Three years after “NCIS: Los Angeles” wrapped its 14-season run, LL Cool J has returned to the franchise as Senior Special Agent Sam Hanna in CBS’ new “NCIS” spinoff, “NCIS: New York.” Created by R. Scott Gemmill — also the creator of “The Pitt” — the series follows Sam, who returns to his hometown after years working in the field across the globe. Though Sam is initially in New York only for one case, he finds himself drawn to the city and to a new team who are ready to defend one of the world’s most vital ports.
Though critics were just given the pilot for review, the episode works fine as a new extension of one of CBS’ longest-running franchises. The 20-episode season opens nearly 7,000 miles away from the Big Apple. Sam, who speaks Arabic fluently and whose specialties brought him to the Middle East, is working in Dubai.
However, he is distracted by the repeated rings of his cellphone. An old friend, a Navy Reservist, has called him several times and left numerous voicemails. Sam notes the calls, but he keeps focusing on his case.
Unfortunately, by the time he returns his friend’s phone call, the man is lying dead on a bench in Central Park.Back stateside, Sam finds himself at the Naval Criminal Investigative Service’s New York office at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. After convincing Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Robyn Wells (Jennifer Beals) to let him investigate what happened to his friend, Robyn partners Sam with Nick Schaeffer (Scott Caan, playing a different role from his “Hawaii Five-O” character, who’d appeared on “NCIS: Los Angeles in a crossover episode). Nick is an agent with a devil-may-care attitude, who shares Sam’s love of NYC.
Rounding out the New York field office are Special Agent Addison “Addy” Ross (Jacqueline Byers), Special Agent Wyatt Sellers (Shane Harper) and Sean Sullivan (Devin Druid), a young, ill-mannered techie who’s stuck working for NCIS only because he was caught hacking the police pension fund.“NCIS: New York” works like a well-oiled machine. Sam and Nick’s first case involves murder, a love scam, kidnapping and a massive shootout. Viewers get only glimmers of the characters’ personalities and backgrounds, but the show offers enough detail and texture to understand how Season 1 might unfold.
LL Cool J’s Sam and Caan’s Nick have great chemistry and work well as a buddy-comedy duo rather than a dark, overserious pair, which adds levity to the series. Despite some corny jokes that mostly play on the two men’s height difference, their banter is all in good fun and will undoubtedly endear itself to long-time fans of the “NCIS” universe.New York City also plays a major role in “NCIS: New York.” While trying to solve the mystery of the Navy Reservist’s death, Sam and the team journey across town, from Brooklyn to Queens and even the Diamond District in Midtown. Beyond the repartee between Nick and Sam, Addy and Wyatt share a sibling-like relationship that could turn into something more, especially since Wyatt is nursing a broken heart following the sudden end of his engagement.
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