How Say Anything Influenced The Season 1 Finale Of NCIS: Hawaii - Exclusive
"NCIS: Hawaii" is the latest success story in the long-running "NCIS" franchise, which has been a television juggernaut since the flagship series launched in 2003. And while "Hawaii" is the fourth spin-off of "NCIS," it's the first to feature a female lead, with Vanessa Lachey starring as Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant, who oversees the NCIS field office at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Oahu.
Created by Jan Nash, Christopher Silber, and Matt Bosack — who also serve as writers and executive producers — "NCIS: Hawaii" sticks to the basic franchise formula of solving crimes related to the military and national security while taking the brand to the next level of inclusivity, not only with Lachey at the helm but also with the office romance between junior field agent Lucy Tara (Yasmine Al-Bustami) and FBI agent Kate Whistler (Tori Anderson).
In fact, in the Season 1 finale of "NCIS: Hawaii," the relationship between the two is finally solidified when Whistler makes a memorable "grand gesture" in front of everybody at a house party to once and for all prove her love to Lucy. According to Christopher Silber, who recently spoke exclusively to Looper ahead of the release of Season 1 on DVD, her bold move to sing a love song was rooted in the iconic boombox scene from the 1989 film "Say Anything."
Whistler putting herself out there was 'provocative and exciting'
In the Season 1 finale of "NCIS: Hawaii," Lucy and Whistler's relationship literally takes center stage when Whistler decides to step out of her comfort zone to show Lucy just what she means to her by singing "Make You Feel My Love" in front of everybody. It is the culmination of a whole season of "will they or won't they" courtship filled with ups and downs, and the blissful serenade wipes away any doubts that the two are meant for each other.
According to Silber, the idea for the scene was influenced by the writers' fondness for the famous "Say Anything" scene in which John Cusack blasts "In Your Eyes" outside of Ione Skye's bedroom window.
"As we were all talking in the writers' room about how we wanted to end the season and the finale — and end this ongoing arc — we realized Whistler, who was so buttoned up and hard to pin down, had to do something to prove that she had changed, considering how tumultuous their relationship had been," says Silber. "We were talking about romantic comedies and the kind of gestures that you see in them. 'Say Anything' is iconic ... though, perhaps, it would be a little creepy these days to have someone standing outside with a boombox in front of your window. But the idea of a song, of actually standing out there and doing it, was so provocative and exciting, we felt we had to lean into it."
The rest, as they say, is now "NCIS" history.
Season 1 of "NCIS: Hawaii" is now available on DVD from CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment. The six-disc collection features over 45 minutes of bonus content, including featurettes, deleted scenes, extended scenes, and a gag reel.