It gave me a lot of juicy stuff to do, he continues. You will receive a verification email shortly. If you think whoever was following Sasha was a good Samaritan who called the cops on her for throwing her phone out of the window, thus landing her back in the government's clutches, that could have happened. Weve shot him. Seeing Chelsea stand at the end of the garden in her red dress misted me up. Ask Matt: 'Big Sky' Shocker, Big 'Millionaire' Win, Pandemic (and No Pandemic) TV & More. Its not fixable in 40 minutes., The actress says it was important to explore Lorettas vulnerability when faced with such insurmountable tragedy. News of the cancellation came while shooting Episode 13 in February. gads_event = event; Tell me that didn't just happen! And landing at the center of the CBS dramas take on the crisis will, fittingly, be Jefferson Parish coroner Dr. Loretta Wade. We had set Carter up as being a character who did not put down roots. But in a 2018 interview with AARP, Pounder revealed she had reservations about taking on the role of Loretta in the beginning. This year we hardly drew our weapons. and Loretta Wade was the one having the most . "From the start, 'NCIS: New Orleans' was able to distinguish itself with its New Orleans authenticity," he declared (via Newsweek). Netflix in June: 10 shows to watch for, including 'Sweet Tooth,' 'Lupin,' and a Kevin Hart movie. Nash: Obviously CCH is such an amazing actress and such an amazing presence that we just felt like the things that we wanted to talk about were stories that could very much be told through her character. Talk about a news "flash" for all of us viewers! Well hello! Status: In last months premiere, she even lost a colleague. It reflects on the first part of the [pandemic] situation with masks and people saying, No, Im fine! The coronavirus is raging in the Big Easy, and no one on the team has been impacted more than Dr. Loretta. It really depends on whether you're a pessimist or an optimist, I guess. Pride only recently learned they have a son. . Pride tells Rita the newsand they realize they're suddenly newlywedsand parents. "I think this is one of the things we tend to assume about strength particularly about women of color. Greys Anatomy Alum Isaiah Washington Retires from Acting, Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan Star, Dies at 61, Chris Rock Live on Netflix, No Salvation on Last of Us, A World Without Bart Simpson, Kids Choice Awards, Rachael Ray Ending After 17 Seasons: Its Time for Me to Move On, Enver Gjokaj Returns as Captain Milius on NCIS: Hawaii, Copyright 2023 NTVB Media, Inc., All Rights Reserved, Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence. Here's why they kept Sasha's final moments so vague: In our minds, fans get to decide or debate how Sashas story ends - or if it ends. And as the photo below from the next episode, April 4s Once Upon a Time, drinks did mean drinks. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { }); In Let It Ride, Loretta joins NCIS in a successful sting operation to bring down Garcia. By connecting with Rita and finally finding some grounding there and spending more time with his mother and then introducing the son character, we really gave him a full spectrum. Yikes. Sins of the Father (NCIS: New Orleans episode). I cannot imagine that that wouldnt happen.. The Real Reason NCIS: New Orleans Was Cancelled. Loretta's journey on "NCIS: New Orleans" was a remarkable one, and it's hard to imagine an alternate reality where Pounder may have turned down the chance to play such a wonderfully complex character. Gregorio and Carter almost got barbecued!" I just didn't think that CBS could sustain yet another 'NCIS,'" she said. Which Are the Largest Current Shared Universes in Primetime TV? Fans worry they 'almost got barbecued'. CinemaBlend reached out to NCIS: New Orleans showrunner and executive producer Christopher Silber and fellow executive producer Jan Nash, who answered a few of my big finale questions via email. Thank you for signing up to CinemaBlend. "NCIS" stans were dealt a major blow when "NCIS: New Orleans" wrapped for good in May after seven long seasons. Wade plays a vital role in helping the NCIS: New Orleans team by examining bodies. (An April 4 flashback revealed their relationship during his separation from his first wife, at a time when Sasha was innocent of any wrongdoing.) Would this potential romance have been drawn out otherwise? We are happy for all crossovers. Or does the ship have a medical facility cause wow that would be cool" Here's hoping they jumped off the ship or whatever it is, with the ever so dashing Pride zooming right in time to save them on lifeboats or something like the absolute godsend he is! Loretta tells him that because he couldn't save Red, he is out in the world trying to save everybody else and that makes him the genuine gem of a person he is today. More: What to know about HBO Max's 'Sex and the City' sequel, as Sara Ramirez joins cast in nonbinary role, More: Watch the 'Friends' cast get emotional in first official trailer for upcoming HBO Max reunion. The wedding is a celebratory gathering, with Rita wearing jewelryMena gave her, Connor playing his guitar and the NCIS team passing a handkerchief during a crying montage. (One of the stars favorite memories: Being in the middle of the Mississippi River, captaining a tugboat!) The team also faced tragedy, like losing fan favorite agent Christopher Lasalle (Lucas Black), tragically killed in Season 6. If we had more lead time or if we thought we were going to keep going, maybe it would have been grander, but I think it was appropriate to the show for sure. "I'll be honest. As the finaleopens, Pride and his team are trying to find the assailants as plans for the next day's wedding proceed. There was a problem. Its hard to leave. The fall finale for the New Orleans-based spinoff was action-packed, to say the least. You're so accustomed to the stalwart, the stoic. "I will miss the music. I asked executive producers Christopher Silber and Jan Nash about ending Pride's story in this way, and here was the answer: It was important to both Jan and myself that we end on a high note. When NCIS: New Orleans returns for its seventh season Sunday night, it will be going down the avenue of art imitating life, according to series star CCH Pounder (Dr. Loretta Wade), as we watch New . The onscreen ceremony is officiated by Pride's bestie, Coroner Loretta Wade . And the family grew by one more by way of Drew Scheid's Connor Davenport, who was recently revealed to be Pride and Sasha's son. },false) By The CBS procedural drama saw Dwayne Pride (Scott Bakula) fight against the clock and submit to a terrorist's bidding after they kidnapped Loretta (CCH Pounder) and his father, Cassius Pride (Stacy Keach). 