This article contains spoilers for the “NCIS: Los Angeles” series finale.
With the series finale airing Sunday, May 21, “NCIS: Los Angeles” showrunner R.J. Scott Gemmill’s goal was to give the characters of the long-running CBS procedural as happy endings as possible.
“It was really about trying to find a way to wrap up the series that would leave fans hopeful for the future of all of our characters. And so we gave everyone what we thought was their happily ever after.” version of … at least for a while,” he told TheWrap in a recent interview.
To that end, in the final episode, Callan (Chris O’Donnell) and Anna (Bar Pally) tie the knot in an impromptu ceremony attended by the rest of the team – except Hetty (Linda Hunt), who sends a congratulatory note. ,
Sam Hanna (LL Cool J) finds a promising Alzheimer’s study for his father Raymond (Richard Gant), Kensi Bailey (Daniela Ruah) tells Marty Deeks (Eric Kristen Olsen) she’s pregnant and Devin Rountree (Caleb Castille) )’s legal case against the LAPD has been satisfactorily settled.
“We really knew we had to go through each character and figure out what would be best for them, what would be the happiest place for them to be after they said goodbye,” Gemmill said.
However, the series leaves a storyline open-ended, in which Sam and Callen are called to Morocco by Hetty for a “side project”. When they get there, they instead find Nell (Renee Phyllis Smith), Nate (Peter Cambor) and Vostanik Sabatino (Eric Palladino), who need their help to save Hetty, as Nell has Said, “got themselves into a little trouble. A pickle. Nell asks, “Are you ready for your next adventure?” And, of course, they really are.
TheWrap: How difficult is it to wrap up such a long-running show and try to tie up all the loose ends?
R. Scott Gemmill: It is very difficult to be honest. You know, there’s a lot of emotion involved because you live with these characters for so long and then try to put them to bed after all that time. Not really easy, but hopefully we did a good job.
You decide to leave things open with Hetty, sending Sam and Callen on another adventure to rescue her. Why did you go that route?
It seemed like this was a story we needed to solve. And what better way than to send rescuers and go?
What would you say separates “LA” from the other “NCIS” series?
I think the real difference was probably the family nature of the show. Everyone was there to have fun. Even though we took on some serious matters, at the end of the day, this really is a family that enjoys working and playing together. And that’s true behind the scenes and I think that translates on screen. I think when you watch the show you can feel that we are having fun while we are doing it.
It never really got that dark in the show. Was it a conscious choice?
We did some dark episodes. For me, what I thought the show did best was that when you watched you knew you were about to have an hour of escapism. It wasn’t going to leave you stressed or worse when you turned it on. I think some dark shows are so dark it’s stressful, and our show is the exact opposite. We have some laughs and some good times, watch some funny action and then you can get back to your life. But I always thought our show kind of escaped expectation.
You’ve had 14 years with very little change in the cast line-up. How rare is that?
Yes, a lot of shows can run for 12 years or more. But by the time you get there, [you may have] Changed the entire cast. We’ve added a few people but we have our main four so I think that shows you how much everyone enjoyed working on the show and working together again.
What’s next for you? Do you have something lined up or are you taking time off?
A little bit of both. I had some things I was working on earlier [WGA] There was a strike, so everything is on hold, hopefully we will sort it out. So for the time being, I am taking forced leave, which is still leave.
Do you keep in touch with the cast and crew?
Oh yes. I was talking to Lance yesterday, my props man, and I talked to Eric Christian Olsen this morning. A lot of us have friends outside the show. It is mandatory when you work with someone for 14 years. We will all be together. and there’s a good chance that we’ll work together [again], There are other projects that we are working on. And Hollywood is a small town at the end of the day.
Deeks’ line about “teamwork makes the dream work” sums up the show.
Yes, it has been a real family, in front of the camera as much as behind it. It’s bitter. We are all so grateful that we had this much time together, but it is hard to say goodbye to everyone.
The series finale of “NCIS: LA” airs Sunday, May 21 at 9 PM ET/PT on CBS, followed by a special “A Salute to NCIS: Los Angeles” Hosted by Kevin Frazier at 10 PM ET/PT But, it is done.
