LL Cool J's Sam Hanna is returning to the NCIS franchise in a new full-time role, with the spin-off NCIS: New York set to premiere on CBS on 6 October. It marks his first ongoing series appearance since NCIS: Los Angeles concluded in 2023, but rather than a joyful homecoming, Sam's return is triggered by the death of a close friend, Navy reservist Jack Halloway, in the series premiere.

Given his personal connection to the case, field office director Robyn Wells (Jennifer Beals) allows Sam to investigate, but pairs him with local agent Nick Schaeffer (Scott Caan), a blunt, streetwise New Yorker who contrasts sharply with the former Los Angeles-based Navy SEAL. Veteran director Dennis Smith has described the show as "darker" and "edgier" than previous instalments, while R. Scott Gemmill, former NCIS: Los Angeles showrunner and creator of The Pitt, writes the pilot and executive produces alongside showrunner Byron Balasco. The series aims to depict New York's five boroughs and grittier corners, as Sam grapples with returning to a city that no longer feels entirely familiar to him.