NCIS: Los Angeles will shed further light on Special Agent Sam Hanna’s murky past in a Season 3 episode that will tap into portrayer LL Cool J’s musical background.
“It is a very, very powerful episode, one that reveals something about [LL’s] character,” executive producer Shane Brennan tells TVLine. “LL Cool J is excited about it, and he is going to be involved in the music for that episode. So that is something to look forward to.”
Brennan originally eyed the Sam-centric hour for Season 2, but kept it in the drawing board. Instead, he expects it to be among “the first three or four episodes” of the CBS hit’s third season.
The show boss did not elaborate on LL Cool J’s involvement in the music — will the Grammy-winning recording artist handpick the songs that are used to score scenes, or will he himself contribute tunes? (“Hanna Said Knock You Out,” anyone?) But when I spoke to LL prior to the NCIS spin-off’s launch, he laughed off the idea that he would ever rap as Sam. “No, no, no…,” he deferred. “I’m going to allow this to be a new chapter in my life.”
As previously scooped, another NCIS: LA agent getting a blast of backstory during the coming cycle will be Daniela Ruah’s Kensi Blye. “Next season we’ll focus on … the why and where of Kensi,” Brennan told me, hinting that the spilled secrets will rattle the “thing” she has simmering with Deeks. “When you reveal something about one character that the other doesn’t know, it puts pressure on the partnership,” Brennan explains. “It makes them ask questions.”