It’s official. And it has its own logo.
And it’s about time.
After weeks of deliberations and rumors, CBS today announced it was formally green lighting another franchise show – “NCIS: Hawaii” – to join the family of “NCIS” procedurals. Hope CBS considers Hawaii natives to join the “NCIS” legacy.
Deadline was the first to announce the fourth in the CBS franchise and the first to have a female character heading the investigations theoretically based at Pearl Harbor.
The Hawaii nod was buried in the announcement that “NCIS: Los Angeles” was OK’d for its 13th season next fall, joining the mothership Mark Harmon-led original which has been approved for its 19th season.
As Hawaii makes its debut, “NCIS: New Orleans” is terminating its seventh season. So one in, one out. CBS also is procedural heavy: it kicks off “CSI: Vegas” and “FBI: International” this fall.
The Hawaii cast – hopefully, a blend of locals and Mainlanders — will make an impact. CBS has learned, from the reboot of “Hawaii Five-0,” now gone from the landscape, should advocate diversity in the acting ranks. This factor could impact how popular it will be in this maiden voyage. Having a woman heading the team is a starting point for diversity.
Expections and anticipations have been high. Though fans had predicted and hoped for a reunion of Michael Weatherly as Tony Dizono and Cote de Pablo as Ziva David, from the original “NCIS, ”that won’t happen, since Weatherly’s “Bull” also returns to the Eye Network this fall.