: Hawai’i. He’ll have a recurring role in season 3, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

Sources: TVLine, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter

For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s YouTube channel.

Best in Entertainment