With the first season of CBS’ NCIS: Hawai’i set to premiere in September 2021, the pilot director of the upcoming series, Larry Teng, recently shared what fans may expect from the new action crime drama.
According to its synopsis, NCIS: Hawai’i is the third spin-off of the hit TV series NCIS. The show centers around a character named Jane Tennant. Jane will be the first female Special Agent to lead an NCIS series. Iconic to say the least.
For decades, “NCIS” has only invested in male actors for their series’ leads. Most famously, of course, Mark Harmon leads the titular show, while Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J spearheading “Los Angeles.”
CBS’ description reads, “The world’s most successful television series continues on the seductive shores of Hawai’i as the first female Special Agent in Charge of NCIS Pearl Harbor takes command. She and her team balance duty to family and country, investigating high-stakes crimes involving military personnel, national security, and the mysteries of the island itself.”
NCIS: Hawai’i team consists of members with “a skilled mix of mainland transplants” who relocated to the Pacific and wizened locals who know their “mahalo from kapu.”
NCIS: Hawai’i is in development by Christopher Silber, Jan Nash, and Matt Bosack who will also produce alongside Larry Teng. Vanessa Lachey, Yasmine Al-Bustami, Jason Antoon, Noah Mills, Toni Anderson, and Kian Talan are starring on the show.
Larry Teng Shares More Details NCIS: Hawai’i
During his interview, Larry Teng revealed his first insight into the upcoming series. “This is a love letter to the Navy. But it’s a love letter to Hawaii, too, you know, and I gotta make sure we protect that,” Larry explained. “And, you know, it’s one of [the] things we stress about every day.”
Teng is also reassuring fans that the island’s diversity will be represented by the series’ cast and crew, revealing, “Now that I’m back [in Hawaii], I feel like I have a responsibility to make sure that the community here, the people, the crew, that they’re all represented properly, you know? [Hawaii] just did 10 years of a cop show with two white leads here. You’re going into your fourth year of ‘Magnum’ with a Latino lead.”
Larry adds, “And now we’re coming in, we’ve got two Asian leads. I think it’s important that the crew can work on something that they kind of get behind.”
Larry Teng is known his work on Supergirl, Person of Interest, Doom Patrol, and S.W.A.T.
Along with NCIS: Hawai’i, NCI and NCIS: Los Angeles will have season premieres this fall. NCIS: New Orleans‘ final episode premiered on May 23rd. The show ended after seven seasons and stars Scott Bakula, Lucas Black, Zoe McLellan, Rob Kerkovich, CCH Pounder, and Shalita Grant.
