The popular CBS crime drama NCIS is bringing back a familiar face for its next episode. LL Cool J returns as Sam Hanna in the upcoming episode, which has fans excited about his character’s reunion with the team. The episode, titled “Reboot,” is scheduled to air next week and will feature a dangerous situation at the agency’s headquarters.
The power goes out at the NCIS building, and the team soon finds out there might be a killer inside with them. Parker (Gary Cole) and Palmer (Brian Dietzen) discover Sam Hanna in bad shape, but he is ready to help them solve the case. This marks his return to the series after his last appearance in Season 22.
Episode 17 Release Date And Time For Global Audiences
NCIS Season 23 Episode 17 will release on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. The episode airs at 8:00 PM Eastern Time (ET) and 7:00 PM Central Time (CT) on CBS in the United States. For viewers on the West Coast, it airs at 8:00 PM Pacific Time (PT) as well.
For international audiences, here is when you can watch:
- United Kingdom: Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at around 1:00 AM GMT (next day)
- Canada: Tuesday, April 21, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET on CBS or Global TV
- Australia: Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at around 11:00 AM AEDT on Paramount+ Australia
- India: Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at around 5:30 AM IST
The episode will be available for streaming on Paramount+ after the broadcast ends. Paramount+ Premium subscribers can watch the episode live as it airs on CBS. Paramount+ Essential subscribers can stream it the next day, on April 22.
What Happens In NCIS Season 23 Episode 17 Reboot
The episode is called “Reboot” and has a very tense setup. The power at the NCIS headquarters suddenly shuts down. The team realizes that someone inside the building is trying to harm them. Sam Hanna appears at the scene, looking hurt. He tells the team, “I guess I should’ve called, huh,” suggesting he got into trouble before arriving.
“Seeing your team, working shoulder to shoulder with them, reminded me how much I missed it.” – Sam Hanna (LL Cool J)
Sam Hanna was last seen in NCIS Season 22, where he had left the agency and was working on Capitol Hill. By the end of that episode, he quit his new job. Director Vance (Rocky Carroll) told him there would always be a place for him at NCIS. Sam mentioned he had some personal things to take care of first, which involved Henrietta “Hetty” Lange, the former boss from NCIS: Los Angeles.
Where To Stream NCIS Season 23 Episode 17 Online
Viewers have multiple options to watch NCIS Season 23 Episode 17. The episode airs first on CBS on Tuesday night. After that, it moves to Paramount+ for streaming.
Here are the streaming details:
- Paramount+ Premium: Watch live when the episode airs on CBS, or watch on-demand anytime
- Paramount+ Essential: Stream the episode on April 22, one day after the TV broadcast
- Paramount+ prices: Start at $8.99 per month for the Essential plan
The episode is also available on CBS through cable and satellite providers. Some on-demand services like Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and FuboTV that carry CBS will also show the episode live.
LL Cool J Returns As Sam Hanna
LL Cool J first played Sam Hanna on NCIS: Los Angeles for 14 seasons. After that show ended, he appeared on NCIS: Hawai’i during its final season. He also made a guest appearance on the main NCIS series in Season 22. His return in Episode 17 marks his second appearance on the original show.
The character of Sam Hanna is a former Navy SEAL and a highly skilled agent. His friendship with G. Callen was a major part of NCIS: Los Angeles. Now, fans will see him work with the new team led by Parker.
Executive Producer Steven D. Binder had earlier teased that a “larger character” would appear in the second half of Season 23. He described this character as someone between a guest star and the level of Emily Wickersham’s character Ellie Bishop. That character is Sam Hanna.
What To Expect From The Rest Of Season 23
NCIS Season 23 has 21 episodes in total. Episode 17 airs on April 21, followed by Episode 18 on April 28. The season continues with new episodes every Tuesday night.
Brian Dietzen, who plays Jimmy Palmer, shared some details about Episodes 17 and 18. He said they are a two-part story. Episode 17 focuses on Jimmy’s personal life and the challenges he gives himself. Episode 18 focuses on Kasie Hines (Diona Reasonover) and her personal growth.
“Episodes 17 and 18 are a two-parter, and 17 really focuses a lot on Jimmy, the struggles that he’s going through, and some really big wins that he’s achieving as well.” – Brian Dietzen
The show also recently saw the return of Rocky Carroll as a director. He directed Episode 16 titled “S.O.S.,” which aired on April 14, 2026. He has now directed 29 episodes of NCIS since leaving the cast in Season 18 when his character Leon Vance died.
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Previous Episode Recap And Story Continuation
Episode 16 of Season 23, which aired on April 14, focused on the team investigating a Navy lieutenant who went missing from a plane crash one year earlier. The team discovered the crash was not an accident but a planned murder. That episode set up some of the tension that continues into Episode 17.
The midseason premiere of Season 23 happened on March 3, 2026. That episode saw the return of Ellie Bishop (Emily Wickersham), who is now a fugitive. Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) had an emotional reunion with her. The show has been building several storylines, including Parker’s grief over his father’s death and Knight’s new role with NCIS Elite.
NCIS remains one of the most-watched drama series on television. The show celebrated its 500th episode earlier this season. With LL Cool J’s return and the promise of more character-focused stories, Season 23 continues to draw loyal viewers.
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