Why did NCIS: Hawai'i on CBS get canceled? Explained

NCIS: Hawai'i, one of CBS' marquee franchise shows, is not going to return for another season after the third one concludes. This comes as a major shock to most fans across the world, especially since the show appeared to have been doing pretty well. However, in comparison to the flagship series and the other spinoff, it turns out NCIS: Hawai'i was reportedly not doing as well.

The reason for the cancelation is most likely CBS' decision about the show it wants to retain and the ones it does not, like most other networks around the world. One could attribute the cancelation to a couple of things. First, the series is not at par with the other NCIS shows in terms of popularity.

Moreover, the franchise is diverting into something offbeat in the next television season with a show about Leroy Jethro Gibbs' origin. Another thing to blame here could be budget constraints generated from the previous year's double strike.

NCIS: Hawai'i still pulled a reported 7.8 million viewers in Nielsen’s seven-day linear ratings, making it the most-watched show to be canceled on CBS this year. Generally, shows with these ratings and viewership are expected to be renewed, but CBS has still decided against it.

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Why NCIS: Hawai'i on CBS got canceled: Insights from cast and crew

The cast of NCIS: Hawai'i were also quite taken aback as most weren't expecting the show to get canceled abruptly. Team leader Vanessa Lachey, who took on the role of the protagonist in most episodes, initially took to her Instagram to express her shock.

"Gutted, confused, blindsided,...Grateful, confident, beloved fans."

She further added:

"Processing this news and still being present with my family,...I love you all! Maholo Nui Loa."

A day later, Lachey opened up with more conviction, sharing a video of herself near the ocean, where a part of the show's pilot was shot. She wrote:

"As I sat here today, knowing our show is over, I turned to [the ocean] again [asking] what do we do now...She answered with ease. Just as the air hits the water & the water hits the land, the waves connect to the shore, some with a huge impact, then… it goes back out. You see… we aren’t meant to be here forever, we are on borrowed time. We appreciate what was given to us for our use, we nurture it and then we leave it better for the next dreamer."

She concluded:

"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."

Other cast members of NCIS: Hawai'i like Noah Mills, who plays Jesse Boone, also spoke about the cancelation. The two of the three co-creators also wrote about the cancelation after the news broke out.

Co-creator Matt Bosack wrote in his official X:

"[NCIS: Hawaii] was a dream. And while it’s ended, I am forever grateful to my partners, [Christopher Silber] and [Jan Nash], our amazing cast, led by [Vanessa Lachey], the entire crew, and this wonderful island I call home. I’m proud of the stories we were able to tell over these 3 seasons."

NCIS: Hawaiʻi originally premiered on September 20, 2021. It is the fourth series in the NCIS franchise. It followed the story of Jane Tennant (played by Lachey) over the three seasons. She led a Naval Criminal Investigative Service based in Hawaiʻi and solved various cases over the episodes.

The series starred Alex Tarrant, Noah Mills, Yasmine Al-Bustami, Jason Antoon, Tori Anderson, and Kian Talan.

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The show will air its last episode on May 6, 2024. All the episodes of NCIS: Hawai'i are now streaming on Paramount+.