Spoilers for Episode 4 of NCIS: New Orleans Season 6 are discussed below.
Barring a huge plot twist, it sounds like Clayne Crawford will not be returning to NCIS: New Orleans. Fans of the crime drama and the actor will recall that he played the role of Christopher LaSalle’s older brother, Cade. Well, a dark twist has indicated that Crawford’s Cade is out of commission for a return. What happened?
The latest episode of NCIS: New Orleans gave every indication that the series had killed off Cade in an off-screen storyline, the ramifications of which played out in “Overlooked.” After Cade went missing trying to help his girlfriend’s drug-dealing son, his brother, Christopher, began investigating. LaSalle’s investigation and the work of cadaver dogs ultimately led to the discovery of a badly burned body.
If you were still holding out hope for a red herring, NCIS: New Orleans soon sealed Cade’s fate. Using dental records, Loretta confirmed that the body was Cade’s. Thus, ruling out a potential return run for Clayne Crawford as his character. It does set up the storyline that was previously teased storyline for NCIS: New York’s Eddie Cahill.
It has been a while since NCIS: New Orleans fans had seen Clayne Crawford’s Cade. With the show now in its sixth season, it has been roughly five since viewers last saw him. Cade’s death and the ensuing murder investigation is set to spark a new storyline for LaSalle.
As for Clayne Crawford, it is likely a closed door for the actor. That is unless NCIS: New Orleans shows what happened to Cade. That would pave the way for Crawford to bring his character’s storyline to a close in a brief arc.
If that were going to be the case, you would think that NCIS: New Orleans would have had Clayne Crawford appear in last night’s episode that revealed his character’s death. Whether Crawford returns or not, his character’s impact will continue to be felt.
Christopher LaSalle is going to be working on getting justice for his brother as NCIS: New Orleans continues. So, it also makes sense to save a potential Clayne Crawford return for a wrap-up episode that explains Cade’s death. Having that kind of a callback would certainly not hurt the ratings.
As for Clayne Crawford, the actor has remained busy since his original run on NCIS: New Orleans in Season 1. He starred in the Fox series, Lethal Weapon, for two seasons. After his sudden departure from the action series in Season 2, the show dealt with the exit of his character, Martin Riggs, the following season. From there, Crawford booked his TV return.
Clayne Crawford can be seen in an episode of Hulu’s episodic horror anthology series, Into the Dark. New episodes of NCIS: New Orleans air Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS. The crime procedural’s return is part of this fall’s premieres.
