NCIS fans were left heartbroken after it was revealed in season 18 that Breena Palmer, the wife of Dr Jimmy Palmer, had died off-screen after contracting Covid-19
Fans of NCIS were left heartbroken after discovering that Breena Palmer, Dr Jimmy Palmer’s wife, had passed away off-screen, with her character being written out of the show in a deeply moving manner.
In the 18th season of the hit CBS series, the Covid-19 pandemic had largely passed, but it tragically took the life of Breena, portrayed by Michelle Pierce. First appearing in season 7, Breena quickly endeared herself to viewers with her warm heart and deep affection for her husband.
The news of Breena’s off-screen death due to Covid-19 complications, which left her spouse a widower, struck a chord with fans. The unexpected twist forced Dr Palmer to navigate his grief while upholding his duties at work.
However, the choice to have Breena die quietly rather than through an on-screen drama was deliberate. Brian Dietzen, who plays Jimmy, shared that the showrunners briefed him on Breena’s death in advance because they wanted to highlight the toll the pandemic had taken on the team, affecting both the characters and the audience.
The 47-year-old actor revealed that he was warned about the devastating storyline to help him “emotionally” prepare. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, he disclosed, “I had been told that this was going to happen, that Jimmy was going to lose his wife before I received this script.
“I got a chance to speak with the writer, a new writer for our staff Margaret Lester. I got an opportunity to talk with her quite a bit beforehand. The producers let me know that we want the advent of Covid to hit our team. And yet, we don’t want to lose a team member.
“So the prospect of having Jimmy lose his wife, the most optimistic team member lose someone, came to the table and they thought it would be a great storytelling mechanic – albeit very, very sad. So they went ahead with it. I was notified ahead of time and prepared for it, I suppose, emotionally.”
Breena’s untimely death on NCIS gave the show a way to explore the effects of the pandemic, mirroring the sorrow felt by countless individuals globally who weren’t able to be with their dying loved ones. The powerful scene in which Dr Palmer confessed that he couldn’t be with his beloved in her dying moments struck a chord with viewers, echoing the realities faced during the health crisis.
Later, the audience witnessed a touching moment in season 19, episode 13, when Breena made a heartfelt return, appearing as a vision to her husband Jimmy while he was in the grip of a life-threatening situation. In this harrowing episode, both Jimmy and Kasie Hines were exposed to a lethal biotoxin and while fighting to survive, Jimmy envisioned Breena offering him comfort and direction amidst his perilous ordeal.
In the vision, Breena comforted her spouse, urging him to continue battling, particularly for their daughter, Victoria. The character’s reappearance was a poignant moment for viewers and also provided a sense of closure, considering her death occurred off-screen.