LL COOL J is making a permanent return to the NCIS franchise after over 17 years as Special Agent Sam Hanna, this time anchoring a brand-new spin-off series. Following guest appearances in the last two seasons of the main NCIS show, the rapper and actor will lead NCIS: New York when it launches during CBS's autumn premiere week. The series, helmed by Kingdom showrunner Byron Balasco, pairs him with actor Scott Caan as his new partner, a "roguish" agent named Nick Schaeffer, offering Hanna a more personal storyline as he investigates the mysterious death of a Navy reservist friend in his hometown.

The second episode, airing on 13 October under the title "Family Business," reveals the type of cases Sam and his team will handle: a jewellery store robbery involving military explosives that results in the jeweller's son's death. Alongside Caan, Sam will lead agents Wyatt Sellers (Shane Harper) and Addy Ross (Jacqueline Byers) as they track the perpetrators. The series comes together quickly following its announcement in April, positioning Hanna's experience as invaluable to investigating high-stakes crimes in New York City.