NCIS season 23, episode 3 has finally admitted on the inevitable fate of Jessica Knight and Jimmy Palmer. Much has happened to MCRT in the last couple of weeks. Alden Parker’s personal crisis dominated NCIS season 23’s two-part premiere, as he settled his conflict with Carla Marino. In this week’s episode, however, the team is back to solving their usual cases, although there is nothing usual with their latest mystery.
With themes of Halloween, NCIS season 23, episode 3’s story puts Knight Nick Torres’ at the forefront of its storytelling. As long-time partners, the pair’s dynamic is disturbed by the return of night-shift agent, Dale Sawyer. By separating Knight and Torres, their true feelings for each other are tackled, which directly impacts Palmer’s romantic standing.
NCIS Season 23, Episode 3 Confirms The Effective End Of Palmer & Knight’s Romance
Albeit in the most subtle way, NCIS season 23, episode 3 effectively confirms the end of Knight and Palmer’s love story. For context, the pair’s romance was fairly drama-free until their haphazard break-up in the season 22 finale after Leon Vance offered her a promotion that would send her to Camp Pendleton. Admittedly, the decision to split up for such a small thing was maddening. CBS has kept the door open for their reconciliation.
Unfortunately, “The Sound and the Fury” likely killed those chances after Knight hinted that she has romantic feelings for Torres during her unexpectedly vulnerable conversation with Sawyer. For what it’s worth, it doesn’t seem like Nick reciprocates it, as he himself makes clear to his partner. In this instance, however, how he feels is irrelevant. If Knight has already genuinely moved on, then it would be difficult for her and Palmer to revisit their romance that was cut short for no real reason.
NCIS is not new to MCRT agent romances. Knight and Palmer have been the exception, considering that they were very pragmatic and mature when the idea of getting together was first brought up. Now, however, it seems like the procedural is setting up another will-they/won’t-they dynamic that Anthony DiNozzo Jr. and Ziva David first established.
Palmer & Knight’s Romance Has Been Struggling For A While Now, But Can They Reconcile?
While there have been moments between Knight and Palmer hinting that they still love each other post-split, there just hasn’t been enough indication for NCIS to actually bring them back together. It’s also difficult to get them together alone, considering that they represent different aspects of the work done by MCRT. Finally, it doesn’t help that Knight spends the majority of her time with Torres.
The lack of urgency has been a sign that any kind of reconciliation isn’t in the near future for Knight and Palmer. Of course, that could change depending on what the writers want to ultimately do. However, given their current situation, it likely won’t happen in NCIS season 23.
