In NCIS season 23, Leon Vance is a massive hypocrite, but his behavior is the key to saving the cop show’s future. It is not secret that the CBS series has been struggling in terms of maintaining its popularity. NCIS season 22 has its lowest-rated episode thus far, with its overall viewership dropping.
To be fair, NCIS is still one of the most watched shows on network television. So, the chances of it being canceled anytime soon are small. The NCIS franchise itself is thriving with a few spinoffs ongoing and expanding the universe. For the mothership, however, the upcoming year poses a big challenge to still be relevant.
A few storylines are already expected to go down in NCIS season 23, after they were set up in the last TV cycle. That said, arguably the biggest lingering narrative in the procedural is the fallout from the death of Alden Parker’s dad. Vance could help him bring the killer to justice quicker, but that won’t be the case.
Leon Vance’s Refusal To Help Parker Is Hypocritical Of Him
Per the new information about NCIS season 23, the rest of the Major Case Response Team (MCRT) will be fully onboard Parker’s plan to hunt down his father’s killer. However, the squad will find themselves at odds with Vance, who won’t be supportive of their actions according to showrunner Steven Binder (per TV Insider).
We’ve often played Director Vance telling his team they need to get back in the box, then he goes, wink, wink, nudge, nudge, and leaves the file on his desk while he leaves the office so they can look through something they need to. That’s not the case this time,”
Binder does mention a mysterious reason why Vance is suddenly not backing his agents on solving the Parker Sr.’s murder mystery. Regardless of the reason, however, him changing his approach to personal cases makes him an insufferably hypocrite, because once, he was in a similar position as Parker.
13 years ago in NCIS season 10, episode 1, “Shabbat Shalom,” Vance wife, Jackie, was killed during the assasination of Eli David. Understandably, the NCIS Director was adamant about trying to find her killer. Having gone through that ordeal, Vance should be more understanding of Parker’s actions. At the very least, he should not be fully antagonistic of MCRT’s plan to get justice.
How A Vance & Parker Conflict Can Rejuvenate NCIS
While it is never good to see the Navy Yard in disarray, considering that, ultimately, they are all allies, some internal turmoil may actually be good for the show’s future. In the last few years, the show has seemed to lost its identity. Although outings like Ducky’s special send-off and NCIS’ 1000th episode were all well-done, the weekly cases have been mostly flat.
Tension between Vance and Parker is an interesting premise for NCIS season 23. It’s even reminiscent of Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ original dynamic with the Director. While there’s no doubt that all will be well in the team, introducing organic drama is a good way to make the show intriguing again.
