Like many shows, NCIS: New Orleans had to abruptly cut its most recent season short after production ended in early March due to coronavirus, but fans of the youngest show of the NCIS franchise got good news in early May when CBS announced NCIS: New Orleans has been renewed for the 2020-21 season.
While there’s no word on exact timing for a return yet, CBS’ confirmation that NCIS: New Orleans will continue into Season 7 means we’ll see Pride (Scott Bakula), Sebastian (Rob Kerkovich), Gregorio (Vanessa Ferlito) and the rest of the gang in The Big Easy sometime in the near future. What will Season 7 have in store for the crew? TV Guide spoke with executive producer Christopher Silber back in April — just weeks after COVID-19 put an indefinite pause on production — to get an idea of what the NCIS: New Orleans team is thinking of next. Here’s everything we know so far.
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Thinking Pride might reunite with his ex? Don’t hold your breath.
Pride and his ex-wife Linda (Paige Turco) found an amicable middle ground in the last episode of the season when he was able to acknowledge Linda’s hurt over their marriage. Though they were able to be civil, and even on good terms, it would be unwise to assume they’re taking the reconciliation to the next level. “I don’t want to throw cold water on anything,” Silber said, adding that while it’s important to tell stories about adults and their relationships, “This was less about romance but finding a new normal in their relationship.” They’ve both moved on.
Scott Bakula, NCIS: New Orleans
Theories about The Man in the Red Suit being Pride’s father may never be fully confirmed.
One major storyline in Season 6 that kept fans intrigued appeared in Episode 14 (“The Man in the Red Suit”) where Pride took a journey into his past via some LSD therapy. During treatment, he came to realize his father beat a man, “Red,” to death because of an affair with Pride’s mom, and there are theories that Red might actually be Pride’s father instead of Cassius Pride (Stacy Keach). Silber said that as far as paternity goes, what you see is what you get.
“I don’t know if complicating [Pride’s] paternity any more serves the character. I still think he has a satisfyingly complicated relationship with his father. For me, that is the most satisfying way for Red to live in this story. Cassius is a bad father, and the gift that keeps on giving.”
We can expect to see more of Pride’s mom
As part of Pride’s exploration of self in Season 6 we got to see more of Mena (Joanna Cassidy) his mom; from the sounds of it, we haven’t seen the last of her. “We so enjoy working with [Cassidy] and we enjoy diving into that. There’s more territory to explore there.”
Special agent Quentin Carter’s story deepens.
New kid on the block Carter (Charles Michael Davis) has had a somewhat rocky path at being fully integrated into the NCIS: New Orleans team this season, but as we saw in the last episode, the ice may be thawing on his end and for his colleagues.
“It’s important for the character that he integrate into the group,” said Silber. “I think you will see him warming up.” Silber said Carter will remain somewhat guarded but gradually peel open parts of himself as we get to know him and his background, including a wealthy military family that he’s not in close contact with. “How does a guy with such a tight-knit family go off and be so reluctant to make ties? That’s the territory we’re excited to learn more about.”
We’ll see Gregorio open up more too.
“We’ll start to get a sense of Gregorio’s vulnerability,” executive producer Jan Nash said. As Pride’s second in command and the toughest person in the bunch, Gregorio has an armor about her she keeps up, but that may change in Season 7. “That seems obvious for us to push at, and see where this attitude comes from, to crack that open.”
Scott Bakula and Vanessa Ferlito, NCIS: New Orleans
NCIS: New Orleans concluded Season 6 on April 20. All episodes are streaming on CBS All Access.
