EXCLUSIVE: The new CBS series NCIS: New York is gearing up for its explosive premiere on October 6, with the release of new photos and an interview with star LL Cool J and showrunner Byron Balasco, both of whom are also executive producers. The images below are from Episode 102 titled “Family Business,” and Episode 103 titled “Carousel.”
The project heralds the return of R. Scott Gemmill (The Pitt) to the NCIS Universe. Gemmill, who executive produced and served as showrunner on NCIS: Los Angeles, developed NCIS: New York with Balasco.
In the pilot, after years of special assignments and covert ops, Special Agent Sam Hanna (LL Cool J) returns to his hometown of New York City for a brand-new mission. When Sam’s friend and Navy reservist Jack Halloway is found dead, he requests permission from Assistant Special Agent-In-Charge Robyn Wells (Jennifer Beals) to investigate his friend’s death.
Robyn pairs Sam with roguish agent Nick Schaeffer (Scott Caan), who introduces him to the rest of the team: clean-cut Wyatt Sellers (Shane Harper), bright-eyed Addy Ross (Jacqueline Byers), and hacker-turned-computer guy Sean Sullivan (Devin Druid). As the team investigates Jack’s death, they work together to gather key information that can help find the culprits.
Emily V. Aragones/CBS
DEADLINE: We learned about Sam being in Dubai in the NCIS crossover at the end of last season. Can you flesh out more about what he’s been up to and how he ends up in New York?
BYRON BALASCO: Yeah, Sam has been a lone wolf, sort of a samurai, traveling the world on very high-stakes solo missions in all parts of the globe in dangerous hotspots. So when we find him in Dubai, he’s finishing up one of these missions when he, in the middle of it, gets a call from somebody who’s very important to him. He can’t get the call because he’s in the middle of the mission, and he realizes missing that call might have put this person in jeopardy. So that brings him back to New York. It’s a very emotional reason. It’s a very close personal case to him. So he feels like he needs to go to New York and handle this one himself.
LL COOL J: New York is totally different; it’s a lot grittier, it’s more character-driven. New York is the main character and the star. Sam hasn’t been in New York in many, many years. So he has to get re-acclimated to that. Plus, he’s a man looking for redemption in many ways because of different things that he’s been through over the course of his career in law enforcement. It’s pretty special and a great contribution to the NCIS Universe in general.
DEADLINE: LL, you’re a native New Yorker. Does it feel extra special to start this new chapter back home?
LL COOL J: Yeah, it’s real cool. It’s different, too, because I’m a New Yorker, but we’re going to parts of New York I’ve never seen. We’re visiting all the various parts of New York: the underbelly, the main parts. It’s a lot of fun in that regard.
Cara Howe/CBS
DEADLINE: Bryon, what can you share about the pairing of LL and Scott Caan? What makes them the perfect crime-fighting duo?
BALASCO: As actors, they have incredible chemistry together. They’re both extremely magnetic. They both have very strong personalities and personas that really bounce well off of each other. There’s a little bit of an opposites-attract kind of thing with them that plays really well. They’re really specifically great for New York because they both have a very complicated, emotional, and loving relationship with the place that raised them. Having them both in New York together, dealing with the past, the present, and the future together in different ways makes a very compelling watch.
DEADLINE: LL, you and Scott Caan are like the movie Twins starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. Will you guys joke around about the obvious differences between you two?
LL COOL J: That’s on the table, of course. Everything’s on the table. We play with all the obvious things, yeah, no question.
BALASCO: They make a great team. Nick was born and raised in New York. He’s a man who has a lot of loyalty and feels very indebted to the city, and wants to pay it back. In terms of him and Sam, they’re kind of different guys. Nick is more extroverted, more kind of outwardly in your face, whereas Sam’s a little introverted. It’s a constant battle between Nick getting Sam to open up while Sam resists. Through that process, they become really, really close. You’ll see the bond forming between them.
DEADLINE: The casting of Jennifer Beals was received by the fandom with great excitement. What can you guys share about who she will play?
LL COOL J: She brings gravitas as the boss, Special Agent in Charge Robin Wells. She’s telling these characters what to do and leading the ship. It’s really powerful how she helps bring these characters to life.
BALASCO: What’s interesting about Robin is that she’s not your do it my way or the highway kind of boss. She really understands what each team member needs and how to lead them. You can’t treat everybody the same because not everybody is the same. What’s so special about her leadership is that she’s deeply sensitive to the cases, but always professional, and guides us down the right path. Part of her story is that she is seen by the powers that be as somebody that we could have big plans for. But she’s very conflicted about that because she loves her job.
Emily V. Aragones/CBS
DEADLINE: The NCIS Universe is vast. Any chance we could see any crossovers or appearances by NCIS favorites in Season 1?
LL COOL J: There might be. I’ll put it to you like this: I welcome crossovers. I think crossovers are great, and they’re fun.
BALASCO: We’ll have to see what happens. I mean, we’re all in the universe, so you can kind of expect anything like that to happen.
DEADLINE: How about some familiar faces from NCIS: Los Angeles? Say, Chris O’Donnell and Eric Christian-Olson?
LL COOL J: All welcome. Super welcome.
BALASCO: All things are possible. We’re still in thebeginning of our journey here.
