NCIS: Hawai'i Delivered A Frustrating Cliffhanger In The Series Finale, And Sam's Final Speech Makes The Cancellation Hurt All Over Again
Warning: spoilers ahead for the series finale of NCIS: Hawai'i on CBS, called "Divided We Conquer."
The third season of NCIS: Hawai'i has come to an end, and fans have sadly known for weeks now that the beloved drama won't be coming back for Season 4 later in the 2024 TV schedule. Despite a renewal for NCIS and two new franchise shows in the works, the Aloha State-set series was cancelled back in April after the finale had already been filmed. Now, "Divided We Conquer" aired to reveal the cliffhanger that would have made a great hook for a fourth season, but it was Sam Hanna's final speech that really bummed me out all over again that the show got the axe.
The Cliffhanger
"Divided We Conquer" tied up the loose ends for the case that spanned the two-part finale event, so fans at least aren't left hanging about the bioweapon or its antidote. The kicker came after a time jump of some weeks, when Sam was recovered enough from his near-death experience courtesy of Compound X to enjoy a surprise party with the ohana. Tennant went home after, expecting to find her daughter Julie waiting, only to discover none other than Maggie Shaw sitting in her home, with Julie White reprising her role.
This was Maggie's first appearance since the Season 2 finale, when her thunder was a bit stolen by the exciting news about LL Cool J coming over from NCIS: LA. NCIS: Hawai'i was apparently holding her return for a big cliffhanger to keep fans guessing over summer hiatus... only for the brutal cancellation news to break. Maggie ultimately got the very last line of the series when she said this to Tennant: "You're probably gonna need a drink for what's coming next."
Alas, the only thing that could be "coming next" for Jane Tennant might be if one of the other NCIS shows – which will include the original show, NCIS: Origins with young Gibbs,and the Tony/Ziva spinoff with Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo – dedicates an episode or two to wrapping up the Hawai'i stories, which I don't think is particularly likely.
After all, Origins is set in a different era, Tiva presumably have more going on, and the NCIS Season 21 finale set up its own mysteries to be explored. So, Maggie Shaw returned for an NCIS: Hawai'i cliffhanger, and we likely will never see whatever was planned for the payoff. While I was more or less resigned to the cancellation by the time "Divided We Conquer" began on May 6, Sam's final speech really salted the wound.
Sam's Speech
One of the brightest spots of the finale was that it did take the time for one last big team scene, as they came together for a surprise party (with champagne) to welcome a recovered Sam and Tennant back. It felt like a scene that was needed in a series finale, so it was a stroke of luck that it was included in an episode that was originally only intended as a series finale.
When Sam toasted the rest of the team, though, it really reminded me that there was still a lot of heart (and plenty of stories) that could have kept this show going into Season 4 and beyond. Over a glass of champagne, Sam said:
When I first arrived on the island, I think some of you might've been a little wary. But thanks to your boss Jane Tennant, that didn't last long. And I'm truly honored to be thought of as part of your 'ohana, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
Considering that I had big questions about my own about what Sam was hiding back when he arrived in early Season 3, I can vouch that the characters weren't the only ones feeling a little wary earlier this year. By the end, he felt like he fit with the Hawai'i team just about as well as he did the NCIS: LA team. His heartwarming toast just ahead of the Maggie Shaw cliffhanger would have been a great temporary sendoff for the show heading into hiatus.
Unfortunately, unless efforts to save the show are successful, we can only wait and see if anybody from NCIS: Hawai'i will open up about what the plan was for Season 4 to continue the story of the cliffhanger, and whether that would involve Sam again. The full run of the Hawai'i-set show is also available streaming with a Paramount+ subscription now, so you can always revisit the first three seasons at your streaming leisure.
