Summary
NCISseason 22 needs to pay off an outlandish storyline that almost broke the entire series.The story began inNCISseason 21, packed with enthralling moments despite a shortened season due to the WGA strike.NCISseason 21delivered a tribute to the series' most senior cast member at the time, Dr. Donald Ducky Mallard, after David McCallum died at 90. The season also delivered the 1000th episode of theNCISfranchise. While that would have been more than enough for the 10-episode set, season 21 also introduced paranormal elements to the sharedNCISuniverse.
It’s to be determined whether Jessica Knight will be around to weigh in on the case after accepting a promotion in theNCISseason 21 finale. What’s also unknown is the status of Special Agent Alden Parker and NCIS Director Leon Vance’s injuries they received in episodes 7 and 10, respectively. Leon Vance was shot in the back by a sniper in the 1000th episode, and Gary Cole’s character almost lost his leg in the season finale.Whoever returns forNCISseason 22 is sure to revisit the supernatural storylinewhen the procedural commences in the fall.
10 Best NCIS Episodes, Ranked
NCIS has a wealth of impactful episodes from its 21 seasons on television, but some have unique elements that set them above the rest.
NCIS Teased An Alien Killer In NCIS Season 21, Episode 6, “Strange Invaders”
The Major Case Response Team Investigated Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
NCISseason 21 teased that aliens had entered theNCISuniverse in episode 6, “Strange Invaders.” After authorities found Navy fighter pilot Lieutenant Elliot Greene dead in his home, the MCRT investigated.NCISteased strange, extraterrestrial circumstancesduring the investigation. His gunshot wounds looked foreign and contained an element that had no recorded presence on Earth. The team concluded that a levitating killer murdered Lieutenant Greene, who had recently testified before Congress about witnessing an Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP). Torres was even abducted for hours without memory of the occurrence.
Kasie found traces of atomic element #116 while investigating the ammo obtained from their victim’s body. The series claimed that the component does not exist on Earth, leaving a potential for alien involvement. That said, atomic element #116 is synthesized in labs but is highly radioactive.
The narrative of a supernatural culprit was convincing. At one point,Parker even admitted to NCIS Director Leon Vance that they suspected aliens. The team experienced strange encounters while investigating the paranormal side of society, and the investigation exceeded their expectations of what a killer looked like. Ultimately, the episode concluded that it wasn’t aliens; however, “Strange Invaders” went dangerously close to pushing the franchise past a boundary it couldn’t retreat from. If aliens existed in thesharedNCISuniverse, meant to represent actual NCIS agents, it could have dire consequences for theNCISfranchise’s credibility.
The Levitating Killer Was Actually A Powerful, Untraceable Artificial Intelligence
Daniel Silcott Developed The New Age AI With Photos And Videos Of His Son
The story eventually revealed thatan autonomous drone was behind the murder of Lieutenant Elliot Greene, withNCISseason 21 narrowly avoiding its alien twist. The team eventually got redirected to Daniel Silcott, who created the drone’s AI program with a manufacturer in Sri Lanka. Nestor Quinn, a member of the UAP watch group, even tied the case back to the federal government. Representative Shirley Ives paid Quinn to discredit Greene’s testimony but didn’t murder the pilot. The AI was actually behind the murder, but the team never found the weapons company that developed it and ordered the execution.
The team wasn’t able to locate the manufacturer who developed the drone.
WhileDaniel Silcott was involved in creating the AIand could access it briefly through a back door to buy the team time, the threat is ultimately impending. The team wasn’t able to locate the manufacturer who developed the drone. While the company had previously been in contact with Representative Ives via her position on the Armed Services Committee, they cut ties after they saw Lieutenant Greene’s testimony. While the team ultimately tied the legislator to the case and didn’t press her any further on her involvement, she warned them that the threat was more significant than they understood.
NCIS Left The Story Ambiguous And Has Yet To Resolve The Narrative
The Episode’s Final Scene Ended In An Ambiguous Way On CBS
NCISseason 21 left the narrative ambiguousand hasn’t resolved it yet, possibly due to a shortened season. The continuing narrative isn’t a storytelling device often used by the series, so the conclusion is sure to pay off. The story’s resolution is imminent.NCISseason 22 will likely revisit the narrative since it will have an average number of episodes and Daniel Silcott only neutralized the threat briefly.
Watch theNCISseason 22 premiere on CBS on Monday, August 01, 2025.
The murderer, a highly intelligent drone that could kill on its own, revealed a significant vulnerability in national security. Representative Ives explained the drone could be a powerful next-generation warfare weapon. Daniel Silcott developed the technology for an unknown company, and neither he nor the team knew who they were.The investigation must continue inNCISseason 22, or the threat will seem empty. It isn’t likely thatNCISwill bury this storyline, since the national security of the United States allegedly lies in finding the drone’s developer and neutralizing the technology.
The Unknown Weapons Company Could Have A Connection To NCIS: Tony & Ziva
Tony And Ziva Will Deal With An Unknown Threat To Tony’s Security Firm
Tony and Ziva will deal with an unknown threat to Tony’s security firminNCIS: Tony & Ziva.The threat could have something to do with the internationally-based company controlling the AI, which could link the series together for a crossover event. The connection could launch the Tony and Ziva spinoff on the mainNCISseries in the fall.NCIS: Tony & Zivawill premiere sometime in the next year, with filming for the series officially underway. The timing is perfect for Tony and Ziva to appear inNCISseason 22 ahead of theNCIS: Tony & Zivapremiere.
NCIS: Tony & Zivawill stream on Paramount+.
The Tony and Ziva spinoff will depart fromNCIStradition in many ways, including its official casting update (viaDeadline.)The cast shows a trend toward themes of international intelligence, as with Boris, a"Russian ex-pat and a brilliant computer hacker.“It also features a former French intelligence agent and a former computer programmer with the NSA, now the Secretary-General of Interpol.NCIS: Tony & Zivais breaking franchise tradition by not including a forensics expert, favoring many intelligence officials. It speaks to the nature of the series and how it can tie directly intoNCISseason 22.
Teri Polo Portrayed Gary Cole’s Character’s Ex-Wife In NCIS Seasons 19 And 20
NCISseason 19 introducedVivian Kolchak as Alden Parker’s ex-wife, who worked at the FBI with Parker but resigned after their divorce. She ultimately became the Head of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force within the Department of Defense, which concerns itself with UAPs (formerly UFOS.)Vivian Kolchak would be the perfect expert to assist the teamwith the case. Her connection to Parker could unveil more of Parker’s compelling backstory, and she already has her footing in the narrative. While the team doesn’t require Vivian to investigate actual UAPs, she may have intelligence that connects to the case.
Season 19, Episode 21, “Birds of a Feather”
Season 20, Episode 1, “A Family Matter”
While it’s unclear how the series will resolve the case of “Strange Invaders,” it could happen as soon asNCISseason 22. The series continues to navigate unknown territory after Mark Harmon exitedNCISin season 19. Still,NCISavoided making the most significant change of all in season 21. While the team had fun with alien encounters,NCISultimately walked it back to maintain the series' ethos. TheNCISstory left a small opening for future paranormal encounters, since Kasie still doesn’t know where the fictionalized element #116 came from.
NCIS
Cast
NCIS is a television series that follows a team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Premiering in 2003, the show explores various cases involving Navy and Marine Corps personnel, ranging from murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines.
