NCIS: Los Angeles is going strong as one of the longest-running shows on CBS, and now the network has guaranteed that it will continue running for at least one more season. CBS has officially renewed NCIS: LA for Season 14 before Season 13 has even come to an end, and there is no indication that fans should expect any of the stars to depart. In fact, two of those stars have another show on the way to CBS in the not-too-distant future, although LL Cool J and Chris O'Donnell's upcoming project – called Come Dance With Me – isn't exactly action-packed like NCIS: LA. But they're certainly enthusiastic about it!
First things first: NCIS: Los Angeles is guaranteed a return for Season 14 despite rumors earlier in Season 13 that it could end by the close of the 2021-2022 TV season. Now, fans can go into the May 22 finale (and 300th episode on May 8) without worrying about its future. It's still doing well in the ratings, and averages 7.27 million viewers in its time slot at 10 p.m. ET on Sundays. That puts it behind both NCIS and NCIS: Hawai'i, but certainly is nothing shabby for a show heading into Season 14!
And the popularity could mean that LL Cool J and Chris O'Donnell's Come Dance With Me will get an extra boost because of the NCIS: LA fans, although neither star will actually appear in front of the camera on the upcoming dance competition show. Announced back in September 2020, Come Dance With Me will be a family dance extravaganza that partners talented young dancers with a family member who isn't exactly trained in the art of dance themselves.
The NCIS: LA stars are serving as creators and executive producers on the project, and they spoke with CinemaBlend and other outlets at CBS' 2022 Spring Press Day to explain why people should tune in. Chris O'Donell credited NCIS: LA creator and former showrunner Shane Brennan with giving the tools to fuel a successful show, even if Come Dance With Me will be a very different kind of series:
I remember the first thing that our showrunner Shane Brennan ever talked to us about is that you have to get the audience to fall in love with the characters. And if they do, they'll go with it. Because you're not going to be able to crank out an amazing storyline every single episode. But not only are we going to have hopefully the audience fall in love with our judges and our hosts, but with all of these couples that we're bringing in. And that's really – that's the magic. If you can get people to care and to want to know where this is going, that's how you make a successful show in my opinion.
The stars on Come Dance With Me won't be scripted like characters in the NCIS franchise, but that doesn't mean viewers won't fall in love with the people on the competition show. The series recruited dancer and The Rookie actress Jenna Dewan, hip hop choreographer Tricia Miranda, and pro celebrity dancer Dexter Mayfield as judges. Philip Lawrence, who is a Grammy-winning songwriter, will host. Throw in what are bound to be some endearing pairs of dancers and family members, and it already sounds like there's a lot to love. Even if there will be fewer shootouts, spies, and explosions than NCIS: LA!
For his part, LL Cool J echoed the comments of his NCIS: LA co-star and Come Dance With Me co-creator about what they learned from Shane Brennan, saying that he thinks Chris O'Donnell "pretty much summed it up properly." LL Cool J went on to elaborate on his own perspective, saying:
I would say that I think that with every particular piece of art that you create, whether it's a show or song, a movie or film, there's no real cure-all or panacea for everyone. It's not really a prescriptive thing. You have to take each thing individually. I would say in this particular case, I think the way the chemistry of the judges, the style and class that Philip brings, and these families connecting on a true, authentic level like Chris said – I think that gives us a real shot. Like we said, there's no guarantees. We're not moving into this trying to be arrogant. Nobody's saying, oh, this is guaranteed to be. But I do believe in what we're doing and believe in the product and believe we have a great cast and a great opportunity. And I think that the love that those parents and those children share, that's real. And people that are at home all over the world will be able to feel that love, and it will mirror the love that they have for their children. And I think that that's a connective point, a node that will be able to connect.
The kids and their parent partners will be dancing for a grand prize of $100,000, and it should be interesting to see if LL Cool J is right and viewers from home will be able to feel the love through the screen. Dance competition shows definitely have a demographic, based on the number of seasons of ABC's Dancing with the Stars, and other networks have experimented in the genre as well.
NBC's World of Dance – which was originally hosted by Jenna Dewan before she departed ahead of Season 3 – wasn't as successful, as it ended after just four seasons despite standing out. Fox had a good thing going with So You Think You Can Dance for 16 seasons until 2019, after which pandemic production complications delayed Season 17 until later this year. The wait is nearly over to get at look at Come Dance With Me!
Come Dance With Me premieres on Friday, April 15 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, and will be available streaming afterward with a Paramount+ subscription. NCIS: LA will continue airing new episodes of Season 13 on Sunday nights in the 2022 TV schedule, and Season 14 is officially on the way.
