NCIS: New Orleans Is Having Troubling Issues Behind The Scenes

ncis new orleans season 4
(Image credit: Image courtesy of CBS)

Showbiz has been rocked in the latter half of 2017 with accusations of misconduct and harassment on the sets of movies and television shows alike. The result has been the ousting of a number of high-profile folks in the entertainment biz, ranging from big-name stars to showrunners. Now, we know that there have been some issues behind the scenes at CBS' NCIS: New Orleans, as showrunner Brad Kern has been investigated by Human Resources on two separate occasions for misconduct, and all eyes may now be on them.

The two investigations into Kern stemmed from complaints by co-workers on set of a hostile work environment. After the second investigation was concluded, Kern reportedly was told to undergo six months of sensitivity training and counseling, which Deadline reports that he completed back in February. No further official complaints have been filed against him, but it's no surprise that news of the first two instances broke in the wake of all the other misconduct allegations in the showbiz sphere lately.

In a recent statement, CBS says that they took the allegations against Brad Kern very seriously when they first came to light in 2016 and the complaints were acted upon right away. That said, CBS also stated that they were not able to corroborate all of the allegations leveled at Kern, but the folks at the network deliberately took the steps to address the management style that clearly upset other employees. Kern has a reputation for occasionally abrasive behavior on his projects, and his actions may have led to at least one member of his staff choosing to leave.

The NCIS franchise is a big deal for CBS, with three different shows going pretty strong in primetime. Original recipe NCIS seems the be the show that just keeps on going even despite major shakeups, and NCIS: Los Angeles recently celebrated the milestone of airing its 200th episode. New Orleans is the youngest of the three series, but it has carved out a niche for itself in the CBS lineup. We can only wait and see if more issues surrounding Bran Kern at NCIS: New Orleans arise moving forward.

The Season 4 midseason finale of NCIS: New Orleans has already aired, and the show will be off the air for a few weeks. Luckily, you don't have to wait too long into the new year for the show to be back. The NCIS: New Orleans midseason premiere will air on Tuesday, January 2 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

For your other midseason options, take a look at our 2018 midseason TV premiere guide. If streaming is more your style, our 2017 Netflix guide and 2018 Netflix premiere schedule can help you narrow down your options. Be sure to stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in TV and movie news.

Laura Hurley
Senior Content Producer

Laura turned a lifelong love of television into a valid reason to write and think about TV on a daily basis. She's not a doctor, lawyer, or detective, but watches a lot of them in primetime. CinemaBlend's resident expert and interviewer for One Chicago, the galaxy far, far away, and a variety of other primetime television. Will not time travel and can cite multiple TV shows to explain why. She does, however, want to believe that she can sneak references to The X-Files into daily conversation (and author bios).