Sometimes even an “NCIS” superhero just needs a place to crash.
TVLine has an exclusive sneak peek at LL COOL J’s return to the CBS procedural as Sam Hanna (airing next Tuesday, April 21 at 8 p.m.). In the clip, which you can watch above, Sam gets a warm greeting from Kasie, who wants to know what brings him back to the NCIS office: “Do you just, like, magically appear whenever somebody mysteriously dies?”
It’s a much more mundane reason that brings Sam back, though, he explains: He had a last-minute layover on a flight to Dubai and thought he’d catch a quick nap on Duckie’s couch. (Being a member of NCIS entitles you to lifetime lodging privileges, apparently.) But sleep can wait: Sam quickly pitches in to help Parker and the team track down a killer on the loose in the building.
The official episode description reads: “With most of NCIS away and the mainframe shut down for a midnight upgrade, Kasie and a skeleton crew are left in a darkened building when someone begins hunting from inside. What starts as a routine reboot becomes a high-stakes game of cat and mouse through powerless hallways until an unexpected ally, Sam Hanna, steps into the fight.” (LL COOL J also returns as Sam in the April 28 episode as well.)
Sam is about to get his own NCIS spin-off
LL COOL J’s two-episode stint on “NCIS” is just a warm-up, though, for his full-time return to the “NCIS” franchise. He’ll reprise his role as Sam Hanna alongside Scott Caan in the new spin-off “NCIS: New York,” debuting this fall, CBS announced earlier this week.
In “NCIS: New York,” according to the official description, “legendary NCIS Agent Sam Hanna (LL COOL J) returns to his hometown of New York City to their field office, partnering with a roguish agent (Scott Caan) and helping lead a new team as they are tasked with high-stakes missions to defend one of the most vital cities and ports in the world.”
LL COOL J starred as Sam Hanna on “NCIS: Los Angeles,” which wrapped up a 14-season run on CBS in 2023. (He’s also previously appeared on the original “NCIS,” along with an extended run on “NCIS: Hawai’i.”) “The Pitt” creator R. Scott Gemmill, who was also a showrunner on “NCIS: Los Angeles,” will pen the “NCIS: New York” pilot, per Deadline, with Byron Balasco (“Kingdom”) serving as showrunner.
Press PLAY at the top for a sneak peek at Sam Hanna’s “NCIS” return, and hit the comments to share your thoughts.
