NCIS Gave An Update On McGee’s Teenage Son, But I’m More Focused On That Teasing Torres And Knight Scene

Warning: SPOILERS for the NCIS episode “S.O.S.” are ahead!

We’re in the final stretch of NCIS Season 23 episodes on the 2026 TV schedule, and man, has this been an eventful season. Carla Marino was killed off early on; the mystery of Lily and what really happened to Parker’s mom was finally solved; Leon Vance was fatally shot in the CBS’s show’s 500th episode; and in the 499th episode, Timothy McGee learned he had a teenage son. We got an update tonight on that last twist, and while that was appreciated, what really caught my attention in “S.O.S.” was a specific scene with Nick Torres and Jessica Knight that’s sure to get a segment of the NCIS fanbase riled up.

McGee Is Trying To Find Ways to Connect With Matteo

Good on NCIS for bringing Mateo Garcia (Patrick Keleher) back up just a month after we first met him rather than wait multiple seasons to acknowledge his existence again. At the beginning “S.O.S.”, McGee informed Knight and Parker that he played in the interagency baseball game between NCIS and the FBI the night before with Torres. McGee was ready to not only play the following week’s game, but also do the “old Moneybag thing” by making a spreadsheet for optimal batting order. As Torres later revealed to Jimmy Palmer, McGee’s suddenly going “full Bull Durham” is because Mateo likes baseball, and McGee is trying to impress him, though it’s not really working.

Later on, Kasie Hines made McGee realize that there are other ways to bond with Mateo that he enjoys more than baseball. So at the end of “S.O.S.”, McGee called his son and asked him if he wanted to him in checking out his old laser tag spot on the weekend. I’m glad he’s putting in the effort with Mateo, so fingers crossed that some games of laser tag will help strengthen their relationship. Hopefully we’ll also see Mateo again before NCIS Season 23 concludes, and if that’s not in the cards, there’s always sometime in Season 24.

Torres And Knight Got Pretty Cozy With Each Other

For months now, NCIS fans (myself included) have discussed whether or not Nick Torres and Jessica Knight could become romantically involved. As of the airing of “Her,” where Torres reunited with and said goodbye once again to Eleanor Bishop, Wilmer Valderrama said that his and Katrina Law’s characters getting together would be “too complicated.” Fair enough, but when the show has them cuddling, well that’s just a big ol’ tease indicating it’s still a possibility.

During the events of “S.O.S.”, which can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription, Torres and Knight traveled to the Appalachians to search for clues tied to this week’s case. They ended up finding a body, but then started getting shot at and had to find cover in a nearby cave. Because Knight twisted her ankle in the process and they had no idea where the shooter was located, the two had no choice but to stay the night in that cave. Well, the Northeastern United States can be pretty chilly at night this time of year, so Torres and Knight had no choice but to cuddle next to each other under the blanket from Knight’s survival kit to keep warm. Oh, and Knight won rock-paper-scissors to be the big spoon.

When Torres and Knight eventually made it back to civilization and the case wrapped up, they weren’t keen on telling McGee and Parker about how literally close with each other they got, instead just saying they kept warm by continuously moving. I don’t think that this cuddle sesh is meant to be a sincere indicator that romance is on the horizon for those two, but I absolutely believe the NCIS writers knew what they were doing with this. They just want to get the Torres/Knight shippers talking, don’t they?

But hey, if NCIS wants to throw us a curveball and actually have Nick Torres and Jessica Knight become something more than just close friends, I welcome seeing how that would be executed. We’re in the final stretch of NCIS Season 23 episodes airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET, but there’s always Season 24 in the fall to embark down this narrative path if the writers so choose.