Spoiler alert: Bishop crashes the party
Heads up — major NCIS spoilers ahead. Emily Wickersham popped back into the show in the episode “Her,” following a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo at the end of “Heaven and Nature.” Bishop’s comeback wasn’t just nostalgic fan service; it tugged on a few emotional threads and left the team in a different place by episode’s end.
What Bishop’s return meant for Torres
Ellie Bishop showed up to lean on her old squad, and her reunion with Nick Torres landed on friendlier terms than the messy farewell we saw back in Season 18. That reset helped close a chapter between her and Torres, which naturally got fans speculating about what’s next for Torres and his fellow agent, Jessica Knight.
So… are Torres and Knight flirting up a storm?
There’s been non-stop shipping ever since the two had that faux-marriage stunt in “For Better or Worse.” But according to Wilmer Valderrama, the romantic route isn’t something he sees happening right now. He pointed out that while audiences can read tension in different ways, turning Torres and Knight into an actual couple would be a big, irreversible shift for the show’s emotional map.
Why Valderrama thinks it’s a risky move
Valderrama suggested that pairing those two for real would be like pulling a lever you can’t easily undo. NCIS has room to evolve relationships slowly over many episodes, so the writers could theoretically make it work — but it would fundamentally change the dynamics on screen. He also noted he isn’t being looped into any writers’ plans on this front yet, which is usually a sign there aren’t immediate romantic plans.
Fan moments and reading between the lines
There are still little beats for hopeful shippers: moments of great teamwork, shared looks, and even an elevator scene that made another character pause mid-conversation. As Brian Dietzen put it about that awkward moment, whether something’s brewing is left for viewers to decide — because sometimes the best shipping fuel is what you see, not what’s confirmed.
Should shippers give up?
Not necessarily. NCIS got renewed for Season 24, so writers have room to play with the idea later. But for the remainder of Season 23, don’t bank on a slow-burn kiss — Torres and Knight are still top-notch partners and close friends first. And there’s still plenty of televised drama ahead, including the show’s 500th episode airing March 24.
When to tune in
If you’re keeping score in real time, catch new NCIS episodes Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. Until then, enjoy dissecting the chemistry and speculating wildly — because that’s half the fun of being a TV fan.