NCIS: New York Takes the Pressure Off With 1 Refreshing Creative Change

3 hours ago 9

Published Oct 6, 2026, 10:34 PM EDT

Alexandria is a British-Canadian writer with a passion for network TV.
She has a bachelor's degree in computer science from Aston University, Birmingham. After initially working as a software tester, she rekindled a passion for writing and has written for blogs and publications like Hidden Remote, Make a Living Writing, and The Daily Voice. She has interviewed various actors and showrunners, with her most memorably being Tony Shalhoub and Mark-Paul Gosselaar.

Warning! Spoilers ahead for NCIS: New York episode 1.Starting a new show, even in a well-known franchise, isn't always easy. NCIS: New York is the sixth spinoff, and the third to include LL Cool J's Sam Hanna. The opening hour brought new characters and a dark personal case for Sam, as the NCIS: New York trailer promised, but it did one thing differently from all the other shows that involve new team members joining.

Most shows would create tension between the main characters, and that was always a risk with Scott Caan's Nick Schaeffer. He could have felt threatened by having Sam join in with a case outside of his own jurisdiction, but NCIS: New York proved that two good agents can work together. In fact, Nick was excited to see Sam on the case, and it led to him asking for Sam to join the team. Within this, New York became a character of its own, a selling point for Sam to say yes and the start of a new friendship.

This one move creates a refreshing change that can allow the entire series to thrive. It takes the focus off trope-filled drama with two characters constantly arguing. Instead, time can be spent on supporting characters, creating a family that NCIS: Los Angeles offered. NCIS: New York can learn from mistakes that many other shows have made, such as FBI: International and NCIS: Hawaii.

Nick's Request Sets Up for a Calmer Start to Focus on Cases

When TV shows bring new characters in, there's usually some sort of tension. A leader doesn't want a legend to join their team, fearing that they'll lose control of the people they've supported and managed for so long, which is exactly what happens with Sam and Nick. NCIS: New York does the opposite with the pair. Nick wants Sam to join his team, making it clear that he appreciates what he brings to the table.

It sets up a refreshing story, as we see two men who can bounce ideas off each other, bringing a similar vibe that NCIS: Los Angeles had. Of course, there will be tension now and then. Sam and Nick clearly had different opinions about cases, and they have different ways of working. However, they have a mutual respect for each other, bringing something similar to the way Callen and Sam used to work together.

With this calmness comes a focus on the cases. There's no malicious drive to one-up each other to prove they're the best on the team. With a friendly comradery, there can be some fun goals set or competition akin to Jake and Amy on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, creating light banter instead of frustrating, over-used trope-filled drama. As the two men get to know each other, they'll also figure out strengths and weaknesses to make sure cases are closed.

NCIS: New York Gives Viewers Chance To Get To Know Team Members

While Sam is joining the team, NCIS: New York has a whole new group of people to get to know. Sam offers that lead in to introduce them, as he gets to know how they each work, what they're interested in, and why they chose to do this stressful but rewarding career. Take away the battle between team leaders and the time needs to be filled up in a more positive way to allow the NCIS spinoff to thrive.

Too many shows put all their focus on the lead and forget about team members, such as FBI: International when Jesse Lee Soffer's Wes Mitchell came into the show. Even the NCIS franchise has made the mistake of taking a lot of focus away from the team on NCIS: Hawaii when Sam came into it during the final season.

Franchise fans already know Sam, so the world of the rest of the team is opened up, as long as the writers remember it's not a one-man show. Small teases have already been made, with Wyatt Sellers (Shane Harper) going through a breakup, and Addy Ross (Jacqueline Byers) clearly hoping that he will open up.

Sean Sullivan's (Devin Druid) criminal past got a mention, teasing an intriguing backstory that is sure to set up for an hour of drama. There was a chance to see how Assistant Special Agent-In-Charge Robyn Wells (Jennifer Beals) leads the entire hub and the respect she has, but there wasn't time in the pilot episode to understand who she is. NCIS: New York has the opportunity to grow the team as a whole in the way that NCIS: Hawaii proved viewers loved.

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