NCIS star Katrina Law discusses Jessica Knight’s friction with her partner Jimmy Palmer following her big career decision in the season 21 finale. Knight and Palmer have been a couple since the end of NCIS season 19, and the most recent episode of the long-running series saw them face their biggest obstacle yet. When Jess was offered the chance to lead NCIS’ REACT team, Jimmy lashed out at the prospect of another person leaving him, sparking a fight that wasn’t resolved until the very end of the episode.
The season 21 finale cliffhanger sparked speculation that Knight might leave NCIS, as she accepted the REACT job. Law, who has played Knight since the end of season 18, has given her views on the direction the finale took, and what the future might hold for her character. According to an interview with TVLine, the former Arrow actor spoke about how she believes Jessica’s ambition and career goals might be more important to her than her relationship with Jimmy. Check out Law’s comments below:
Backing up a bit, I think that ever since Jessica’s dad showed up, it’s kind of put Jimmy and Knight into a bit of a whirlwind. It’s made them look at the future in longer terms that they originally had planned. All of the sudden, I think a lot of Jimmy’s demons are rearing their ugly heads, with all the people he’s lost in his life, and I think he went into panic mode and and self preservation mode in order to make sure his heart isn’t broken by Jessica also leaving him. Whereas for Jessica Knight, she is asking herself through her dad, “Have I settled? Have I sat back on my heels? Am I living up to my full potential?” And I think that [Jessica and Jimmy] may also be questioning, “Are we each other’s rebounds of a sort?”
I think that at the end, Jessica has to take this position because she knows deep down this is what she wants. She wants a career, she’s very ambitious, and to her a long-distance relationship isn’t the end of things. At the same time, maybe it is, if it doesn’t work out. She has to go forward and see where these things lead, she can’t settle into something she knows will ultimately maker her angry and have regrets. And I think Jimmy’s in the same place — he had a chance to basically say, “Please don’t take this job” and he didn’t. He instinctively knows that Knight needs to go do this, and then they can see where they are after.
But also, one of the things we tried to build into the backstory leading up to this episode is this outburst from Jimmy and this tension with Knight didn’t just come on in this episode, it didn’t come up with this job happening. This has been building since her father showed up and said, “I thought your future was this?” And Jimmy is thinking, “Well, it’s only a matter of time before you leave anyway, so I’m going to push you out the door, so I don’t have to sit here waiting for it to happen.”
And I think Jess has taken a moment to go, “You know what? I think we both have some things to work out on our own. You have some issues to sort out.” Jessica is thinking, “I did take my foot off the gas pedal when I lost my REACT team, so maybe it’s time to reapply the gas.” As much as she loves Jimmy, she knows she can never fulfill that part of the relationship if she herself isn’t a whole person.
What Does Knight’s Decision Mean For Her And Jimmy?
The finale of NCIS season 21 ended with a cliffhanger, and viewers were left unsure whether Jess would wind up taking the job and what this would mean for her and Jimmy’s relationship. Ultimately, it does feel fitting for Knight’s character that she would choose to take the position, which would mean that either the couple would have to break up, or they would need to try long-distance. This in itself presents a wealth of other complexities, and will no doubt be a core part of Jimmy’s season 22 story arc.
The question of whether this is Jess’s swansong on the show also remains, and Law has refused to commit one way or another to whether she is leaving the franchise. However, when asked if she would return for NCIS season 22, the star told TVLine, “Better tune in for that season opener!” The lack of a concrete answer gives some hope that Knight will appear at least in the premiere, perhaps to provide some more closure for her relationship with Palmer and her other team members.
Over the years, plenty of main characters have left NCIS, and Jess could be the next one to depart if she takes her promotion. It could be that Law is looking to leave the show, or that she wants to appear in a smaller capacity. It could also just be that the writers feel this is the right arc for her character. Whatever the reasoning, NCIS as a show continues to grow in prominence, and there are likely to be more seasons to come that could feature the character of Jess Knight while expanding on her relationship with Jimmy Palmer.
