The third and final season of the American police procedural television series NCIS: Hawaiʻi premiered on CBS on February 12, 2024 during the 2023–24 television season, and concluded on May 6. A total of 10 episodes were produced for the season. On April 26, 2024, CBS cancelled the series after three seasons.[1] The network explained that the reason behind for the decision was due to financial costs, the show ratings, and the network's TV show lineup for the 2024-2025 schedule.[2]
The third season of NCIS: Hawaiʻi ranked #16 with an average of 7.78 million viewers.[3]
Vanessa Lachey as Jane Tennant: The first female Special Agent-in-Charge of the NCIS: Hawaiʻi Field Office.
Alex Tarrant as Kai Holman: A new NCIS agent on the team who recently returned home to care for his father.
Noah Mills as Jesse Boone: Tennant's confidant and second-in-command, Boone is a former homicide detective in Washington, D.C., who knows the islands' hiking trails well.[citation needed]
Yasmine Al-Bustami as Lucy Tara: The junior field agent of NCIS: Hawaiʻi, and Whistler's love-interest turned girlfriend.
Jason Antoon as Ernie Malik: NCIS: Hawaiʻi's cyber intelligence specialist
(Part 1) As Jane returns to work, having passed her medical and psych evaluations, she and the team investigate the death of a man, eventually uncovering a breach at the US Marshal's database that means the list of witnesses in WITSEC has been exposed and is on the dark web. Meanwhile, Sam Hanna from OSP in Los Angeles assists Jane with trying to cope with recent events and the murder of her friend, Charlie 1.
(Part 2) Following the crash of a prisoner transport plane, the NCIS team must find the convicts that escaped onto the island. During the apprehensions, Sam Hanna and Tennant are tasked by Swift to locate a high-profile Russian prisoner known as "The Chemist", a biological weapon maker.
When a robbery of a Navy Federal Credit occurs takes place in broad daylight, the team find themselves searching for a group of adrenaline-seeking thieves. Jane grows increasingly suspicious of Sam's reasons for having arrived in Hawaii.
The team investigate when a Navy pilot is found murdered at a local military resort with Lucy and Kate going undercover to find the mastermind running the criminal enterprise that's literally operating in plain sight. Meanwhile, Sam’s continued stay in Hawaii begins to annoy Jesse, who starts to feel sidelined.
The team is tasked to protect the daughter of a Russian oligarch carrying a deadly secret and is planning on defecting. Meanwhile, Sam asks Tennant for assistance in interrogating The Chemist for the latter’s remaining bioweapon locations.
When the fiancée of a vanished Naval officer seeks the help of NCIS, his secrets are exposed and go much deeper than she suspected. Meanwhile, Sam recruits Kai to be his exercise wingman.
When a Marine is murdered in the woods on the Big Island during training, the team tracks the suspect deep into the woods and discovers a disturbing secret. Jane gets a concussion during the search and encounters a mysterious figure in an isolated cabin.
When a Marine's wife is kidnapped for ransom, the team uncovers dark secrets while tracking down her abductors (who trigger Sam’s clown phobia wearing clown masks). Meanwhile, Sam asks Ernie's assistance decrypting a top secret computer program that could lead to major consequences.
In the series finale, following the ambush with that left the majority of the ELITE team dead, Jane and the team must track down a Filipino terrorist group and their targets.
Production
Development
On February 21, 2023, CBS renewed the series for a third season.[14]
The production of the season was delayed due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in the United States.[15]
Casting
On May 22, 2023, following the series finale of NCIS: Los Angeles, it was announced that LL Cool J would reprise the role of Sam Hanna as a recurring guest star in the third season.[16]
Filming
Filming for the third season began on December 4, 2023.[17]
On January 5, 2024 it was announced that NCIS: Los Angeles star Daniela Ruah would be directing an episode this season,[18] later revealed be episode 7 "The Next Thousand”.[19]
Release
The third season premiered on February 12, 2024.[20]
Ratings
Viewership and ratings per episode of NCIS: Hawaiʻi season 3