NCIS: Hawai'i star talks series cancelation ahead of finale episode
NCIS: Hawai'i is no more. The procedural spinoff was the only NCIS title to not receive a renewal by CBS, and the decision to wait, especially amidst a slate of new spinoffs and prequels, had some fans worried. The worry proved to be valid, as the network decided to cancel Hawai'i after three seasons.
The news was not entirely surprising, given the delay, but it was disappointing for fans of the second NCIS spinoff. The sentiment was shared by Hawai'i star Vanessa Lachey, who took to social media to address the news.
Vanessa Lachey wishes the show had more time
"I wish we had more time, I’m sorry we don’t," she wrote in an Instagram Story caption. "I wish we had a proper good-bye, I’m sorry we didn’t. I know we ALL are connected deeper than any TV show. The actress, who plays Special Agent Jane Tennant, then thanked the fans, Hawai'i style:
"In Hawai’i we don’t say 'Good-Bye', we say 'A Hui Hou' it means 'until we meet again'. To you all & especially the beloved fans… A Hui Hou."
Lachey's character was a vital part of NCIS' 1,000th episode, and Hawai'i was poised to strengthen its ties with the other shows in the franchise as it went on. The current season has benefited from the addition of former NCIS: Los Angeles star LL Cool J, but it proved to be too little too late.
The show was canceled due to financial performance
CBS President Amy Reisenbach issued a statement on the show's cancelation, and stated that the decision was made to pull the plug due to financial performance. "We had to make some really tough choices this year," she noted. "Everything came back [from the Hollywood strikes] really strong, but ultimately we have to look at the cohesiveness of the schedule flow. We have to evaluate the financials and the performance overall, and we make tough decisions.”
NCIS: Hawai'i will now be faced with the unfortunate situation of having to repurpose a season finale as a series finale. It'll be sad, but given the interconnectivity of the franchise, there's still hope we could see some of the Hawai'i characters pop up in other NCIS shows.
NCIS: Hawai'i will air its finale May 6 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.