What You Never Noticed About The Cop Cars In NCIS: New Orleans
When "NCIS: New Orleans" aired the series finale "Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler" in May 2021, viewers bid adieu to the spin-off after seven seasons and 155 episodes. The show starred former "Quantum Leap" time traveler Scott Bakula as Dwayne Pride, a seasoned NCIS agent who leads the New Orleans branch of the agency.
His team at various points included Christopher LaSalle (Lucas Black), Meredith Brody (Zoe McLellan), forensics agent Sebastian Lund (Rob Kerkovich), and Jefferson Parish coroner — and best friend to Pride — Loretta Wade (CCH Pounder). Together, the NCIS agents tackled the naval-related crimes and serious incidents that occur in the Big Easy.
While "New Orleans" was a unique incarnation of the "NCIS" franchise, especially because it was based in a Southern city, there's another detail about the show that makes it stand out compared to "NCIS: Los Angeles" and the original version. Here's more about that one aspect of "NCIS: New Orleans" few people, even longtime fans, noticed.
Unlike other NCIS shows, the NCIS cars in New Orleans use sirens and lights
In both "NCIS" and "NCIS: Los Angeles," the response teams largely use Dodge models when driving or chasing after suspects. For instance, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs famously uses a 1971 Dodge Challenger and it's one of his prized possessions within the show. While they're law enforcement agents, none of the characters use sirens or any other equipment to signal this fact. Interestingly though, "NCIS: New Orleans" was the only series in the franchise where the agents drove cars while also using police sirens and lights as part of their operations.
One fan on Reddit argued that compared to other incarnations of "NCIS," the New Orleans branch used their cars a lot more: "On NCIS: NOLA, they've had lights and sirens on all of their vehicles from the beginning...and they partake in pursuits and such on more regular basis, that's why I think you see them more," they observed. "And compared to NCIS, nearly every episode of NOLA starts with the team going to a crime scene in their cars and therefore you can actually see the lights."
It makes plenty of sense for a field agency that is often on the move. And if you're already missing the recently canceled series and want to see those sirens in action, you can still watch all seven seasons of "NCIS: New Orleans" on Paramount+.