NCIS Season 22 Premiere Review: Empty Nest

Critic’s Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

4.5

Tension, intrigue, and a heavy dose of action are front and center on NCIS Season 22 Episode 1. Would we expect anything less?

Torres is undercover and missing, Jess is holding a priest hostage (yes, a priest!), and there’s a new deputy director — but it’s not who you might expect (uh-oh!). 

Yet, through all the chaos, there’s one thing that matters most: the team is back! And honestly? It’s exactly what we needed to start the new season!

California Dreaming? I Think Not

Let’s be real — did anyone actually think Jess would be content with the California dream?

Sure, she got that shiny promotion after the cartel drama, but it was always clear her heart was back in D.C. with her team — and Jimmy (I mean, they were literally counting the days they were apart).

When Torres went missing while undercover, it was almost like fate. Of all places, he was on a mission in California — where Jess just happened to be.

Coincidence? I doubt it.

Parker is always three steps ahead, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he orchestrated it because he knows his team, even though he’s only three years in. He could’ve sent Torres anywhere. Remember that.

Even after six months away, Jess’s loyalty to her NCIS family is unwavering. It doesn’t matter if she was technically part of REACT — Parker knew how to pull her back in. He knows what makes people tick.

And Jess didn’t hesitate to jump in and help save Torres once she learned the details. It didn’t matter that her trainee might have been involved — that was just the excuse she gave herself to dive back into the action.

It’s almost funny how things turn out, but it all boils down to one truth: Jess belongs with our team, and she knew it.

Jumping Back In

So, how did Jess end up back with NCIS after all that time? Well, it started with Torres going MIA.

Jess was busy living her new life when she found herself in a rather wild situation — kidnapping a priest. And not just any priest. She was convinced this guy was El Padre, the head of the Nexus cartel.

Of course, Parker was in on her plan, as usual.

But he kept things smooth, making sure to cover his bases so that if things went sideways, he wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire.

As it turns out, Jess was right — the priest, Reverend Edward Pike, really was El Padre, hiding in plain sight.

And how funny that El Padre was actually a priest? Sometimes, the most obvious answer is the right one.

Bringing in the lawyer was a clever move, as she turned out to be the one tied to the cartel — not Jess’s trainee, Agent Moreno — despite Moreno’s husband’s ties to the deadly organization.

This added another layer of complexity, setting up a major twist for the season, especially when we learned that neither the lawyer nor Moreno is the suspected NCIS mole!

The Mole

So, who’s the mole? Buckle up because it’s a real shocker — Inspector General Gabriel LaRoche!

I mean, once everything was laid out, it all made sense, but that reveal adds a whole new layer of drama to the season’s arc.

And you know this will complicate things in a big way moving forward.

To make matters worse, McGee didn’t get the deputy director position. Not because he wasn’t qualified, but because LaRoche swooped in and snagged the job!

Now McGee’s in a tricky spot. Does he tell Vance what he suspects, or play it safe for now?

Either way, this will bring some serious tension to the team. What will Parker advise? How will Torres react?

And let’s not forget Jess — she’s still in the dark since she wasn’t there for the big reveal, but you know she won’t be thrilled once she finds out.

One thing’s for sure: this team will do whatever it takes to protect their own. LaRoche better watch his back because he has no idea what he’s up against!

It’s bound to get messy, and it’s only a matter of time before this situation blows up.

The Reunion We’ve Been Waiting For

While all this action and drama was happening, we didn’t get to see Jess and Jimmy’s happy reunion just yet.

Jess stayed back in California for one final week with her trainees, but Jimmy? He’s practically bouncing off the walls with excitement, cleaning off her desk and straightening everything up in anticipation of her return.

He even called his daughter Victoria to share the news — this guy is all in!

Sure, Jess didn’t walk through the doors with Torres, but that doesn’t mean the sparks won’t fly when she does.

These two were counting the days they were apart, and that tells you all you need to know — they belong together.

And hopefully, the NCIS writers won’t keep us in suspense or throw any wrenches into that reunion. TV couples can be happy without unnecessary drama and still be interesting. Just sayin’.

A Good Day for NCIS

At the end of the day, though, what matters most is that the team is back together and everyone can get back to business.

Kasie had pointed out that Parker wasn’t even interested in the last pastry in the box, which was totally out of character for him!

It was a subtle yet telling sign that things just weren’t the same, with Jess gone, Torres on assignment, and McGee busy in his temporary new role.

But now? They’re all back where they should be, working on cases like the well-oiled machine they are.

Even Torres had the same thought I did — that Parker had orchestrated the team’s reunion. Empty nest syndrome, be damned!

Could he have been pulling the strings the whole time? Who knows, but one thing’s for sure — he trusts his team like nobody’s business, even if their choices don’t necessarily make sense at first.

Kasie might not have understood why Parker let Torres run his undercover operation the way he wanted, but Parker knew what he was doing when he let Torres run with it.

And in the end, it was a good day for NCIS!

Over to you, TV Fanatics! Are you as excited as I am that the team is back? Did you have any doubts about Jess returning?

And what do you think will happen with McGee and LaRoche? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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