NCIS’s Next Big Death Revealed In New York Spinoff Trailer

Published Sep 16, 2026, 7:15 AM EDT

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The next big death in the NCIS franchise is revealed in a new franchise spinoff trailer.

With the 2025-2026 TV cycle now fully in the past, all eyes are now on what comes next for the scripted shows coming back for a new cycle. Networks have started ramping out their marketing efforts, while the cast and crew ensure that episodes are ready to roll every week once the fresh season kicks off. So while it's still a few weeks away from the big premieres, the public already has an idea of what to expect from these projects.

There are several things to look forward to in CBS's fall 2026 slate, as its lineup has a mix of legacy shows and fresh ones. However, it's safe to say that this is the most exciting the NCIS franchise has been in a while. All three shows — NCIS, NCIS: New York, and NCIS: Origins, all have something special prepared for viewers, particularly with regard to nostalgic returns. While Michael Weatherly's Tony Dinozzo Jr. and Mark Harmon's Leroy Jethro Gibbs come back to the flagship and prequel, LL Cool J stepping back into Sam Hanna's shoes means he's also spearheading a new show. That comes with the need to justify the move.

Luckily, the first proper trailer for NCIS: New York (via CBS/YouTube) does that by revealing the next big death in the franchise. Clocking in at nearly two minutes, the premiere promo offers the first proper look at the death of Navy reservist, Jack Halloway, whose death prompts him to return to his hometown and be involved with the investigation of his suspected murder. Throughout the trailer, NCIS: New York establishes that Sam's work with Scott Caan's Nick Schaeffer and the rest eventually convinces him to commit to a full-time role with the organization. Watch the video below:

Admittedly, Halloway is not an established NCIS character. Unlike the demises Leon Vance and Ducky Mallard, losing him doesn't really have any emotional weight to viewers, simply because they do not have any history with him. That being said, it is still the NCIS franchise's biggest confirmed death of 2026 thus far due to how vital his tragedy is in Sam's new chapter. As previously mentioned, NCIS: New York needs to justify its existence, especially after years of LL Cool J's character wandering around and being okay with not having any team. Having a personal loss is an effective way to do that.

Of course, it will still boil down to execution. The challenge is for CBS to ensure that people are invested right away, since it does seem like Halloway's case will only be tackled in the premiere. After that, NCIS: New York moves on to its procedural format, taking on weekly cases on the streets of the most populated city in the world. Whether there will be any crossovers with the flagship is uncertain at this point, but it will be interesting to see if the spinoff is able to bring back familiar faces from Sam's time in Los Angeles and even Hawai'i. Maybe NCIS: New York can also address Caan's recasting after playing Dano Williams in Hawaii Five-0.

It's no secret that there was pushback when NCIS: New York was announced, especially in light of NCIS: Tony & Ziva's cancellation. Specific details are still unknown about the offshoot thus far, but for what it's worth, marketing for it has been doing a great job hyping up people for it. Maybe it could really be NCIS's next long-running spinoff — something it hasn't had since Los Angeles and New Orleans.

NCIS: New York

Cast

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  LL Cool J

  Sam Hanna

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  Scott Caan

  Nick Schaeffer

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  Jennifer Beals

  Robyn Wells

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  Jacqueline Byers

  Addison Ross