‘NCIS: Hawaii’ season 3: Will LL Cool J return as Sam Hanna?

NCIS: Los Angeles finally came to an end after fourteen seasons. It was one of the most successful spin-off shows in prime time, and fans were understandably sad to see it go. Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J were effusive in their praise for their co-stars and showrunner, and the chemistry between all of them led to a finale that gave us pretty much everything we wanted.

It turns out, however, that there’s more. The day after NCIS: Los Angeles aired its series finale, NCIS: Hawai’i aired its season 2 finale, and who showed up during the end credits but LL Cool J’s character, Sam Hanna.

It was a welcome surprise to fans of the franchise, and while it initially seemed like a fun tip of the cap to NCIS: Los Angeles, the truth is much more interesting. It turns out that LL Cool J will be joining the cast of NCIS: Hawai’i season 3, which means fans will get more adventures with his character.

NCIS: Hawai’i producers Matt Bosack, Jan Nash and Christopher Silber issued a statement shortly after the finale aired, and they made it clear that they were thrilled to have Sam Hanna join their ensemble. “All of us at NCIS: Hawai’i have been huge fans of LL Cool J for years and couldn’t be more thrilled or honored to be adding his spectacular talent to our ohana for season three,” they wrote in a statement to Variety. 

Is LL Cool on NCIS: Hawai’i?

This is not the first time that LL Cool J has ventured to Hawai’i. The actor played Hanna on a previous NCIS crossover, and Vanessa Lachey told TV Line that the experience filming the crossover led LL to consider an extension of his character’s story. Lachey, who plays Jane Tennant on NCIS: Hawai’i, is eager to reunite with the actor.

“We have the amazing opportunity to bring Sam Hanna to Hawai’i to help the island solve some cases and maybe have a few laughs in the process,” she told the outlet. “Welcome to the ohana, Todd! It’s going to be a fun ride!”

From a narrative standpoint, it makes sense to continue Hanna’s story over the other NCIS: Los Angeles characters. The rest of them reached what felt like logical ending points in the finale, whether it be through personal or professional means. Hanna still has to learn about himself, and more to teach the NCIS: Hawai’i team.

A character crossing over from one show to another in a franchise is not uncommon. Christopher Meloni starred on Law & Order: SVU for decades before leaving to show to star in to Law & Order: Organized Crime. The latter is currently in its fourth season on NBC. Jon Seda moved from Chicago PD to a starring role on Chicago Justice, but the spin-off was canceled after only one season. The difference in the case of LL Cool J, is that he’s joining an already established show, so whatever he brings to the table is a bonus. We can’t wait to see what happens when NCIS: Hawai’i returns for season 3.