Jessica Knight’s perfect NCIS replacement is clear, but there’s one condition for it to happen. Amid a fairly busy NCIS season 21, CBS opted for a quieter year-ender with “Reef Madness.” The case was straightforward, with Alden Parker and his team responding to the discovery of several bodies aboard a ship that is about to be an artificial reef. It wasn’t exactly as creative or thrilling, especially considering everything that happened during the year, including NCIS’ 1000th episode narrative. That said, it was the circumstances of the agents during this time that made the outing compelling.
For starters, Parker experienced a brush with death after getting fatally injured aboard the crime scene. While he was recuperating quite nicely when the episode wrapped up, the incident laid the foundation for the mystery identity of Lily for NCIS season 22. The start of a new storyline may have simultaneously gone down with the end of another, as Knight faced a major decision when she was offered to be the REACT team’s chief training officer at Camp Pendleton. While it’s still uncertain if she will leave the Major Case Response Team (MCRT), NCIS has the perfect replacement for her.
Jane Tennant Is NCIS’ Best Jess Knight’s Replacement
NCIS: Hawai’i’s Cancelation Can Lead To Tennant’s MCRT Transfer.
Knight did say yes to Director Leon Vance when asked whether she would take the job on the other side of the continent, which means that when NCIS season 22 returns, Parker’s team has an open slot for a new member. The police procedural isn’t new to this, having replaced several members over the years. However, instead of introducing an entirely new character to fill the void that she will leave. Instead, NCIS can just bring over Jane Tennant to be part of MCRT on the heels of NCIS: Hawai’i’s divisive cancelation.
The transition should be easier than bringing in a fresh player who is tasked with filling the big shoes that Knight will leave when she officially departs MCRT. Tennant, being an already-established character with ties to the main NCIS show will make things smoother for Parker to move forward. It will also function as a way to continue NCIS: Hawai’i with at least Tennant’s story.
NCIS Would Have To Demote Tennant To Join Parker’s Team (But It Might Work)
Tennant Would Have To Be An NCIS Senior Field Agent.
There’s a major caveat, however, to this proposition. In order for this to happen, Tennant must be demoted to be an NCIS Senior Field Agent to join Parker’s team. Admittedly, that isn’t an easy change, considering that she was so good as the Special Agent-in-Charge of the NCIS: Hawaiʻi Field Office. That being said, this may be the only way for her narrative to continue, especially in light of NCIS: Hawai’i’s cliffhanger ending where Maggie Shaw returns with a new mystery for Tennant.
If CBS and the creatives of the NCIS franchise want to make amends without having to bring back NCIS: Hawai’i , which is unfortunately unlikely, transferring Jane to the main show is their best bet.
It’s difficult to say what the finale ending was setting, considering the lack of details. That said, if CBS and the creatives of the NCIS franchise want to make amends without having to bring back NCIS: Hawai’i, which is unfortunately unlikely, transferring Jane to the main show is their best bet. The position can be temporary, only supposed to last until her lingering storyline is officially addressed. Arguably, leaving that plot unsolved is more frustrating than this less-than-ideal but plausible set-up.
Will Jessica Knight Really Leave NCIS?
Katrina Law Has Been Mum About Her Future In The Police Procedural
Much like every long-running show on TV, NCIS is not new to cast changes. With Ducky Mallard’s death, none of the original Gibbs team were in NCIS season 21 anymore. Because of this, the police procedural knows a thing or two about writing a character out. Some of them had great send-offs, such as Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs retiring in Alaska, while others not so much, like Sasha Alexander’s Caitlin Todd, who was brutally killed all the way back in the NCIS season 2 finale. Every time, however, the series was able to find a way to move forward.
For context, Law hasn’t said anything about leaving the police procedural any time soon.
Given this, there is no doubt that NCIS can move forward assuming that Knight leaves, but even when she
said yes to Vance, there’s no guarantee that her transfer will push through. The flagship series has had a few instances where it ended with the possibility of characters leaving or even the whole team disassembled. However, they ultimately didn’t happen because they were all part of the show’s storytelling trick to keep viewers invested throughout the off-season. For context, Law hasn’t said anything about leaving the police procedural any time soon.
Narratively, there’s also no urgent reason to write Knight out. She hasn’t been in the show for long, and there are still a lot of stories to tell concerning her. After the way Ellie Bishop left, Knight seamlessly incorporated herself into the team, which Gibbs was still spearheading at that point. This reflected Law’s chemistry with the rest of the ensemble. Beyond her work, her and Jimmy Palmer’s romance is something that NCIS hasn’t seen before. Their love story deserves to continue and not be cut short just because Knight is being shipped to Camp Pendleton for a new job.
How Tennant Can Still Join NCIS Even If Knight Doesn’t Leave MCRT
NCIS Can Still Recruit Tennant If Knight Stays.
Luckily, there are other ways to bring Tennant to the DC headquarters besides being a replacement for Knight. Director Vance could recruit her to temporarily fill in for Parker if he needs more time to recuperate from his injuries from the NCIS season 21 finale. It may also be a way for the police procedural to delve deep into the mystery of Lily as well, which is likely to be a big part of season 22. While she’s there, Tennant can use the help of Tim McGee and the rest of the squad to resolve her lingering NCIS: Hawai’i plot.
This first option allows Tennant to keep her position and prevent her from being demoted, even if it’s purely for work purposes. However, NCIS can also just be straightforward about it. The NCIS: Hawai’i personnel have worked with MCRT before, so it shouldn’t be difficult for Tennant to just be an additional member of Parker’s team. Tennant can help with their case while they provide the same assistance for her own endeavor.
Understandably, both of these options, as well as the idea of Tennant replacing Knight and being demoted aren’t exactly the best-case scenario for followers of NCIS: Hawai’i. As previously mentioned, however, this may likely be the spinoff’s chance for a proper ending following its unexpected cancelation. Pulling the plug on the beloved offshoot has been divisive, but the main NCIS series can somehow make amends by doing any of these scenarios.