‘NCIS: Hawai’i’ Showrunners on Potential Crossovers — ‘Never Say Never’
NCIS: Hawai’i is the latest spin-off in the popular NCIS franchise, and it will premiere this fall on CBS. Executive producers Christopher Silber and Jan Nash have transitioned from the now-canceled NCIS: New Orleans to the new Aloha State spin-off.
Heading into its first season, there are still a lot of unknowns about NCIS: Hawai’i. Will it feature crossovers like the other series in the franchise? According to Silber and Nash, there’s a chance.
The ‘NCIS: Hawai’i’ production crew has a lot of franchise experience
Former NOLA showrunners Silber and Nash actually created NCIS: Hawai’i, which is why they are moving from the Big Easy to the Hawaiian Islands. Also included on the creative team is SEAL Team writer and producer Matt Bosack.
Larry Teng is directing and executive producing the series premiere. Teng has an overall deal with CBS Studios, so he could be back to direct more episodes in the future. Teng is quite familiar with the NCIS franchise, as he’s already directed five episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles.
CBS has also staffed the show’s writers room. In addition to Lachey, they’ve also made some cast announcements.
The network has confirmed 6 cast members so far
Lachey’s Tennant was the network’s first casting announcement. She will be the team leader, like Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS, LL Cool J’s Sam Hanna on NCIS: Los Angeles, and Scott Bakula’s Dwayne Pride on NCIS: New Orleans.
Jane is a single mom of two kids. Her son will be played by Kian Talan, but the network has yet to announce who will play the daughter or Jane’s ex-husband.
Yasmine Al-Bustami will play junior NCIS team member Lucy. Jason Antoon will be Ernie, a Cyber Intelligence Specialist and Hawaii expert. Noah Mills will play Jesse, a former homicide detective who is Tennant’s confidante. And, Tori Anderson will play Agent Kate Whistler.
Will ‘NCIS: Hawai’i’ feature crossovers?
The NCIS franchise does have a history of crossovers with other shows in the franchise, as well as with other dramas on CBS. With the new spin-off set in Hawaii, there’s the potential for a spinoff with the other network drama set in the Aloha State — Magnum PI.
According to Nash and Silber, there’s also the possibility fans could see a crossover with one of the shows in the NCIS franchise. Including the canceled NOLA spinoff.
“Never say never,” Silber teased, according to Express. “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 a 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.”
There will be no backdoor pilot
One thing that NCIS: Hawai’i is doing differently than the other spinoffs in the franchise is avoiding the backdoor pilot. That’s how the network introduced both NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans. Even the flagship series, NCIS, was introduced via a backdoor pilot in the series JAG.
Backdoor pilots are a method of introducing characters and setting up the story inside another series. But with NCIS: Hawaii, there will be an original storyline from the beginning, and the show will be introduced all on its own. Fans won’t get the chance to meet the characters until the series hits CBS in the fall.
You can be on ‘NCIS: Hawai’i’
As producers continue to cast series regulars, Hawaii casting directors are looking for extras to appear in NCIS: Hawai’i. Shayne Hartigan of Alessi Hartigan Casting told Hawaii News Now that the spinoff will have “all kinds of inclusion.”
“I’m so excited. We really want to get all, all kinds of inclusion in on this project, so of course, you know, the military, the HPD presence, but also the local community and shop owners and restaurateurs and anybody possible,” Hartigan said.
Anyone interested in being part of NCIS: Hawai’i can go to the Alessi Hartigan Casting Facebook page to get details on the roles currently available. There are numerous roles available for actors and extras of all ages, genders, body types, and ethnicities.
NCIS: Hawai’i will premiere this fall on CBS. It will air on Monday nights after NCIS.
