If you’ve ever tuned into NCIS: Hawai’i, you know it’s not your typical crime drama. Sure, it’s got all the thrills and investigative twists you’d expect from the NCIS franchise—but this one comes with a tropical flair and a deep respect for island culture. And what better way to kick off a new season than with a time-honored Hawaiian blessing? Let’s dive into why this unique ritual isn’t just a photo-op but a powerful moment that sets the tone for everything that follows on set.
CBS‘ latest NCIS spinoff is officially underway, now that production on Season 1 of NCIS: Hawai’i has received a traditional Hawaiian blessing. The ceremony, akin to those held every year for Magnum P.I. (and Hawaii Five-0 before it), was held on June 16 at Mokulē’Ia Beach on Oahu and officiated by Kahu Ramsay Taum, while observing COVID-era filming safety protocols.
Series stars Vanessa Lachey, Noah Mills, Jason Antoon, Yasmine Al-Bustami and Tori Anderson, as well as the producers and the NCIS: Hawai’i crew, participated in the ceremony, which included traditional royal maile leis, an Oli Aloha (welcoming chant) and a Pule Ho’oku’u (closing prayer). In honor of the show’s debut season, the ceremony centered on “the constant motion of the ocean and how the moving ocean waters, driven by the winds and tides, connects the entire planet,” it was explained in a CBS press release.
CBS‘ latest NCIS spinoff is officially underway, now that production on Season 1 of NCIS: Hawai’i has received a traditional Hawaiian blessing. The ceremony, akin to those held every year for Magnum P.I. (and Hawaii Five-0 before it), was held on June 16 at Mokulē’Ia Beach on Oahu and officiated by Kahu Ramsay Taum, while observing COVID-era filming safety protocols.
Series stars Vanessa Lachey, Noah Mills, Jason Antoon, Yasmine Al-Bustami and Tori Anderson, as well as the producers and the NCIS: Hawai’i crew, participated in the ceremony, which included traditional royal maile leis, an Oli Aloha (welcoming chant) and a Pule Ho’oku’u (closing prayer). In honor of the show’s debut season, the ceremony centered on “the constant motion of the ocean and how the moving ocean waters, driven by the winds and tides, connects the entire planet,” it was explained in a CBS press release.
As previously reported, Lachey will head up the freshman drama as Jane Tennant, the first female SAC of NCIS. Rounding out the cast are Al-Bustami (The Chosen) as Lucy, the eager, junior member of Tennant’s team; Antoon (Claws) as Ernice, the team’s cyber intelligence specialist; Anderson (No Tomorrow) as Kate Whistler, an agent of the Defense Intelligence Agency who is intent on climbing the professional ladder; and Mills (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) as Jesse, a former big city homicide detective who’s settled in a new life in Hawai‘i. NCIS: Hawai’i will debut this fall and air Mondays at 10/9c, leading out of NCIS proper (which is changing its night/time slot for the first time… ever). Christopher Silber and Jan Nash will serve as co-showrunners.
