CBS is taking the “NCIS” franchise back to New York, ordering a new fall drama led by LL Cool J and Scott Caan that will place veteran agent Sam Hanna at the center of the brand’s next expansion. The series, announced Wednesday as part of the network’s 2026-27 schedule, brings Hanna back to his hometown to help lead a new field office team handling cases tied to one of the country’s busiest cities and ports. CBS slotted the show at 9 p.m. Tuesdays between the flagship “NCIS” and “NCIS: Origins,” turning the night into a three-hour franchise block.
The pickup gives LL Cool J a fresh long-term home inside a universe he has worked in for years. He played Sam Hanna through all 14 seasons of “NCIS: Los Angeles,” moved through crossover appearances after that series ended, and is set to appear again on the flagship “NCIS” on April 21.
Scott Caan joins him in the new show as a “roguish” special agent, according to CBS. His casting carries some franchise-adjacent history of its own: he starred on “Hawaii Five-0,” a series that crossed paths with “NCIS: Los Angeles,” though CBS is introducing him here as a new character.
The creative team points to a mix of franchise continuity and fresh authorship. CBS said Byron Balasco will serve as showrunner, with R. Scott Gemmill, LL Cool J and Jason Barrett executive producing. Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment, framed the order as part of a strategy built around dependable brands that can still launch new titles. That helps explain the scheduling shake-up around it: “NCIS: Sydney,” which had occupied the 10 p.m. Tuesday hour, moves to midseason while “Origins” shifts into the fall slot after “New York.”
The move will draw scrutiny from fans who still remember CBS canceling “NCIS: Hawai’i” after three seasons, a decision that sparked a loud backlash because the show had a loyal audience and had recently folded Sam Hanna into its story. This time, CBS is betting that a familiar character, a New York setting and a prime Tuesday berth can keep the franchise growing without losing the sense of continuity that has kept “NCIS” on the air for more than two decades.
