NCIS's Season 23 finale was wild with a big showdown, but Gibbs' impromptu return may be the thing that impacts Season 24 when the series returns. That's because Alden Parker rang up the former head of the division for an assist to take out a criminal who cut a deal, and the showrunner hinted that it may not be the last time we see something like that.
Steven D. Binder told TVLine that while Parker has largely avoided some of the sins of his predecessor, that may change after he played a key role in the killing of corrupt Army CID director Wayne Rogers. Binder talked about a key moment ahead of Rogers' death, and the hint of what lies beneath the seemingly unassuming Parker:
As [Wayne] Rogers says to him, quite nastily and unflatteringly to him, 'You're a bad seed. I know you, you've been playing cop, and I know what you really are.' I don't think he's entirely wrong. I think that speech is in there for a reason
It's interesting to hear Binder speak on this exchange in particular. Rogers words didn't hold much weight to me in the moment, considering he was the villain responsible for Director Vance's death. That said, it seems it takes a "bad seed" to spot another one.
Steven D. Binder continued, providing a hint of what this means for Gary Cole's character going forward. He's already broken bad once, and it seems like there is a chance we could see him do it again:
I think something has been unlocked inside Parker, [and] we will see the dark fruit of that over Season 24. There's nature and nurture, and he's nurtured himself into a lawman, but his nature is his nature, and he just apparently killed a man... It's like a dog once they taste blood. I love Parker, but he's the most interesting when he's enthused, to put it that way.
While Parker called up Gibbs, who previously killed his wife and daughter's murderer in cold blood, to pull the trigger, he had a role to play as well. The car transporting former director Rogers had the alternator torn out, which caused it to stop. Once stopped, Rogers was taken out by a sniper bullet from long range, immediately causing suspicion within the team that Gibbs was involved. NCIS confirmed as much for the viewer at the end, after Parker offered his sister some "fresh Alaskan salmon," nodding to the idea that Gibbs might've brought some from where fans last saw him.
Gary Cole previously hinted at Parker going outside of the law, adding that it would be out of character for him to do so. According to everything we're hearing right now, however, it seems like that might be who Parker's been all along, and we could see more of that in the new season of NCIS. I'm curious to see to what extent we see this, and just how far he can push it before someone else in the team intervenes.
NCIS is done for the season, but will return to the 2026 TV schedule in the fall. Sounds like the fall season could get pretty wild, so get ready for what could be a huge season for Alden Parker.
