NCIS: New Orleans killed off LaSalle in Season 6 of the show and some fans are still not over it.
NCIS Agent Christopher LaSalle worked well with the rest of the team, and he was always the go-to person for team-leader Dwayne Pride (Scott Bakula).
The character was always good for some humorous moments, but LaSalle was someone that criminals never wanted to cross. He got the job done and he did so in a way that enamored him to many NCIS: NOLA viewers.
And that love affair between the character and the fans continued until Christopher LaSalle’s shocking death in Season 6.
Why did NCIS: New Orleans kill off LaSalle?
To put it succinctly, the character of LaSalle was killed off because the actor playing him wanted to leave the show.
Actor Lucas Black had enjoyed playing LaSalle through the first five seasons of NCIS: New Orleans, but he decided that he wanted to be able to spend more time with his family.
Filming close to 24 episodes each season for a hit television show can lead to some grueling hours. For the NCIS: NOLA cast, it also means a lot of time away from their families. Black decided that he no longer wanted to make that sacrifice.
Black spoke with the producers of the show and agreed to come back for Season 6 so that the character could be written out of the show properly. And, that’s where the story of LaSalle evolved into an investigation into the death of his brother that ended with a cult leader killing him.
The show did a great job at holding back the fact that LaSalle was going to get killed off and Black was equally adept at keeping that secret. It increased the level of shock that viewers experienced when the character died suddenly.
NCIS: New Orleans rolls on without LaSalle
Within the NCIS: New Orleans cast, actor Charles Michael Davis was brought on the show as Special Agent Quentin Carter. He took the job that LaSalle held on the team, but fans were not quick to accept the replacement.
There are still viewers of the show who are upset about the casting change, but it wasn’t like the show just wanted to get rid of Lucas Black. He made the admirable choice to walk away from a starring role and high-paying job on a hit TV show to be with his young family.
Who could blame him for that? And based on the video below, which comes from a YouTube channel that he is running, Black is enjoying the family life.
NCIS: New Orleans airs Sundays on CBS.