Summary
NCIS: Hawai’i’s cancellation by CBS gets a candid response from its showrunners, Jan Nash, Christopher Silber, and Matt Bosack. The latest, US-based spinoff from the franchise introducedVanessa Lachey’s Jane Tennant,as she led her team on the island focusing on crimes involving military and national security. Despite having just been on the air since 2021, it became one of the most belovedoffshoots in theNCISuniverse. So, when news broke out that CBS was pulling the plug, the backlash came quickly, especially after it was revealed that the cast and crew were blindsided by it.
Speaking withTVLine, Nash, Silber, and Bosack break their silence overNCIS: Hawai’i’s cancellation months after it happened. As expected, they confirm they were actually surprised by CBS' decision. While they admit that the end of the show stings, they understand it isn’t personal. Read their full quote below:
Nash, Silber, and Bosack: We were obviously surprised. If we’d known it was coming, we probably wouldn’t have ended the series on a cliffhanger. The fact that the studio and the network didn’t stop us makes it seem liketheymight not have seen it coming either. We loved our show and know other people loved it, too, but the TV business is a fickle mistress and one can’t take business decisions personally. But it still stings.
Why NCIS: Hawai’i’s Cancellation Is So Controversial
CBS Has Been Criticized For Cancelling Such A Popular Show
There has been uproar against CBS sinceNCIS: Hawai’iwas cancelled in spring. For context, the network alsopulled the plug onSo Help Me ToddandCSI: Las Vegas, but while those moves have inspired some backlash, they don’t compare to the criticism about the NCIS spinoff unexpectedly wrapping up. Devoted fans of the show have been very vocal on social media, trying to convince CBS to undo the cancellation, and there is even an official petition. Unfortunately,CBS has been adamant aboutNCIS: Hawai’i’s cancellation, justifying the decision multiple times.
When it was canceled,NCIS: Hawai’iwas the 16th overall most-watched series during the 2023-2024 season.
CBS cited its overall programming schedule and cost-cutting endeavors as the major reasons forNCIS: Hawai’i’s cancellation. However, there are questions about these arguments. For starters,it’s effectively being replaced by a newNCISspinoff, the'90s-setNCIS: Origins. Secondly, it doesn’t make sense to cancel a series that is successful commercially; when it was canceled,NCIS: Hawai’iwas the 16th most-watched series overall during the 2023-2024 season. Finally,NCIS: Hawai’iseason 3 ended on a cliffhanger,with Jane reuniting with Maggie Shaw. It was a set-up for season 4 that will not likely happen.
I Am More Baffled About NCIS: Hawai’i’s Cancelation After CBS' New Procedural Show Revival
CBS is already in hot water for canceling NCIS: Hawai’i, but I’m more confused about it after learning about their new in-development procedural.
It does seem, however, that Nash, Silber, and Bosack have gotten overNCIS: Hawai’iending unceremoniously. Whether they had a private conversation since the show was canceled is unclear. They also don’t say if they are working on a new project. While they don’t have any more animosity about the matter, it’s easy to understand why it still stings. Considering this, it would be interesting to learn what they think about the robust online movement to bring the show back.
NCIS: Hawaii
Cast
NCIS: Hawaii is the fourth spin-off of the police procedural series NCIS. It follows a team of Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents as they investigate a wide variety of difficult and shocking crimes. Vanessa Lachey stars as Jane Tennant alongside Alex Tarrant as Kai Holman, Noah Mills as Jesse Boone, Tori Anderson as Kate Whistler, Yasmine Al-Bustami as Lucy Tara, and Jason Antoon as Ernie Malik.
