'NCIS: New Orleans' to Shut down Production after Season 7 — What to Know about the Show's End

The "NCIS" franchise has announced the end of its New Orleans spinoff, which will conclude with the season 7 finale. The show's star, Scott Bakula, names what he'll miss the most about the city he's filmed in for the past seven years.

The season 7 finale of "NCIS: New Orleans," aka "NOLA," has now become the series finale, as CBS confirmed the end of the show. With 155 episodes that will have aired by 16 May, "NOLA" stands as the shortest of all three franchises.

Executive producers Christopher Silber and Jan Nash noted their disappointment over the news and took pride in the work they've achieved. They described New Orleans as an irrepressible city that accommodated them for over seven years.

The show currently stars Scott Bakula in the lead role, whose character leads a team played by supporting actors Vanessa Ferlito, Necar Zadegan, Charles Michael Davis, and Rob Kerkovich.

Bakula thanked CBS executives for the run he's enjoyed on the show and expressed his sadness over its end. He added he would miss New Orleans' culture of music, as he reflected on his feelings about the city, saying:

“Sad to end our love affair with this phenomenal city but so grateful for all the friends we made along the way.”

The news of "NOLA's" termination comes shortly after it was revealed that the 7th season episode order was shortened to just 16 episodes. This was as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, which required protocols that made filming costly.

Given the disappointment expressed by the executive producers, it has been speculated that there had been a desire to continue with the show for a much longer time but that the pandemic brought everything to a crashing end.

As fans sadly prepare to bid farewell to the old, CBS is reportedly finalizing deals to bring a new spinoff, "NCIS: Hawaii."

Meanwhile, questions have also been raised about the longevity of the original "NCIS," starring Mark Harmon as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Harmon's reportedly planned to exit the show when his contract ends at the close of season 18.

Harmon also wears an executive producer's hat, alongside Bakula, for the "NOLA" franchise. According to CBS president Kelly Kahl, fans of "NOLA" will be spared an abrupt series finale, as she said:

"We’re pleased to give it a big sendoff and that viewers will have the opportunity to say goodbye to their favorite characters as the final season wraps.”

CBS prides itself on the "NCIS" franchise, which in addition to the mothership show and "NOLA" includes "NCIS: Los Angeles." The original "NCIS" still maintains the highest viewership figures, averaging 9.6million viewers per episode.

The second longest-running of the 3 franchises is "NCIS: Los Angeles," currently in its 12th season. "NOLA" enjoyed lesser viewership figures than the others, with current averages of around a 7.06million viewers.

As fans sadly prepare to bid farewell to the old, CBS is reportedly finalizing deals to bring a new spinoff, "NCIS: Hawaii." The new installment will be produced by the current "NOLA" producers, Silber and Nash.

Meanwhile, another formidable CBS production, "CSI," is preparing for a comeback. "CSI: Vegas" is reportedly on the verge of being green-lit. It will be the 5th installment following the original "CSI," as well the Miami, New York, and Cyber franchises.