'NCIS: Los Angeles' Season 13: What We Know About the Next Season

NCIS: LA is coming to the end of another action-packed season, and while the showrunner has promised the finale won't "put the fans through any trauma," it's sure to set up Season 13 of the long-running series.

The next season has already been ordered, but the date of the first episode has yet to be released. It will also soon be joined by another member of the NCIS family of shows.

CBS said in a tweet at the end of April: "We have officially renewed @NCISLA and ordered #NCISHawaii for the 2021-22 broadcast season. Get ready!"

Fans were briefly concerned about the future of the City of Angels spin-off of the procedural. The show wasn't part of the mass renewal in early April, when the original NCIS, Blue Bloods, SWAT, Bull and Magnum PI all got additional seasons. However, it was then revealed by Deadline that NCIS: LA was missing from that group as contract negotiations were ongoing with lead actors LL Cool J and Chris O'Donnell.

The pair are set to be back for Season 13, with Renee Felice Smith, Barrett Foa, Eric Christian Olsen and Daniela Ruah also set to return.

There is still a question mark over whether Linda Hunt will be back full-time as Hetty, but there are signs the Oscar-winning actor will be more heavily involved in Season 13 after being absent for most of the current season.

NCIS: LA showrunner Scott Gemmill said to TV Line of her appearance in the approaching finale: "Linda had both her vaccines and came back, and she was so happy to be back. She had been gone for so long...she was thrilled to be back on set."

The release date for the first episode of NCIS: LA is expected to be in September 2021. The show is keeping its time slot on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT on CBS.

With NCIS: New Orleans canceled, it will be followed by two CBS shows that have moved night. First, the show will be followed by SEAL Team, whose first five episodes are airing on CBS before it moves to Paramount+. After that, NCIS: Los Angeles will share Sunday nights with S.W.A.T. The original NCIS Season 19 and the new NCIS: Hawaii will air on Mondays.

Caleb Castille, who became a series regular as Devin Roundtree in Season 12, was among the cast members who celebrated the renewal news. He tweeted, "LETS GO!!! Thanks to the best fans in the world !! We can't wait to bring you guys season 13!!"

The NCIS: Los Angeles Season 12 finale airs on Sunday, May 23, at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT on CBS. All episodes of the current season are streaming now on Paramount+.