NCIS Season 22 Star Explains Knight's Final Premiere Decision: "It Just Kind Of Clicks"

Warning: Spoilers for NCIS season 22, episode 1, "Empty Nest"

NCIS star Katrina Law explains the decision that her character, Jessica Knight, makes in the season 22 premiere episode. A big question hanging over the return of the long-running procedural franchise was how the show would bring Knight back to the core cast after her decision in the NCIS season 21 finale to become the chief of training for the REACT team. Knight is reunited with Brian Dietzen's Jimmy Palmer, although getting there is a twisty road.

In an interview with TVLine, Law talks about Knight's decision to return to working with Palmer, Parker (Gary Cole), and others. The actor explains that Knight already makes her decision by the time she crosses paths with Parker in the premiere, explaining that D.C. is home for the time being. In the quote below, Law also teases that Knight will be right at home in NCIS season 22, episode 2, which airs October 21 at 8 PM ET on CBS:

As soon as she sees Parker’s face, it just kind of clicks for her. I thought I needed something new, I thought I needed to get away from everybody and just start over fresh, but ultimately what I want and what I need is to go home — and home is in D.C. at this moment. As soon as episode 2 rolls around, it is Knight back at her desk, full speed. It’s like she never left, and California was some weird blip that kind of happened.

What Knight's Return Means For NCIS Season 22

It's A Smart Resolution

Close

NCIS season 22, episode 1 "Empty Nest", begins on an amusing note. A divorce lawyer (played by GLOW and Nobody Wants This star Jackie Tohn) is asked to intervene when Knight has seemingly taken a priest hostage. Knight insists that it's more complicated, with an early twist revealing that Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) has gone missing and the team is on a mission to find them.

The episode is written by Diana Valentine, with Christopher J. Waild directing.

Of course, since Tohn is a familiar guest actor, her character turns out to be involved in Torres' disappearance. He is recruited safely, with Torres suggesting to Park that he secretly planned the whole rescue mission as a means of luring Knight away from her cross-country job with REACT. Parker denies this. But it's clear that Knight isn't fully content being with REACT.

Related Palmer & Knight's NCIS Break-Up Is Great Despite Katrina Law’s Season 22 Fate Sad as it may be, Jimmy Palmer and Jessica Knight's NCIS breakup is actually great for season 22, despite Katrina Law's impending return.

NCIS' season 22 debut takes place six months after the events of the previous finale. And even though everything works well, with the team back together, the episode's closing minutes preview that Knight and Palmer might still have some awkward tension as they work their way back to each other. Having Knight return bodes well for the rest of the season, as it sets up a new arc and different drama with the other characters.

Our Take On Knight's Return

It Works Well

Part of the trick with a long-running procedural, especially one that's become known for a certain dynamic within the group, is how to keep things fresh while gaining the characters that audiences enjoy. The CBS series does it well, utilizing a time jump to make some changes but ultimately bringing Knight back into the fold. The likely NCIS season 23, though it's not officially renewed, may pull a similar trick. But that doesn't mean that it's not worthwhile in terms of character development.

Source: TVLine