LL Cool J is likely one of the longest-tenured actors within the NCIS franchise (which may be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription), having starred as Sam Hanna in all 14 seasons of NCIS: Los Angeles, then making a handful of appearances in NCIS: Hawai’i’s latter two seasons. It’s been a yr since CBS cancelled Hawai’i, however we’re not finished with Hanna but, as we’re simply days away from his return on the 2025 TV schedule. LL Cool J is reprising his function on NCIS this coming Monday, and our first appears to be like at him within the episode have arrived!
This received’t be LL Cool J’s first time showing on the flagship present, because the Season 6 two-parter “Legend” served as Los Angeles’ backdoor pilot, and he got here again a couple of instances throughout crossovers. However it’s been a minute since he interacted with of us like Timothy McGee and Nick Torres, so attending to see him share display screen time with them can be most welcome.
Sam Hanna is coming again into the image for “After the Storm,” which sees the group investigating three fight vets who’re discovered lifeless in a resort room. They monitor down a witness who refuses to speak with anybody apart from Sam. And thus, the character will come again to Washington DC to assist out the NCIS protagonists, and look good whereas doing it.
We additionally now know that Sam will get some face time with NCIS director Leon Vance. What hasn’t been made clear but is that if Sam remains to be working for the regulation enforcement company or if he left someday after NCIS: Hawai’i and is simply serving to the DC group out as a courtesy.
Both manner, don’t count on Sam Hanna to solely assist out from the bullpen. We’ll additionally see him exit into the sphere with Alden Parker, which suggests the probabilities of him pulling out his gun on a nasty man are in all probability fairly excessive.
LL Cool J’s newest visitor spot on NCIS follows a yr after NCIS: Los Angeles’ Daniela Ruah and NCIS: Hawai’i’s Vanessa Lachey respectively reprised Kensi Blye and Jane Tennant within the NCIS franchise’s 1,000th episode. “After the Storm” is an efficient reminder that simply because an NCIS present is completed, that doesn’t imply certainly one of its starring characters can’t come again. Despite the fact that there’s 42 minutes of story to work with, ideally a while can be carved out for Sam to share what he’s been as much as since he was final seen in Hawai’i.
As soon as “After the Storm” is completed airing Monday at 9 pm ET, there’ll solely be two episodes left in NCIS Season 22. However to not fear, as Season 23 can be airing on the community later this yr alongside NCIS: Origins Season 2 and NCIS: Sydney Season 3. NCIS: Tony & Ziva can be count on to premiere someday within the fall completely on Paramount+.