How the ‘NCIS’ Team (Especially Palmer) Is Coping After Knight’s Departure!!!!!

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Your NCIS security clearance has just been upgraded! Executive producer Steven D. Binder has given us a sneak peek at the case file for NCIS Season 22, and it’s filled with intense action, raw emotion, and a close call with global catastrophe.

Read it fast before it gets redacted! (Note: This interview has been edited for length, clarity, and government censorship.)

What’s the status of Special Agent Jessica Knight (Katrina Law) and Chief Medical Examiner Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen) after he ended their relationship in the Season 21 finale, following her job offer in California?

Steven D. Binder: It’s been months since the breakup, and Knight is now on the West Coast as the chief REACT training officer. They’ve adjusted to life apart, with Jimmy moving on and even dating, which we’ll see surface at the most inconvenient time. In the premiere, Knight finds herself in a dangerous situation involving her skills as a hostage negotiator. Unfortunately, she makes a crucial mistake, which sets up a chance for her and Jimmy to finally have the second part of the conversation we didn’t see in the finale. The third part of that conversation will take place in Episode 4, during an international crisis.

Wait—World War III?!

Binder: Well, NCIS is responsible for handling something small, but it has the potential to spiral into something huge. The team has 42 minutes to stop it in a near real-time episode. At the same time, Jimmy and Knight will confront their feelings, discussing what their relationship is, what it could be, and what it won’t be. There’s a lot at stake on both professional and personal fronts. But don’t worry—the world won’t end, and we’ll have forensic scientist Kasie (Diona Reasonover) to thank for that.

Did Brian Dietzen and Katrina Law have input on their characters’ relationship?

Binder: Absolutely. Actors care deeply about their characters, and both Brian and Katrina had strong opinions on where they saw things going. I checked in with both of them, and they had very different takes on how their characters would react. It was pure gold from a writing perspective, and if fans don’t like the direction, I can just blame them! [Laughs]

How are Jimmy and Knight coping emotionally?

Binder: They’re handling it the way emotionally mature adults would. That doesn’t mean they’re not confused or hurt, but they’re keeping their game faces on. Jimmy’s daughter, Victoria (Elle Graper), adds a layer of complexity. She wants them back together and texts Jimmy every day with updates like, “Breakup, Day 54.” Her persistence forces Jimmy and Knight to think about where they stand emotionally.

Will we learn more about Alden Parker’s (Gary Cole) hallucinations from the Season 21 finale, where he saw a boy and a girl on a ship?

Binder: Parker is still unsure of what it all means. He’s just as confused as anyone else. Before he can fully understand, he’ll need to embark on a personal journey to figure out who these children are and whether what he’s seeing is a memory or something else entirely. It’s historical in nature, but we’ll get more answers as the season unfolds.

How is Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) dealing with Knight’s departure?

Binder: Poor Torres—every time he gets close to someone, they leave. He’s back to being “solo Torres” and goes undercover with some dangerous people, but things don’t go well. He’s on this path of being a loner without meaningful relationships, and we’ll explore where that road leads. We pair him up with a grizzled, hard-boiled private detective who’s at the end of his rope, ready to retire to a beach and drink himself into oblivion. The question is, will Torres end up like him, or can he save this detective from the brink?

Does Knight’s departure affect anyone else?

Binder: Yes, her exit sets off a chain reaction. McGee (Sean Murray) decides to apply for a deputy director position in Colorado, a step fans have been waiting for. By the end of the premiere, that role will be filled. Kasie is also struggling with Knight’s absence, and Parker feels the impact of having an “empty nest” in the squad room. But Knight’s involvement in a serious case will bring the team back together, although not necessarily in a “yay, we’re all back at NCIS” kind of way.

Can you tease any upcoming cases?

Binder: We’ve got some great cases lined up. One involves Jessica Knight protecting a DC socialite in a sort of Miss Congeniality scenario. Knight quickly learns that this seemingly vacuous housewife world might actually be running things behind the scenes. In Episode 2, Vance (Rocky Carroll) finds himself balancing diplomatic talks, conspiracies, bodies, and an old girlfriend who may have some secrets of her own. FBI Deputy Director Sweeney (Erik Passoja) also returns, and the two face off in a high-stakes battle. Expect fights, handcuffs, and maybe even someone duct-taped to an autopsy table. This season’s theme could be: “Stuff happens at the worst possible time.”

NCIS, Season 22 Premiere, Monday, October 14, 9/8c, CBS