‘NCIS: Hawaii’: Will Abby Return For ‘NCIS’ Spinoff?
NCIS: Hawaii is coming, and while the series is shrouded in mystery, more and more details are slowly being released, filling eager fans with anticipation. The series, which is viewed by some as the replacement for the now-canceled NCIS: New Orleans, is set to be released in the fall, although no specific release date has been given by CBS just yet. This newest member of the NCIS universe is bound to be buzzworthy, and with stars like Vanessa Lachey set to star, many NCIS fans are wondering if some past fan-favorites could make appearances in the brand-new series.
What do fans know so far about ‘NCIS: Hawaii’?
For months, there were rumblings that a new NCIS spinoff series was in the works — and in early 2021, reports started circulating that indicated the newest series had officially been greenlit by CBS. Finally, after weeks of intense speculation, the network confirmed that NCIS: Hawaii would be debuting during CBS’s 2021-2022 schedule, according to Parade. Some key members of the cast have also been announced, with Vanessa Lachey taking the lead and making history to be the first woman to head up an NCIS series.
As Special Agent Jane Tennant, Lachey will be joined by other television veterans like Yasmine Al-Bustami, playing a junior member of Tennant’s NCIS team, and Jason Antoon, who will play Ernie, an NCIS Cyber Intelligence Specialist. Fans are excited at the diversity of the casting — and in recent weeks, many have been speculating that showrunners could take the opportunity of the new series to trot out some established, fan-favorite characters from the NCIS universe.
Abby is a fan-favorite ‘NCIS’ character
NCIS, the show that started it all, is responsible for introducing such popular characters as Gibbs and Ziva David. However, possibly the most beloved character in the long-running series was Abby Sciuto, played to utter perfection by Pauley Perrette. The actor started appearing as a regular on the show in 2003, and fans quickly fell in love with the character of the eccentric forensic scientist.
Not only did Perrette play the role of Abby on NCIS for many years, but she also appeared in several major crossover events, including episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles, and NCIS: New Orleans. In 2018, Perrette left the series, shocking viewers everywhere — and in the years since, the actor has been open about the problems that she experienced on the set of NCIS.
Could Pauley Perrette reprise her role as Abby in ‘NCIS: Hawaii’?
In recent weeks, fans online have debated the possibility of CBS showrunners using NCIS: Hawaii as a vehicle to re-introduce some established characters in the NCIS franchise — including Pauley Perrette’s Abby Sciuto. According to The Pioneer Woman, fans point to the fact that showrunners were able to bring back Ziva David, played by Cote de Pablo, after a lengthy break from the show.
Still, when it comes to Pauley Perrette, things are a bit more complicated. Not only has Perrette detailed her history of issues with NCIS lead Mark Harmon, but she even claimed that his dog attacked a crew member and that she was “silenced” by the media when she tried to talk about Harmon and the atmosphere on set.
Furthermore, Perrette has addressed the possibility of returning to the NCIS universe, stating unequivocally that “NO I AM NOT COMING BACK! EVER! (Please stop asking?) I am terrified of Harmon and him attacking me. I have nightmares about it.” Granted, Perrette would be working with a different cast if she appeared in NCIS: Hawaii — but still, it seems as though the bad blood that exists between Perrette and the NCIS franchise is there to stay, at least for now.
