The franchise of NCIS has seen many relationships come together and be torn apart, whether that be through mutual breakups or awful deaths. More recently, the breakup of Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen) and Jessica Knight (Katrina Law) certainly came as a shock, as the long and relatively healthy romance came to an abrupt end when Knight got a promotion to REACT at the end of Season 21.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t escape the awkwardness of the fallout during Season 22, when Knight decided to return to her former team. While this post-breakup storyline has provided a source of humor and some emotional scenes throughout the season, it also gave us a glimpse of a potential spark re-igniting between them. As adorable as Palmer and Knight were during their relationship, NCIS should not follow through on this set-up, as it becomes detrimental to both characters’ individual arcs.
Knight and Palmer Have a Spark in ‘NCIS’ Season 22
Throughout Season 22, Knight and Palmer have nervously tiptoed around the break-up, never directly addressing it but feeling the tension of two ex-lovers trying to be co-workers. They have, however, had heartfelt conversations about their relationship and have even exhibited signs of jealousy when the other was tentatively dating someone. Executive producer, showrunner and writer Steven D. Binder spoke about this in an interview with TV Insider, saying “we need to see how they’re not better off together first before we see that they’re better off together,” specifically talking about Season 22, Episode 11, when Palmer goes undercover and flirts with a mysterious neighbor. This comment, alongside the other little clues within the season, strongly suggests that the ultimate plan is for the romance to come alive again.
That being said, after the Season 22 finale, Binder did another interview with TV Insider in which he explained that “this season is reflective of the fact they had a relationship,” and that they wanted to explore “seeing what it’s like to work with a coworker who you’ve broken up with or seeing them dating.” But one of the most striking ideas he conveyed was that they “broke them up to bring them to a new place.” While exploring the consequences of their break-up is intriguing (and fairly obligatory), focusing on their arcs and further developing those is something these characters desperately need, especially in light of this season, which was fairly slowed down by their awkwardness.
Knight Needs Better Character Development in ‘NCIS’ Season 23
Even though the promotion to REACT was an unexpected step for Knight, it did signify professional growth for the character and made fans wonder if she would be involved in the show in a new capacity. But ultimately, the Season 22 premiere saw Knight immediately return to the team and while we rejoice in having the old crew re-united, it was technically a step backwards for Knight’s character development. Subsequently, if Knight also returns to the relationship with Palmer, this ends up regressing her character arc even further, simply placing her back to where she was in Season 21. It doesn’t really seem fair to her personal growth to make a choice like that, so perhaps it would be better if the two were kept apart.
NCIS Season 22 was primarily focused on the storylines surrounding Alden Parker’s (Gary Cole) visions of a mysterious little girl and Timothy McGee’s (Sean Murray) obsession with taking down a bureau mole, leaving very little space for the other characters. Knight, in particular, was dealt a stagnant character arc this season, where her personal life wasn’t as fleshed out as others. Instead, anything that happened outside her work was often in relation to other characters, like interacting with Palmer’s daughter or her sister dating Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama). So, although it may be unavoidable for Season 23 to address her break-up with Palmer, it should end up putting more weight on her individual arc — take Knight off the bench and give her character development some screen time too!
‘NCIS’ Season 22 Set Up Palmer’s Confidence Storyline
On the other hand, Palmer has managed to needle his way into getting some meaningful and exciting moments in NCIS Season 22, despite the bulk of them being reserved for Parker and McGee. When we first met him all those years ago, he was a bumbling, young assistant who grew into the kind, rational, and gentle medical examiner he is today. Naturally, the break-up coaxed out some of his previous immaturity, as he became far more insecure and uncertain than he usually is, especially during conversations with Knight when he would sometimes make passive-aggressive remarks. However, throughout the season, he has healed from his heartbreak remarkably well, progressing into someone who is far more confident in his individual relationships, which is exciting to see, especially after being in one that was so defining to his character.
The most profound representation of this in Season 22 was during his episode with his teenage daughter, Victoria (Elle Graper), where he learns to trust his daughter more and find closeness through independence. He realizes he needs to hold less tightly onto her, which is a milestone for his character arc as he grows from the more desperate behaviors he gained after the break-up. Additionally, his undercover romantic fling with his new neighbor, Wendy (Erinn Hayes), is another turning point in his blossoming confidence as he realizes that he can still have a love life after Knight. Both of these relationships — familial and romantic — showcase Palmer’s personal growth while also setting up potential storylines for the future season. As such, re-igniting their romance feels like a step backward for both characters, where Knight needs a renewed focus on her character development and NCIS should continue to pull at the threads they have already set up for Palmer, separately.
NCIS is available to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.