After almost 14 years of solving cases involving the Marines and Navy, the team of NCIS: Los Angeles are set to take their last case, as CBS confirms that the NCIS spin-off will end following the currently airing season 14's finale. The second NCIS spin-off series began airing in October 2009 on CBS, expanding the popular police procedural drama into a franchise. NCIS: Los Angeles followed Chris O'Donnell's Special Agent G. Callen and his team of NCIS operatives, as they discovered the truth behind crimes involving Navy and other military interests on the West Coast of the United States.
As reported by Variety, NCIS: Los Angeles will conclude with season 14, bringing the stories of the Los Angeles-based NCIS team to a close. Season 14's final episode is currently set to air on May 14 and will act as a series finale for the spin-off. In a short statement alongside the announcement, President of CBS Entertainment Amy Reisenbach celebrated the series' long lifespan, thanking all those who had been involved with the series for making the first NCIS spin-off successful. Check Reisenbach's full celebration of NCIS: Los Angeles out the statement below:
For 14 seasons, ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ has been a stalwart of our lineup with characters who were a joy to watch. It’s no surprise this show succeeded as a global franchise. From day one, the cast, producers and crew were amazing network/studios partners, and their teamwork, talent and spirit vividly came through on the screen. We are so grateful for the collaboration and remarkable run of these treasured members of our CBS family, and plan to give them the big sendoff they and their fans deserve.
What Does NCIS: LA's Finale Mean For The Franchise?
Before the fate of NCIS: Los Angeles was revealed, 2023 was already set to become a milestone year for CBS's long-running crime procedural franchise, as it is is set to celebrate 20 years since the first episode aired in 2003. And while it was not explicitly stated to be a celebration of the franchise's long life, a large franchise-wide NCIS crossover story between NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, and NCIS: Hawai'i aired throughout January. The storyline focused on a murder case involving a victim with ties to members of all three shows' respective teams and allowed characters who had never met before to join forces, treating longtime fans to interactions between characters who might not usually work alongside one another.
As such, fans may be shocked to learn that NCIS: Los Angeles is set to reach its conclusion so soon after the crossover storyline aired. However, despite the departure of core cast member Mark Harmon, who played Agent Gibbs until season 19, neither NCIS nor NCIS: Hawai'i have been reported to be concluding any time soon. As such, with no other current indication that either show is at risk of not being renewed, and September set to mark 20 years since the franchise's first story, it can be assumed an upcoming story could celebrate the franchise's impressive lifespan.
While dedicated fans may be disheartened to learn that NCIS: Los Angeles will come to an end with season 14, many can take joy in seeing the show go out after a season that featured many noteworthy events. Between the ambitious crossover story and the return of familiar faces, NCIS: Los Angeles season 14 has seen the series enjoy stories that not only celebrate the franchise as a whole but reunite them with characters who they may have missed. And with the show's fate now being confirmed, many may wonder how Callen's story might end after leading the NCIS branch for almost 14 years.
Source: Variety