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," he continued. Launch Gallery, Pounder says the storytelling, set in the early days of COVID, is remarkably reflective of how New Orleans was in terrible shape, until our mayor [LaToya Cantrell], with the help of her governor [John Bel Edwards], really put her foot down and was very, very strict. Whoa! It's the culmination of a series of happy events for other characters in the final episodes: Loretta persuadesthe city to take up an important health care reform proposal; Special Agent Tammy Gregorio (Vanessa Ferlito) movesin with her girlfriend; and another agent, Quentin Carter (Charles Michael Davis), passesup a promotion in Japan to pursue a budding relationship with colleague Hannah Khoury (Necar Zadegan). When she starts to crack, it makes you frightened.. At the end of the series, the teams all staying put professionally. }); "King," a native of New Orleans who is driven by his need to do what is right. Since "NCIS: New Orleans" is a procedural, she was initially concerned Loretta would never become a fully realized character, which made her hesitant about signing on to the series. After all, we're going to see the return of Christopher Meyer as Loretta Wade's son! Shes not Superwoman. hitType: 'event', And then it was, Were packing up and shutting down for the rest of the season. (In fact, Michael Weatherlys Tony DiNozzo had a history of staying at different police departments for about two years before he settled at the agency on NCIS.). More: Is your favorite network TV series canceled, renewed or on the bubble? Sins of the Father (NCIS: New Orleans episode). We are one of the worlds fastest growing How'd La, Will Young Sheldon Follow Big Bang's Lead With New Baby? But yeah, I think Loretta will most likely stick her neck out [with an opinion]. Happy TV endings aren't exactly rare, but they're a bit harder to find in this day and age, and NCIS: New Orleans hasn't exactly avoided dark . "She's not Superwoman," Pounder said of Loretta. He was a great example for us in that when the show started, he was the lab rat. eventAction: 'click_ads' August 7 2020, 11:52 AM PDT. If you like TVLine, you'll LOVE our email news alerts! ), After he suggested they grab a drink, just the two of them, she asked, What will we do at this drink that we wouldnt do at Prides bar?. Plus, EP, March Streaming Guide: What's New on Netflix, Amazon, Disney+. Which Are the Largest Current Shared Universes in Primetime TV? NCIS: New Orleans Vet CCH Pounder Has Landed First TV Role After CBS Cancellation By Adrienne Jones published 28 June 2021 Today's best Paramount+ deals 1 month - Limited Commercials $4.99. In an impressive display of multitasking, Pride persuades his closest friend, Dr. Loretta Wade (the great CCH Pounder), to officiate the wedding before he ends up on a rooftop and street chase in pursuit of one of Connor's attackers. They had their masks on. Silber: For all of our characters, we wanted to see them grow and change and evolve certainly with the team as their family, but also in finding their home and finding their roots in New Orleans. }); Filming on the streets of New Orleans became a very different proposition this season. They will continue even if we dont get to see them on their adventures. "Sad to end our love affair with this phenomenal city but so grateful for all the friends we made along the way," Bakula said (via Deadline). So its quite a shock to her that she wasnt listened to, or that it wasnt that important to this person. Marianna Massey/Getty Images. ga('ads.send', { His mom doesnt, but, Silber warns, Sasha is unpredictable up until her last moment onscreen., In some ways, the onscreen wedding mirrors Bakula and Fields 2009 ceremony, which also happened without much time to plan. One of the primary reasons she was uncertain about joining "NCIS: New Orleans" is because she thought CBS may have hit its "NCIS" spinoff quota. They arrive at the ship to find a secret room filled with three very likely Covid-positive crew members. When a string of Christmas burglaries turns deadly, the evidence leads the NCIS team to Wade's adopted son, Danny (Christopher Meyer). Published Feb 18, 2021 at 7:40 am | Updated Feb 18, 2021 at 11:56 am. What do you think of the NCIS franchises new couple? And the murder on board was to keep these positive cases a secret so the ship could dock in New Orleans without having to quarantine. Also, Lasalle and Brody tease Sonja about the high stakes of drawing Pride in the team's Secret Santa exchange. Was that always the plan for the end of Season 7 or did anything change after you learned you werent coming back? Do you think they could make it work or might him staying weigh on them a bit? Christopher Silber: We wouldve probably ended with a bit of a cliffhanger or at least an open-ended idea that there is more trouble to come for our characters. The coronavirus is raging in the Big Easy, and no one on the team has been impacted more than Dr. Loretta Wade (CCH Pounder, above). CJ Malloy is the younger brother of Danny Malloy and the adoptive son of Loretta Wade as well as the biological son of Bull Costigan and an unnamed son and the former foster son of murdered Navy Petty Officer Maggie Berginer . [The character of] Pride was bighearted, open, available, susceptible to being misled, making mistakes and going too far, going the extra mile, tracking people down. Im not having any child of mine in a picket line to get thrown down or shot at, Pounder says of her characters reaction. Did you ever stop to think there may have been no reason for me to stay? Carter asked of his past posts. Special Agent Dwayne Pride (Scott Bakula) marries Rita Devereaux (Chelsea Field), with Dr. Loretta Wade (CCH Pounder) officiating. It just didnt work out for him, but Im sure in the future he will find the right woman. Its fun. "It has been our sincere pleasure and honor to work on this show and with this incredible cast and crew for over 150 episodes.