When NCISSeason 22 gets underway, the office and field will look much different. As showrunner Steve Binder described to Entertainment Weekly, a slight time jump and a “chain reaction” will result in a significant shift. Jessica will no longer be part of the team, having accepted the REACT chief job that takes her away to California. She has been on the West Coast for six months, and the rest of the team has made some moves. McGee vies for a deputy director position while Torres returns to doing undercover cases. This leaves Parker all on his own, and it is noticeable. “The team kind of separates, so picture Parker walking into the bullpen, and the kids aren’t home,” previewed Binder.
However, viewers will get to see Jessica through Parker. A case takes him out west, and he reunites with her. It will reveal how she feels, especially after leaving her boyfriend, Jimmy, behind. While things might have been made to look like they ended in Season 21, Jessica has not moved on. She wonders if she made a mistake taking the job and leaving him. And when she broaches the subject with Parker, it will be “under the worst circumstances possible,” according to Binder. Whether Jessica returns to MCRT or continues with REACT remains to be seen, but she will be a part of the story in the season.
More Cases, Romance and Mystery Form ‘NCIS’ Season 22
Unsurprisingly, the upcoming season will be filled with more thrilling cases and romance. Binder teased “fun and unusual” pairings that would be entertaining. The season will revisit a mystery from Season 21 and dive into Parker’s past to determine who Lily is. This is an excellent opportunity to explore his past while revealing what happened to Lily. Binder teased a sprawling mystery because he wasn’t sure whether “Parker knows who she is either.” “We don’t always remember the scars of our youth,” he said, teasing a blast from the past for the boss.
NCIS Season 22 recalls cast members Sean Murray as Timothy McGee, Gary Cole as Alden Parker, Katrina Law as Jessica Knight, Wilmer Valderrama as Nick Torres, Brian Dietzen as Jimmy Palmer, Diona Reasonover as Kasie Hines, and Rocky Carrol as Leone Vance. When the show returns this Fall, it’ll be accompanied by NCIS: Origins, a prequel focusing on former team member and leader Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) when he joined NIS.
Both shows premiere on the same night on CBS on October 14.