NCIS co-showrunner Steven D. Binder and star Katrina Law tease Jessica Knight’s fate following the season 21 cliffhanger. With NCIS season 21 recently concluding, the ending has led to speculation about what’s next for Law’s character. The final episode saw Knight accepting a career opportunity that would see her move across the country, fueling the possibility the character will not return for NCIS season 22.
In an interview with TVLine, Law and Binder weighed in on what they believe the future might hold and teased Knight’s status going into the next season. Binder had the following to say:
Binder: Well, we set something up there… And I will point you to our track record where you just never know. We’ve had people look like they were going away and then it turned out they weren’t , and then we had people who just disappeared, like Gibbs. So I will say this: We do aim to please, and we think the audience will be satisfied with where they see this go.
Meanwhile, Law was asked for her “official answer” when asked, “will you be back for season 22?”
Law: Hmmm…. Better tune in for that season opener!
Will Katrina Law Leave NCIS & What Does The Future Hold For Season 22?
Law has been a series regular on NCIS since season 19, and her exit would be a fairly big deal for the show. Additionally, Knight is a fan-favorite character, so viewers would react strongly to her departure. While it’s understandable Binder and Law are unwilling to confirm whether Knight will appear in the next season of the show, Binder’s comments in particular should give audiences hope. It seems unlikely he would suggest they’ll be “satisfied” with the outcome if the season 21 finale were to be Law’s last episode.
Law’s NCIS future has not been the only one under speculation this season, as there were doubts about major characters heading into the final episode. While a teased Gary Cole exit never occurred, his NCIS character, Alden Parker, was badly injured under a collapsing pipe. However, based on what was shown in the episode, he’ll be okay and return for season 22.
Between the references to Parker’s childhood and Knight’s new role at Camp Pendleton, the finale set up many interesting story threads that season 22 could explore in greater depth, provided Law returns alongside Cole. With NCIS continuing to post impressive numbers and maintain its status as a flagship series for CBS, the upcoming season has the potential to be another exciting run for a show that isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
