Have you ever wondered how the show's creators wanted the series to end?
After an impressive seven-season run, the popular crime drama, “NCIS: New Orleans,” reached its series finale, masterfully wrapping up storylines that had spanned the extent of the show’s history. Yet, the show’s executive producers, Christopher Silber, and Jan Nash, confide that they had envisioned a completely different path for the finale – an idea that was unfortunately derailed by the abrupt news of the show’s cancellation.
The task of finalizing seven seasons’ worth of intricate narratives was undoubtedly challenging, mainly since the creators and the production team initially believed that the show would be picked up for another season. Yet, the creative writing team managed to handle the situation gracefully, maximizing their material to deliver a fitting farewell to the show.
The year 2020, an unprecedented time for the television industry, brought about several setbacks for the show, including a halt in production and delayed premieres. A scheduling shift, moving the “NCIS” spin-off from its prime Tuesday slot post-original “NCIS” to a Sunday night airing after football, also presented additional hurdles.
Nevertheless, the series finale ended on an uplifting note with a wedding ceremony for Special Agent Dwayne Pride, portrayed by Scott Bakula, and Rita Devereaux, played by Chelsea Field, who is Bakula’s real-life spouse. The ceremony was presided over by the fan-favorite character Dr. Loretta Wade, embodied by CCH Pounder, leaving audiences curious about Pounder’s real-life ordination status.
The show’s main characters attended the grand finale event, including Pride’s recently discovered son, Connor, played by Drew Scheid, and his mother, Mena, portrayed by Joanna Cassidy. Yet, despite the memorable wrap-up, executive producers Nash and Silber disclosed that they would have taken a different narrative approach had they had more time.
Reflecting on the series finale, Silber confided to TV Insider that, given the opportunity, they would have concluded the show with “a bit of a cliffhanger or at least an open-ended idea that there is more trouble to come for our characters.” These thoughts were centered on the show’s conclusion rather than the characters’ future off-screen.
The knowledge of the series finale prompted Nash to steer the narrative toward a positive ending. “When we found out that this was going to be the series finale, it was Jan who felt like, ‘Let’s have it have a positive ending without it making it feel like it’s an ending for our character, just an ending for the series. They will continue even if we don’t get to see them on their adventures. But let’s give them a win; let’s end on a high note,’” added Silber.
Silber and Nash also shed light on what could have been the fate of Sasha Broussard, played by Callie Thorne, had the show been renewed for an eighth season. According to Nash, the new season would have kicked off with Sasha’s predicament, potentially involving harm to her character. This plot point would have set the stage for the beginning of Season 8.
On the subject of the finale, Silber hinted that more planning time would have allowed for a more elaborate conclusion. Nash elaborated on the filming difficulties presented by the climactic wedding scene, saying, “We’ve never talked about this, but I felt like the intimacy of it was really beautiful and that the Second Line was really celebratory.”
“Particularly to people in New Orleans, who did all of that because they had to move it around a lot because there were some storms coming in; they did a magnificent job.” Most characters found their happy endings in the series finale, yet Silber and Nash agree that one character, Sebastian Lund, portrayed by Rob Kerkovich, deserved to find love.
The cancellation news of “NCIS: New Orleans” was met with shock and surprise, especially by lead actor Bakula. Despite consistently high ratings, the show’s termination during the pandemic was unexpected. Bakula expressed his gratitude to the show’s fans, hoping for continued support and appreciation in future projects. Likewise, several cast members, including Necar Zadegan and Daryl “Chill” Mitchell, took to social media to bid farewell to their characters and express their heavy hearts.
CCH Pounder shared a poignant sentiment during an appearance on The Reel, revealing how the show had been a significant lifeline during her husband’s illness, saying, “That’s what NCIS did for me. It’s a huge gift that I got from NCIS.” While the show will undoubtedly be missed, fans hope to see their favorite NOLA characters making appearances in the latest spin-off, “NCIS: Hawai’i.”
