Given its decade-long run on television screens, police procedural drama NCIS has been somewhat of a revolving door, both in its storylines and its cast.
When you’ve delivered 21 seasons and over 400 episodes, there’s bound to be some familiar plotlines and some cast departures, though Sean Murray — who plays Special Agent Timothy McGee — has been a reliable staple as NCIS’ longest-running castmate.
Such an enduring run means showrunners must keep things interesting, and NCIS did just that with the conclusion of its most recent 21st season. The finale — which bookended an abbreviated season of just 10 episodes — delivered a high-stakes murder investigation and an underwater rescue mission, but perhaps the major takeaway from the finale was the question mark surrounding the future of Katrina Law’s character, Jessica Knight.
What happened to Jessica Knight on NCIS?
The fate of Katrina Law’s presence on NCIS was called into question during the season 21 finale, when Jessica Knight was offered a new job by NCIS director Leon Vance (played by Rocky Carroll). The role, which would see Knight become the chief of the newly-established NCIS REACT (Regional Enforcement Action Capabilities Team), would require the character to move away, casting doubt over whether Law will appear in season 22.
By the end of the finale, we see Knight enthusiastically accept Vance’s offer, as her devastated boyfriend Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen) watches on from afar. The episode concludes with no real answer as to Knight’s future, perhaps putting an end to Law’s four-season run on NCIS. Co-showrunner Steven D. Binder has remained tight-lipped when discussing the character’s fate, telling The Wrap that her accepting the role “means good things for Jessica’s future, for sure.”
As for the actress who portrays her, Binder said “we’d like to keep the audience guessing” around Law’s potential departure, adding that “the audience will be pleased” with how the actress’ storyline comes together. For her part, Law told TVLine that the only way forward for Knight was to accept the new job offer, since the character “knows deep down this is what she wants.”
Law continued: “She wants a career, she’s very ambitious, and to her a long-distance relationship isn’t the end of things.” Law gave the ultimate tease when asked point-blank whether she’d appear in season 22, saying viewers “better tune in for that season opener.”
Given that NCIS was renewed for a 22nd installment earlier this month, it won’t be too long before we know Law’s fate once and for all.