In a show defined by gunfire, espionage, and long stares across interrogation tables, the quiet hum of the autopsy room offers something else: humanity.
Jimmy Palmer, played by Brian Dietzen, is not the first character fans think of when they picture NCIS. He’s not kicking down doors or exchanging loaded glances in dim-lit bars. But in a series that thrives on chaos and death, Palmer has become its most surprising anchor — the one who speaks for the dead, and more importantly, for the living left behind.
What started as comic relief — the awkward assistant fumbling through autopsies under Dr. Mallard’s shadow — has slowly transformed. Jimmy matured, endured loss, and faced grief head-on, especially during the pandemic episodes when his wife Breena died off-screen. That arc wasn’t about drama — it was about resilience, quiet sorrow, and showing up even when your heart is broken.
Palmer never needed to dominate screen time. His impact lies in the small things: the trembling hands while zipping up a body bag, the gentle jokes to lighten a gruesome task, the way he mourns every victim even when the rest of the world moves on.
If Gibbs was the father of the team, Jimmy became its conscience.
