If “NCIS” has Mark Harmon, “Hawaii Five-0” has Alex O’Loughlin. Both actors have been repeatedly rumored to leave their respective police procedural shows but the latter has had more definitive statements about it. So is he leaving the series after “Hawaii Five-0” season 9?
Recently, TVLine stirred the pot with a juicy blind item that can be linked to O’Loughlin’s possible exit after “Hawaii Five-0” season 9. The news source said there are rumblings that a long-running show from the “Big 5” TV networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, or The CW) will soon say goodbye to one of its original cast members after the current installment.
“Hawaii Five-0” season 9 fits the category of a long-running show and O’Loughlin is certainly an original cast member. The same blind item added more clues saying whoever the mystery star is has been playing a well-loved character. The leaving actor/actress has already informed his/her producers and showrunners.
On the other hand, it is hard to imagine the show without O’Loughlin after “Hawaii Five-0” season 9. For the past years, he has portrayed one of the lead characters that have practically been the foundation of the show.
It is also important to note that O’Loughlin had once discussed the possibility of leaving the CBS show. When he was interviewed by TVLine mid-way of season 7 in 2016, he reiterated his plan of not joining the show any longer. “I’m just trying to make it through the end of [Season] 7,” the actor added. But, obviously, something changed along the way as he is still the “main guy” in “Hawaii Five-0” season 9.
When the actor was once again asked by the same publication earlier this year, there had been an apparent change in his perspective. At the time, there was still a couple of months left before season 8 concluded but O’Loughlin had already been positively thinking about joining “Hawaii Five-0” season 9.
Considering O’Loughlin’s previous statements as well as the mentioned blind item, viewers should keenly observe clues that might be foreshadowing O’Loughlin’s exit if the blind item turns out to be about him. New episodes of “Hawaii Five-0” season 9 air every Friday at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.
