NCIS: Hawai’i built up to a high-stakes, two-part event to finish its freshman season. The series had found more balance in its storytelling, but the finale went back to some of the same creative patterns it followed earlier in the season. At least it wrapped up several ongoing storylines and gave closure to some of the show’s important relationships.
Let’s be real—when NCIS: Hawai’i was first announced, fans weren’t sure what to expect. Could paradise and procedural drama really mix? After watching the entire first season, especially that epic finale, the answer is a resounding YES. This isn’t just another crime show—it’s a fresh, vibrant take with heart, action, and a cast that clicks like family.
Last week’s episode featured the return of Captain Milius. He had been a love interest for Jane Tennant in the first few episodes of Season 1, but was transferred to the Pentagon. That meant Tennant was surprised to see him — but she was more surprised to find out what he was doing. Milius was organizing a top-secret prisoner exchange with Russia. The exchange nearly fell apart, but both prisoners died after the meeting, and “Ohana” picked up in the wake of what threatened to be an international incident.
LOTR’s Pippin Guest Starred as the Big Villain. While Milius was working to facilitate the prisoner exchange, he was also part of a clandestine group that was trying to promote dialogue between Russia and the United States. The creator and leader of that group was played by Billy Boyd, who portrayed Pippin in The Lord of the Rings. While his character was supposedly in favor of peace, he was really a weapons smuggler and using his clandestine group as a cover. By sabotaging the prisoner exchange, he was trying to start conflict that would have created business for him. Luckily, Tennant and her team were able to solve the case before it escalated.
Season 1 Ended on a Positive Note. In one season, NCIS: Hawai’i gave its characters plenty of grief. With Tennant finding out that her friend Maggie Shaw was a spy and all the relationship and family drama, the heroes had earned a break — and they got one at the end of the episode. After they solved the case, everyone went over to Tennant’s house for a party and enjoyed each other’s company. That included Milius, who came to visit Tennant and discussed the future of their relationship. They agreed to pretend for the night, while the show’s other prominent couple made it official at the party.
The Kacy Drama Is Finally Over. Ernie questioned his calling earlier this season, but if being an NCIS agent doesn’t work out, he has a backup job as Cupid. He’s spent the past few episodes consoling Lucy and telling her to move on from Whistler… but in “Ohana,” he let the cat out of the bag and told Whistler that Lucy had broken up with Skyler. He advised Whistler that she needed to make a grand gesture if she was going to win Lucy back. Whistler took his advice a bit too literally and started to serenade Lucy as the episode ended. At first, Lucy looked appalled, but the gesture worked and the duo shared a kiss.
Fans will have to wait until Season 2 to see if Whistler and Lucy are able to make a relationship actually work this time, after much of Season 1 was taken up with the “Kacy” back and forth. Likewise, Tennant might want to make some decisions about her future, and her team seems to have come together. If the series can stay out of its narrative pitfalls, “Ohana” set the show up for a very interesting second season.
NCIS: Hawai’i ended its first season by proving it’s more than just a spin-off. It’s a bold, heartfelt series with its own identity, anchored by a phenomenal lead and a stellar supporting cast. If Season 1 was about finding its feet, Season 2 is set to take off running.
