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‘NCIS’: Should Palmer & Knight Get Back Together in Season 23? (POLL)
It only took about two decades, but NCIS finally has an onscreen romance. Previously, there would be hints, longing glances, and the will-they-won’t-they that ended up falling into the latter category until one of the two characters left the show. Only then would they share a kiss. With Tony (Michael Weatherly) and Ziva (Cote de Pablo), we saw all of that. Then, surprise, she “died” and he found out they had a daughter together. (Their story — and complicated relationship — continues in the new Paramount+ spinoff this fall.)
But that changed with Dr. Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen) and Special Agent Jessica Knight (Katrina Law), with their friends-to-lovers romance playing out onscreen. However, when she was offered a job in California, that led to them breaking up, and they’ve remained apart since. They did, however, talk about their relationship in Season 22 Episode 4 and what they both deserve in a partner.
After that, things remained awkward between them, but it does feel like it’s inevitable that they will get back together, despite him giving a dating app a try and later meeting a potential new love interest (complicated by a case). But will they get back together in Season 23?
“What we’re probably not going to do is now they’re dating again and then they’re just dating again. We did that. We had that. We ran with that and it went where it ended up going, which is someplace more interesting to a breakup and then seeing what it’s like to work with a coworker who you’ve broken up with or seeing them dating,” executive producer Steven D. Binder told TV Insider after the Season 22 finale.
“I want to make sure that this season is reflective of the fact they had a relationship and find a place that’s more interesting, or conflict is the wrong word, because that sounds like I’m implying conflict between two of these characters, but I’m using that word in a dramatic narrative writer sense. Where’s it interesting? Where’s the conflict for this dynamic between these two? And I think we’re going to go there now,” he continued. “Could they end back together again? Absolutely. But for now, we broke them up to bring them to a new place. And we’re still in the process of going to that bench touchstone first before we figure out where we’re going to take us. We still have a little more to do.”
But should they get back together? NCIS has never been much for romance onscreen, making their relationship a welcome change from the norm. And while they did need to split when they did, for the reasons they discussed about where they were in their lives and what they wanted professionally and personally, there’s no need to return to a slow burn to a reunion. There’s also the fact that NCIS is going into its 23rd season. While it’s not showing any signs of slowing down, it’s very obviously closer to its end than its beginning. There’s no need to wait too long — or worse, until the series finale — to bring them back together.
But what do you think? Let us know in the poll and comments section below.
NCIS, Season 23 Premiere, Tuesday, October 14, 8/7c, CBS
