NCIS: Los Angeles Season 14 - What We Know So Far
It's a good time to be an "NCIS" fan. Though the long-running spin-off show "NCIS: New Orleans" ended its run in 2021, every other series currently under the "NCIS" umbrella, including the original entry, is still going strong. In fact, all of them were renewed by CBS for another season in March 2022. "NCIS" is about to enter its landmark 20th season, while "NCIS: Hawai'i" will become a successful multi-season vehicle starting with its second installment. However, perhaps most impressive is the news that "NCIS: Los Angeles," the very first spin-off of "NCIS" that started back in 2009, will be continuing on to its 14th season.
Devoted fans of "NCIS: Los Angeles" are likely eager to hear more about Season 14 with regard to what storylines they can expect, which characters they'll see make a return, and whether or not Season 14 will finally mark the conclusion of the series. Though it's still in the relatively early days since the renewal's announcement, a few details about the next chapter of the show have already arisen.
Updated June 30, 2022: This article has been updated to include the premiere date of "NCIS: Los Angeles" Season 14.
Expect to see a fan-favorite character return
With regard to returning cast members on "NCIS: Los Angeles," no departures have been announced for the main cast heading into Season 14 — in fact, quite the opposite is likely. Series veteran Linda Hunt's beloved character Agent Hetty Lange seems set to make a return to the show following a multi-season period of absences and sporadic guest appearances due, in part, to health concerns in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In show continuity, Lange has been on an overseas mission assignment in Syria, which has obviously kept her away from her home base of LA. In an interview with TV Insider, executive producer R. Scott Gemmill teased that a major Season 14 plotline will see the main crew rescuing Lange from a dangerous situation. "So part of next season will be our guys finding out where she is, what happened and probably having to go in and pull her out of the fire," Gemmill said.
Based on the show's track record, it's almost a guarantee that Lange's return will likely lead to plenty of spicy drama among the team. However, it would nonetheless be a treat for longtime fans of the series to see one of the show's most enduring leads make their triumphant return.
Other important storylines will get continued
Hetty Lange's potential return from her special mission isn't the only important ongoing storyline that looks poised to get a resolution in Season 14. R. Scott Gemmill told TV Insider that the show is planning to resolve the plotline between Special Agent Kensi Blye (Daniela Ruah) and David Kessler (Frank Military), a sociopathic criminal morbidly obsessed with her who is now walking free. Since his introduction in Season 12, Kessler has systematically tormented Blye, and now with her and Special Agent Marty Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen) having children of their own, the personal stakes are higher than ever.
"I think for sure, we'll put that one to bed because nobody wants to live with that over their shoulders the rest of their lives," Gemmill teased about the storyline.
As for the upcoming arc of another principal character, Gemmill confirmed that Lange's return would not necessarily mean that fans would see less of Admiral Hollace Killbride (Gerald McRaney), who inherited the role of director of special operations in Season 13. "I fought so hard for so long to get Gerald on the show that I'm not gonna get rid of him anytime soon," Gemmill said in the interview.
It could be the final season
Some may feel that "NCIS: Los Angeles" has the stamina to continue forever, but even the longest-running TV juggernauts must eventually rest. No announcement has been made as to whether Season 14 of the show will be its last, but if it is, even the creatives aren't yet aware of that fact. In another interview with TV Insider, R. Scott Gemmill admitted that the show's crew framed the ending of Season 13 as a potential series finale, as they weren't certain they would be renewed. The team will probably have to prepare for a similar scenario with Season 14.
"If somebody's watched your show for 13, 14 seasons, I think they deserve — and I say this as much as a fan as anything, but I want to watch that last episode and feel really good about the characters and the time I put into that show and want to be left with the thought that things keep going on in a good way for everyone," Gemmill said in the interview. "So hopefully this isn't our last season, but it quite possibly could be, so we'll always keep that in the back of our mind, just in case we have to say goodbye to everyone."
Whether or not the beginning of the end for "NCIS: Los Angeles" has begun, Season 14 can't get here soon enough for fans. Fortunately, in June of 2022, TVLine reported that the next batch of episodes will kick off on Sunday, October 9, 2022.