LL Cool J made his highly anticipated return to the NCIS universe, reprising his iconic role as Sam Hanna in the latest episode of the CBS flagship—and fans couldn’t be more thrilled. The rapper-turned-actor, now 57, has been a fixture in the franchise since 2009, starring in NCIS: Los Angeles from its launch through its finale in 2023, and more recently appearing in NCIS: Hawai’i before the spinoff’s cancellation.
In Monday’s episode, Sam stepped back into the spotlight, this time from a very different battleground. He revealed he’s now based in Washington, D.C., working as a congressional liaison—a shift prompted by the tragic loss of his Elite team in Hawaii. No longer in the field, Sam now works to influence policy from within the political machine, using his voice and experience to push for critical military interventions.
But it wasn’t just Sam’s new role that had fans buzzing. During the episode, he delivered several warm and much-missed updates about former colleagues:
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G. Callen and Anna are preparing to welcome a new addition to the family—a puppy.
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Jane Tennant’s son, Alex, is now in college, marking another step forward for the NCIS: Hawai’i storyline.
Fans took to social media to share a common sentiment: how seamlessly LL Cool J slips back into Sam Hanna’s shoes—and how deeply they’ve missed the character.
“It’s like he never left. Sam Hanna just fits in any NCIS setting,” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“I didn’t realize how much I missed him until he walked into that orange room again,” said another.
The flood of positive reactions makes one thing clear: whether in L.A., Hawaii, or D.C., Sam Hanna is still very much the heart of the NCIS franchise—and fans are more than ready for more.
