NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles forced to shut down production

NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles have been forced to pause the production of new episodes.

Currently, NCIS is in the midst of Season 19, while NCIS: LA is in Season 13.

News has come out that cast members tied to each show have tested positive for COVID-19, forcing everything to shut down for a bit.

At this time, it doesn’t appear like it will impact the total number of episodes that the shows air this season, but it’s a situation to pay close attention to over the next few weeks.

How long are NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles shut down?

For NCIS: Los Angeles, Deadline is reporting that the show has pushed back the production of new episodes until February. The NCIS spin-off was already on a break and has decided to extend that break out of an abundance of caution.

As previously reported by Monsters & Critics, it was LL COOL J from the NCIS: LA cast who had a positive test. It even forced him to cancel a New Year’s Eve performance this year.

Regarding NCIS, Deadline also reported that production was paused “after a positive test in Zone A, which includes the cast and those interacting with them.”

The report went on to state that it is believed to be a cast member who tested positive, but it was not revealed who that might have been from the NCIS cast.

As a result of that positive test, production has been halted, with an unclear date for which they will resume filming. It had recently been reported that filming for the big NCIS and NCIS: Hawai’i was about to begin, so we will have to see if that gets impacted since it is a separate location for filming NCIS: Hawai’i episodes.

A look ahead at NCIS Season 19

In addition to the big crossover that is coming up soon, some NCIS spoilers revealed that a character from the past is returning to the show. That’s big news, especially since it will be on an episode that Brian Dietzen wrote (he plays Dr. Jimmy Palmer).

The show has had a different feel to it since Mark Harmon’s exit, but the tie-in to Gibbs during the last new episode of NCIS was definitely a treat. Hopefully, the producers can still find a way for the character to return again before Season 19 closes out for the summer.

And on the NCIS: Los Angeles cast, fans are still hoping that Hetty Lange (played by actress Linda Hunt) will eventually make a triumphant return to the show. Having Admiral Kilbride (Gerald McRaney) in charge for a while has been fine, but, again, it is a huge change from when Hetty was running the show.

NCIS: Los Angeles airs Sundays at 9/8c and NCIS airs Mondays at 9/8c on CBS.

All episodes of NCIS are now streaming on Paramount+. Try it FREE!

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