When NCIS: Los Angeles signed off in May 2023 after 14 seasons, it didn’t feel like a conclusion — it felt like an interruption.
For the cast who spent nearly a decade-and-a-half building one of TV’s most resilient families, the abrupt farewell cut deeper than fans ever realized. And as Chris O’Donnell reveals now, the team wasn’t ready to let the doors of the OSP permanently close.
In a new interview promoting his upcoming series 9-1-1: Nashville, the man behind Special Agent G. Callen finally confirms what longtime viewers suspected:
They tried to bring NCIS: LA back — and came heartbreakingly close.
A Movie That Almost Happened
During the 2023 actors’ strike, creativity didn’t stop — at least not in O’Donnell’s household.
“We suggested it actually,” Chris shared. “We were like, we could crank one of these out in six weeks, and it would be great.”
The idea?
✅ A TV movie
✅ Wrapping up unresolved season 14 arcs
✅ Getting the whole cast back together
It was bold, it was doable… but CBS said no.
“I don’t think that formula works really well for CBS,” Chris explained — a diplomatic way of saying the network wasn’t biting.
For Chris, Eric Christian Olsen, Daniela Ruah, LL Cool J, and the rest of the team, that rejection stung hardest not because of paychecks or prestige — but because of bond.
“It was tough to leave because everyone just loved working with each other.”
Why NCIS: LA Still Matters
NCIS: LA launched in 2009 as the first-ever NCIS spin-off. By the time it ended:
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322 episodes aired
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11 showrunners and directors worked across its run
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Hundreds of undercover missions
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Millions of fans worldwide
Through it all, Chris O’Donnell remained the beating heart — the first face viewers saw in the pilot, and the last one they followed into sunset.
The story left hanging?
Callen and Anna Kolcheck’s future, deep ties to Hetty, and more — unfinished threads begging to be tied off.
Fans still aren’t done. Neither is Chris.
A New Uniform, A New City: Captain Don Sharpe Arrives
Chris is already shifting gears — from Navy intelligence to first responder action.
9-1-1: Nashville (ABC) begins filming in June and boasts a star-packed cast:
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LeAnn Rimes
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Jessica Capshaw
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Kimberly Williams-Paisley
O’Donnell plays Captain Don Sharpe — husband, father, and a leader in the fire department.
“He’s married, he’s got a son who works at the fire station,” he teased. “I don’t know how much I’m supposed to say…”
Nashville is still new terrain to him — but it’s one he’s eager to claim as home:
“The culture, the music… it’s a good reason to go.”
From LA’s Elite to Tennessee’s Firefighters — A Reinvention
Part of Chris is looking forward.
Part of him is still looking back.
“I loved playing Callen for 14 years. It was a great family.”
Now:
A new family. A new network. A new era.
And yet…
The moment NCIS rings again?
He’d answer.
Every cast member has said the same.
Is the NCIS: LA Mission Truly Over?
Absolutely not — and that’s why fans still hold hope.
CBS might have closed the book…
But Hollywood loves sequels.
And NCIS remains a global powerhouse.
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LL Cool J recently reappeared in the franchise
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Spin-offs keep multiplying
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Paramount+ loves revivals
Whether it’s a limited series, a streaming exclusive, or the long-dreamed movie…
G. Callen’s story doesn’t feel finished.
Final Word: A Legacy Unbroken
Chris isn’t mourning NCIS: LA.
He’s defending it — with dignity, loyalty, and optimism.
Fourteen years as Callen weren’t just a job. They were a home.
“I’m excited for a new family… but NCIS: LA will always be a part of me.”
