Scott Bakula has a space in his calendar now that ‘NCIS: New Orleans’ has concluded. Is he going to appear on any of the other ‘NCIS’ shows?
NCIS: New Orleans came to an end after seven seasons. The conclusion of an era means that its stars are ready to move on to new endeavors. Scott Bakula may be renowned for a few memorable roles in the past, but could Special Agent Dwayne Pride appear in another NCIS franchise?
Scott Bakula was taken aback when ‘NCIS: New Orleans’ was canceled.
The NCIS franchise’s mothership has been on the air since 2003, but the Bakula-led New Orleans spin-off didn’t debut until 2014. Bakula played a version of the real-life agent of the same name for seven seasons, quickly becoming a fan favorite.
Season 7 introduced significant challenges due to the c0r0nav1rus pand3mic (C0V1D 19), including a delayed start, extreme health and safety measures, and the necessity to pivot with prior stories to adhere to the “new normal.”
With that came the announcement that the show would not be renewed for season 8 – something Bakula did not expect to happen at this time.
I didn’t think it was going to happen because it was the final season and we were in the thick of a pand3mic, he told TV Insider. I was surprised that the show was canceled.
Bakula expressed how much he’d miss working in New Orleans after the news had settled.
“It’s hard to leave,” he said. “We had the key to the city; everyone knew me, and I liked being able to pat every cop on the shoulder and say, ‘Hey, how you doing?'” I mean, the team, the city, the friendships, everything has been incredible. It’s hard for me to realize it’s been seven years.”
With this door firmly closed, may Bakula appear in future episodes of NCIS?
Could Bakula make another ‘NCIS’ appearance?
While it would be fantastic for fans to have Pride appear on NCIS or the upcoming NCIS: Hawai’i, no announcements have been made as of yet.
However, executive producer Christopher Silber told TV Insider that the notion should not be dismissed.
“I was fortunate to be a part of the NOLA and mothership crossovers the two times we did it.” “I know the shows enjoy it, the writers enjoy it, the actors enjoy it, and the audiences enjoy it,” he remarked.
Bakula and Mark Harmon, the guy behind NCIS, have collaborated on NOLA and NCIS’s backdoor pilot for the NOLA spin-off. Off-screen, the two have been friends for a long time, and Bakula has no upcoming projects.
“I’ve known Scott for years, and he’s worked with my wife (Pam Dawber), and we’ve known the same people and run into each other a bunch of times,” Harmon said to the Television Critics Association in 2014.
“I think getting an opportunity to play a role like this, and certainly coming off of a successful show like NCIS, is a fairly rare opportunity.”
Fans of Bakula’s previous work in Star Trek: Enterprise and Quantum Leap are expecting for a return, which Bakula has hinted at.
Another fan idea concerning Bakula and ‘NCIS’
In the framework of Bakula’s NOLA character, fans believe he could wind up on the mothership NCIS.
- r/NCIS Reddit write: “On NCIS, Gibbs has been suspended for several episodes after savagely att4cking an animal abuser. He’s effectively on leave till his contract expires. NCIS has been renewed for another season, with Mark Harmon returning for another. What if the underlying reason for the cancellation of NCIS: New Orleans is to move Dwayne Pride’s character to the original NCIS and write off Gibbs?”
The poster added to the notion by asking, “What if the real plan is to bring Pride to regular NCIS in order to extend the life of CBS’s number one show?”
While this notion has merit, it is not universally accepted.
“The character of Dwayne Pride is inextricably linked to the city of New Orleans.” I don’t think they’ll be able to come up with a good enough cause for him to go in just one episode. “I believe he will retire and enjoy married life with Rita while attempting to make up for lost time with his son,” another remarked.
Harmon’s departure from NCIS was recently addressed by Deadline, putting rumors to rest.
“With Mark, we take it year by year, and we’d love to have him for as long as he wants to be here,” CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl said. “He may have been light in a couple of [episodes] this season, so we’re happy to work around his schedule.”
Whether Bakula replaces Harmon, appears as a one-time guest star, or rides off into the NOLA sunset forever, fans will follow him wherever he goes.
Related News – Be sure to get some more news when it comes to NCIS.