NCIS Faces Fresh Backlash Over Divisive New Series: "Beyond F***ed Up"

Published Aug 6, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT Ana Dumaraog is a Writer and Editor at Screen Rant, where she expertly covers Network TV offerings, among other things She has spearheaded the effort to make the site an authority on broadcast shows, initially starting with The Big Bang Theory franchise, NCIS, and One Chicago before taking on the specialization in general. Ana has also covered a wide-spread of topics in the past — from franchises like, the MCU and Star Wars, to classic TV favorites, such as Frasier and MASH. Ana brings clarity and enthusiasm to every story she tackles—whether reporting on new releases or offering deep dives into fan-favorite franchises. Her coverage translates complex entertainment developments into engaging, audience-focused content. Launching a new series is never easy, but NCIS's upcoming spinoff is treading a road that is more difficult. CBS's fall 2026 programming is still several weeks away from debuting, but the majority, if not all the shows that are set to return are already in production. That includes the network's premier procedural franchise — NCIS, which will see the return of the mothership and NCIS: Origins for season 24 and season 3, respectively, as well as the debut of another expansion project in NCIS: New York, spearheaded by LL Cool J's Sam Hanna. The NCIS franchise isn't new to launching offshoots. Not even a decade into the flagship's run and it had already premiered NCIS: Los Angeles, which is arguably still its most successful tie-in series. The response to Sam spearheading NCIS: New York should be nearly unanimously positive, but that hasn't been the case, primarily because of what happened in the universe, such as the abrupt cancellation of NCIS: Hawai'i and NCIS: Tony & Ziva. Unfortunately, NCIS: New York is facing fresh backlash after a major revelation. NCIS: New York's Backlash From Scott Caan's Recasting Explained CBS LL Cool J's return as Sam coincided with the revelation that Scott Caan is also coming back to the franchise as his partner. For context, the actor played Danny Williams in Hawaii Five-0, which existed in the same reality as NCIS. Despite that, NCIS: New York is seeing Caan being recast to a different character named Nick Schaeffer. Actors changing roles in the the franchise is not rare, but this is the first time that one is playing two different leads in shows that share a single continuity. Fans have been frustrated about the matter, understandably, expressing their dismay in the comment section of the social media post for Caan's official introduction as Nick. Check it out below: Some of the comments share their surprise to find out that Caan isn't playing Williams in NCIS: New York, as the initial assumption is that he's simply reprising his Hawaii Five-0 role, but just for a different series. Meanwhile, others are questioning the decision, saying that it makes no sense to recast, as NCIS: New York can easily slot Dano into the new show by saying that he simply returned to the East Coast. Finally, there are people who are straight-up mad, calling out the move for not making any sense. Obviously, this is not good for the new show, but it's a testament to how beloved Hawaii Five-0 continues to be, as people are itching to see Williams again. Can NCIS: New York Still Win The Public Over? CBS (via MovieStillsDb) The NCIS universe has weathered all kinds of challenges in its history, and it remains one of the most successful network TV brands. In the spirit of fairness, it's best to reserve full judgement about NCIS: New York once it's already out. Being frustrated at preliminary information about a yet-to-be-released project is understandable, but at the very least, people should give it a fair shot, as CBS might have a justified reason for these divisive creative decisions. It would be unfair to write off a show that is generally good just because of a couple of bad choices. On the flip-side, it's very important that CBS has a well-thought-plan for recasting Caan. As fans have pointed out, it makes no sense that they just won't bring him back as Williams. Sure, there might be legalities that prevented them from doing that, but this has to be explained, both in front and behind the camera. Beyond that, if CBS produces a truly good show, then it would be easier to get past the previous issues that people have with the project. It could also bring in more viewers — those who still aren't knee-deep in NCIS lore. Enjoy ScreenRant's primetime coverage? Click below to sign up for my weekly Network TV newsletter (make sure to check "Network TV" in your preferences) and get the inside scoop from actors and showrunners on your favorite series. SIGN UP NOW! NCIS: New York Release Date October 6, 2026 Network CBS Directors Eagle Egilsson, Adam Davidson Writers R. Scott Gemmill Cast Scott Caan Nick Schaeffer Jennifer Beals Robyn Wells Jacqueline Byers Addison Ross NCIS: New York, released in 2026, follows Special Agent Sam Hanna as he returns to New York City. Partnering with agent Nick Schaeffer, they lead a new NCIS team tasked with high-stakes missions to protect the city's crucial infrastructure and maintain national security.