As a long-time fan of the NCIS universe, I can’t help but marvel at the serendipitous events that led to the birth of one of its most successful spinoffs – NCIS: Los Angeles. The story behind its conception is as captivating as the series itself, and it serves as a testament to the power of spontaneity and the importance of being ready to seize opportunities when they present themselves.
Originally stemming from the series JAG, NCIS has undeniably surpassed its predecessor in popularity due to its long-running status of over two decades and the creation of a successful procedural franchise. The NCIS universe now comprises six shows (excluding cross-overs with non-NCIS shows), with NCIS: Tony & Ziva joining the lineup on streaming platforms, but the success of this franchise can be attributed in large part to the initial spinoff, NCIS: Los Angeles. Interestingly, creator Shane Brennan conceived the idea for Los Angeles spontaneously while pitching another show.
He narrated this tale during a conversation with Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo, both stars from the show “NCIS: Tony & Ziva,” on their podcast “Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch.” As a writer and executive producer on “NCIS” between 2007 and 2015, Brennan shared an interesting incident. He was once with CBS Studios president David Stapf, preparing to discuss an unrelated idea of his with Nina Tassler, who was the head of CBS Entertainment at the time. However, while they were waiting for their meeting, Brennan saw an episode of “NCIS” playing on a nearby TV. This marks the start of his story.
There I was, taking in an impressive episode when I turned my gaze towards David and commented on its quality, saying ‘This is one of our best episodes from last season.’ David appeared curious and asked if we could create a follow-up, to which I responded affirmatively, revealing that I had a spinoff idea. He seemed taken aback, almost collapsing with surprise as he exclaimed ‘You have a spinoff?’ Then, he asked for the details of the concept. I declined to share it then and there, suggesting instead that he discuss it with our colleague Nina. David agreed but requested me to divulge the idea later, which I declined, explaining that I was focused on pitching another project at the moment and didn’t want to mix things up.
At that moment, Shane Brennan hinted that while he was brainstorming an idea for an NCIS spinoff, he wasn’t prepared to discuss it because they were there to present another show which Brennan didn’t disclose. On the other hand, David Stapf had a different agenda, as Brennan made clear.
He sat there for a minute. He said, ‘Ah, I’ve got to go and see someone.’ So he gets up, goes in, obviously goes to see Nina, comes back out. We go in. I’m taking him to see Nina. Nina sits there and I pitched this other show I’ve got and she nods and smiles and she, ’It’s wonderful. It’s fantastic. And we get to the end of the pitch, and she says, ‘Well, David tells me you’ve got a spinoff of NCIS. And I said, ‘Yeah, I have.’ She said, ‘Could you tell me?’ I said, ‘Well, I can, but I don’t think it’s fair. I need to get it into the head again. I’ve come in and prepared for this pitch.’
As a devoted fan, I discovered that David Stapf had secretly communicated with Nina Tassler about Shane Brennan’s concept for an NCIS spinoff, without Brennan’s knowledge. This event might have taken place around the latter part of 2008 since it was announced in November that the two-part backdoor pilot for Los Angeles would air during NCIS Season 6. Curiously, when Cote de Pablo asked Brennan if he had genuinely conceived this spinoff idea or if he was merely improvising as he went along, his response was:
Consequently, I couldn’t help but smirk, for there was no spinoff in the making. Instead, I possessed nothing more than a hint of it. A mere 0% of an idea, if you will. So when Nina asked me to elaborate, I hesitated, then blurted out, “Undercover.” Delighted by my response, she said, “I adore undercover,” and requested to hear more the following day. I agreed, setting the meeting for 3:00 tomorrow, returned home, sat down at my computer, and penned the pitch for the project that evening.
The reference to “undercover” sparked the idea for the TV series NCIS: Los Angeles, which later premiered on CBS in September 2009 after being introduced in a two-part special called “Legend” in April and May of the same year. Over its 14 seasons, it became known for characters like Chris O’Donnell’s G. Callen, LL Cool J’s Sam Hanna, and Daniela Ruah’s Kensi Blye. The series concluded in May 2023, but LL Cool J reprised his role as Sam in NCIS: Hawai’i, while Ruah briefly returned to the NCIS universe for the franchise’s 1,000th episode.
Shane Brennan’s decision to join in the development of NCIS instead of waiting for a complete spinoff concept was beneficial, as it likely accelerated the launch of the franchise. If he had held out, it might have taken much longer for the series to take flight, or it might not have happened at all. Consider revisiting the entirety of NCIS: Los Angeles with your Paramount+ subscription.
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2024-11-30 19:07