Happy New Year, folks! There is so much TV to look forward to as we start the journey through yet another year. One of those will be the return of NCIS from its midseason break on Monday, January 27, 2025. The twenty-second season of NCIS premiered on October 14, 2024, bringing with it another slew of adventures for those who seek to uphold the law. Fan favorite character, NCIS Agent Nicholas “Nick” Torres, played by Wilmer Valderrama, also returned for yet another run and by the time the season’s mid-season finale, “Humbug,” rolled around, fans were soon discussing the identity of Torres’ currently unnamed romantic partner.
Speaking with TV Line, NCIS showrunner Steven D. Binder hinted at the identity of Torres’ secret partner. Clarifying to the outlet, the showrunner said, “We will meet this person this season, and it is someone we have met before.” In fact, “someone else in the squad room will be very annoyed” by Nick’s choice of romantic interest. Perhaps, an agent from a sister agency? Torres joined the long-running show in its fourteenth season, and given his high standing with the fanbase, it is unlikely that his choice of a partner will greatly offend the viewing public, as it is set to happen to a squad member.
‘NCIS’ Welcomes a “Dream Character”
When the show returns later this month, beyond the secrecy of Torres’ romance, fans can expect to see the unfurling of a blackmail plot aimed at Melina Kanakaredes’s new character, the owner of Alden Parker’s (Gary Cole) favorite bakery. Speaking earlier in the month, Binder revealed that Kanakaredes’ character is the show’s “dream character.” The showrunner also went on to explain that audiences will see more of her as the season continues to progress, while adding that Parker might have a “little crush” on the character, saying:
“She’s a ton of fun. Parker, I think, has a little crush on his baker. We’ll finally get to see Parker buy some pastries. We’ll see where some of them come from. I’ve always been of the mind that half of them come from some expat who owns a gas station and happens to sell these mother country pastries. But this one he actually is going to buy from a legit pastry shop. She’s going to, how do I put this? She might not be a good guy.”
The NCIS franchise, since its premiere over two decades ago, has continued to grow and expand, adding on new spin-offs as the years roll by. NCIS: Origins is one of its most recent additions, following the career of a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Austin Stowell) in 1991. The franchise is set to expand with yet another spin-off led by Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo as the eponymous duo of the upcoming NCIS: Tony & Ziva. The show will follow Tony and Ziva as they attempt to rekindle their relationship while raising their nearly teenage daughter, Tali, in Europe.
NCIS returns with new episodes on CBS from Monday, January 27, 2025. Catch up on Paramount+.