The cancellation of the series isn't a complete shock because NCIS: Hawaii was on the way out. Still, the outcome is surprising as there was an attempt to renew the high-performing drama for at least a shortened fourth and final season, with producers agreeing to a massive budget cut and being open to other concessions to keep the series going. to hold.
NCIS: Hawaii, the first series in the NCIS franchise to feature a female lead, Vanessa Lachey, is now the first series in the franchise not to receive a proper farewell after a short run compared to its predecessors NCIS, which was renewed for a 22nd season, NCIS: Los Angeles (fourteen seasons) and NCIS: New Orleans (seven seasons). It's unclear whether series producer CBS Studios would sell the drama, but there are no obvious buyers as Paramount+ already has two original NCIS series, NCIS: Sydney and the Tony and Ziva spinoff.
Attracting a large viewership on a linear network is quite a challenge, so it's not often these days that a network airs the 12th most-watched non-sports program that averages 7.8 million linear viewers (most recent) and 10 million in Live+35 multiplatform viewers.
That's what CBS is doing with canceling NCIS: Hawaii, which added some acting muscle and NCIS continuity this season with NCIS: Los Angeles' LL Cool J appearing in every episode.
It comes on the heels of Top 25 series So Help Me Todd and CSI: Vegas which also recently got the ax. As noted in the CBS Renewal Status Report earlier this month, the network had to make some painful decisions to cut shows that other networks would like to renew.
NCIS: Hawaii, as well as So Help Me Todd and CSI: Vegas, ultimately fell victim to a strong schedule, a drive for cost control and general uncertainty at parent company Paramount Global, which is in the process of being sold.
Even before CBS's Super Bowl lineup, delayed by the strikes, kicked off with the Super Bowl, the network had already committed to five new scripted series for next season, the dramas Matlock (2024), Watson and NCIS: Origins and the comedy series Poppa's House and a Young Sheldon spin-off, with talks about renewing NCIS: Sydney also in full swing.
CBS originals returned and exceeded expectations, with the network claiming the top 16 most-watched programs of the premiere week and 14 of the top 20 non-sports programs overall this offseason in the Nielsen most recent linear ratings.
With no obvious weaklings, Blue Bloods getting its final season next season and S.W.A.T. (2017) which surprisingly wasn't canceled, the network had to make deep cuts in cutting its program to make room for the additions.
Just a year ago, a renewal for NCIS: Hawaii would have been a no-brainer: It's part of a storied franchise with solid ratings and crossover potential with the mothership series that hit big ratings in January 2023. But now CBS has already signed three other NCIS series for next season: the original series NCIS: Sydney, which is returning for a second season, and the upcoming Young Gibbs prequel NCIS: Origins. In addition, there is also the Tony & Ziva NCIS spin-off series that has been greenlit by Paramount+, making the NCIS field overcrowded.
With strong performance across multiplatforms, NCIS: Hawaii stands above several CBS drama renewals such as FBI: Most Wanted, FBI: International and S.W.A.T. (2017), and the final decision probably came down to money.
Even with the proposed cuts, NCIS: Hawaii would still be expensive. Its long-term prospects were unclear – whether it would be a major global hit and moneymaker like its predecessors. As CBS's parent company focused on its near-term balance sheet as it prepared to sell, a business decision was made not to take a risk and figure it out.
In NCIS: Hawaii, Special Agent in Charge of NCIS Pearl Harbor Jane Tennant (Lachey) and her team explore balancing their duty to family and country. They investigate high-stakes crimes involving military personnel, national security, and the mysteries of the island itself.
Alex Tarrant, Noah Mills, Jason Antoon, Yasmine Al-Bustami, Tori Anderson and Kian Talan also star. Matt Bosack, Jan Nash, Christopher Silber and Larry Teng serve as executive producers.
In a recent interview, CBS Studios President David Stapf talked about how "unique" NCIS: Hawaii is while also joining the franchise as the first NCIS series to feature a female lead, Lachey, and with the Hawaiian location. “We were just coming off Hawaii Five-0, a very successful series,” he said of the spinoff's origins. “People love that setting, it plays well around the world.”
