{"id":366488,"date":"2026-10-07T02:40:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T02:40:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/366488\/"},"modified":"2026-10-07T02:40:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T02:40:09","slug":"ncis-new-york-plot-what-brings-ll-cool-j-back-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/366488\/","title":{"rendered":"NCIS: New York Plot: What Brings LL Cool J Back Home"},"content":{"rendered":"

Note: This story contains spoilers from \u201cNCIS: New York\u201d Episode 1.<\/p>\n

\u201cNCIS: New York\u201d<\/a> came as a surprise for many in the fandom and TV world. And now we know what\u2019s bringing one of the franchise\u2019s most beloved characters back into the fold.<\/p>\n

Of course we\u2019re talking about NCIS senior special agent Sam Hanna, the former Navy seal played by LL Cool J \u2014 and who previously headlined 14 seasons and more than 300 episodes of \u201cNCIS: Los Angeles.\u201d Now the character, a native New Yorker like the actor and rapper who portrays him, returns home to headline a new series set in a new city, alongside a new partner played by \u201cHawaii Five-0\u201d veteran Scott Caan.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou get a chance to see some of the vulnerabilities, the uncertainty,\u201d LL Cool J said in a New York Times<\/a> interview of his character\u2019s re-introduction. \u201cBecause don\u2019t forget: He hasn\u2019t been home in so long. He\u2019s almost like a stranger in this place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how Sam Hanna returned full time to the \u201cNCIS\u201d and his old home, and what makes him stick around for more.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"ncis-new-york-scot-caan-ll-cool-j-cbs\"\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

Close to Home<\/p>\n

We find Sam in full internal agent mode at the start of \u201cNCIS: New York,\u201d working a case in Dubai while getting repeated calls from Jack Halloway \u2014 urging him to call him back as soon as he can.<\/p>\n

After some sleuthing and an epic fight scene with some international terrorists, Sam calls his friend back. But it\u2019s too late, he has been shot dead in New York City and the crime scene was staged to look like a suicide. Jack\u2019s death brings him into the jurisdiction of NCIS special agent Nick Schaeffer (Caan), whose day off is interrupted when his team is assigned the murder.<\/p>\n

Sam reveals he was close with Jack\u2019s father, and he\u2019d known the victim his whole life \u2014 even being a member of his wedding party. He\u2019s convinced that his death was not a suicide, given he\u2019s about to welcome a baby into the world and he was happy both professionally and with his wife. At the behest of special agent in charge Robyn Wells (Jennifer Beals), Sam joins the team to investigate the suspicious kill. He assures Nick that he\u2019s only here for one case.<\/p>\n

\"ncis-new-york-ll-cool-j-scott-caan-cbs\" LL Cool J and Scott Caan in \u201cNCIS: New York.\u201d (Cara Howe\/CBS)<\/p>\n

Instant chemistry<\/p>\n

Seconds into meeting one another, Nick and Sam kick off the banter \u2014 trading jokes about Sam\u2019s massive size and Nick\u2019s shorter build. The rest of the team also seems to blend smoothly, including Addy (Jacqueline Byers), the recently dumped special agent Wyatt (Shane Harper) and computer expert Sean (Devin Druid), who made a deal to help NCIS in exchange for not going to prison for hacking into the police pension fund.<\/p>\n

We even get an appearance from flagship \u201cNCIS\u201d scientist Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen), who confirms Jack\u2019s murder and tells Sam he\u2019ll be staying put in NYC for a while given the conspiracy at the center of the kill.<\/p>\n

As they work the case, Nick and Sam bond over their shared experience being raised in New York City. Nick opens up about losing members of his family in the line of duty \u2014 as both cops and firefighters \u2014 while Nick gives condolences to Sam for the loss of his wife back in \u201cNCIS: Los Angeles\u201d Season 8.<\/p>\n

As the case unfolds, tensions between Nick and Sam rise when they find a big pile of cash in the boat Jack was caring for. But Sean finds a clue that leads back to one of the dock supervisors, while Nick plots to convince Sam to join the team permanently.<\/p>\n

Eventually they learn that Jack had uncovered an operation to bring contracted killers into the States on a mission to kidnap an oligarch\u2019s daughter. He was killed to keep the operation secret, leaving a new mother-to-be alone. The team follows a tip to a club in Bushwick and brings the bad guys to justice, allowing Jack to be given top honors from the government after his death.<\/p>\n

\"ncis-new-york-jennifer-beals-scott-caan-david-druid-ll-cool-j-cbs\"Jennifer Beals, Scott Caan, LL Cool J and Devin Druid in \u201cNCIS: New York.\u201d (Michael Greenberg\/CBS)<\/p>\n

New York calling<\/p>\n

After solving the case, Nick takes Sam for a drive to his favorite spot in the city, and thanks him for saving his life during the mission.<\/p>\n

Nick tells Sam \u201cNew York needs Big Sam Hanna.\u201d Sam hesitates, as he feels like a stranger in the city that he called home. Nick tells him that running away from himself and his past never helped him, and that accepting his calling to serve in the city is the only time he\u2019s been truly happy. Sam accuses Nick of overselling the pitch, but eventually softens.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you\u2019re the best at what you do and I want to work with the best,\u201d Nick says.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, let\u2019s see how it goes,\u201d Sam says sealing the deal. We\u2019ll see if this new team can be another jewel in the \u201cNCIS\u201d universe.<\/p>\n

\u201cNCIS: New York\u201d airs new episodes Tuesdays on CBS and streams the next day on Paramount+.<\/p>\n

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