The latest expansion of CBS’ monumental military-law-enforcement franchise has officially arrived, but NCIS: New York enters the primetime landscape with plenty of heavy lifting still ahead. Functioning primarily as a tailored vehicle for LL Cool J’s Sam Hanna, the series premiere succeeds in establishing why the veteran agent is back in action, but as a standalone franchise entry, the jury is still very much out.
The pilot suffers from the classic growing pains typical of series premieres. Rather than immediately establishing a unique identity that sets it apart from predecessors like NCIS: Hawai’i, the episode functions largely as an explainer. Because CBS has spent recent seasons working hard to find a stable home for Sam—following his transition to Hawai’i right before its cancellation—the narrative bends entirely around him.
Fortunately, anchoring the show around Sam works far better here than it did in the recent NCIS Season 24 premiere, simply because this is meant to be his story.
Familiar Archetypes and Uneven Character Introductions
While the pilot succeeds in mapping out Sam’s homecoming to his native state, it struggles to give viewers a compelling reason to care about the newly minted supporting cast. Most of the ensemble currently falls into standard crime-drama archetypes, though there is plenty of room for growth as the season progresses.
Scott Caan commands the bulk of the supporting screen time, establishing a double-act dynamic alongside LL Cool J as Nick Schaeffer. However, viewers familiar with Caan’s past work in Hawaii Five-0 or Alert: Missing Persons Unit will find that Nick closely mirrors roles the actor has played before. Similarly, Jacqueline Byers steps into the familiar role of a tough female investigator as Addy Ross.
Meanwhile, Jennifer Beals is heavily underused as supervisor Robyn Wells. Anyone who caught Beals’ phenomenal, poised, and powerful performance in The Chicago Code knows what the actress is truly capable of, but the pilot mostly reduces her to a figure giving out orders.
On the brighter side of the casting front, Power Book IV: Force star Shane Harper seizes the opportunity to stretch his acting range, stepping into a character that stands poles apart from his past work as Vic Flynn.
The Misstep with the Tech Stereotype
One of the more frustrating elements of the premiere centers on Sean Sullivan, the team’s resident tech hacker played by Devin Druid.
Not only does Sean lean heavily into the tired “tech geek” stereotype—even being explicitly labeled as “weird”—but the other characters frequently talk down to him as if addressing a child. Whether the series intends to introduce an extenuating circumstance explaining how Sean interacts with people, or if the writing is simply leaning into the lazy trope of the socially abnormal computer expert, the character currently sticks out like a sore thumb.
Finding a Reason to Exist Beyond Sam Hanna
Beyond the character dynamics, the pilot struggles to convince the audience that its setting matters. The pivotal moment where Nick convinces Sam to remain with the squad feels oddly casual—playing out more like a routine chat than the potentially life-changing crossroads it’s supposed to be.
Ultimately, NCIS: New York functions more as a blueprint for the season than an electrifying debut. It has yet to answer the ultimate question: what can this franchise accomplish on the streets of New York City that it couldn’t achieve anywhere else?
Whether the show intends to lean into a character-driven approach akin to NCIS: Origins or carve out a distinct stylistic niche remains to be seen. With the heavy exposition now out of the way, viewers will have to tune into Episode 2 and beyond to see if the series can find its true footing.
What did you think of Sam Hanna’s latest home base? Drop your thoughts on the NCIS: New York premiere in the comments below!
