[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the NCIS Season 21 finale “Reef Madness.”]
“That is one in every of my favourite episodes of my total profession span on NCIS. It’s so superbly executed and hits so many emotional ranges for a lot of totally different characters,” says Katrina Legislation, talking with us in regards to the twenty-first season finale for NCIS: Case Closed, our weekly aftershow.
It was significantly powerful for her character, Particular Agent Jessica Knight, who acquired an offended breakup speech from her boyfriend, Chief Medical Examiner Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen) after he heard she was contemplating taking a brand new job in California. Watch the video above for the 2 actors’ breakdown of the episode.
“It was a splendidly human response that occurs, that’s not deliberate,” Dietzen says. “Jimmy misplaced one in every of his finest mates and his mentor this 12 months. Shedding his spouse, regardless that it’s been a couple of years [still affects him]. Him saying, ‘I need one thing by myself phrases’ — I can perceive why that occurred even when it’s not mentioned eloquently or there’s a harsh edge that’s uncommon to see from Jimmy Palmer.”
Robert Voets / CBS
That facet of Jimmy despatched Knight reeling. However issues acquired a lot worse when a assassin locked her and boss Alden Parker (Gary Cole) under deck in a ship set to be blown up. The scenes had been shot on a 30-year-old set as soon as used for JAG (the present that launched NCIS) on a sound stage in Southern California.
Parker suffered a life-threatening harm and Legislation says Cole’s efficiency was so good she was genuinely involved for his real-life well being. “I keep in mind him and being like, ‘Oh, you don’t look properly. This isn’t performing. Are you okay?’”
The character was so badly harm that he started hallucinating a mysterious childhood reminiscence: enjoying on a ship with just a little woman named Lily. When Knight requested the hospitalized Parker about it later, he couldn’t (or wouldn’t) go into it. “It’ll be fascinating to see if Parker continues to disclaim his data of who Lily is or if he goes ahead and out of the blue has a confessional second,” Legislation says.
The group’s fearless chief solely lived as a result of Knight realized that to avoid wasting him, she’d should swim for assist. For the underwater sequences, a small tank was constructed, and Legislation crowded in with a wetsuit-clad digicam operator. “I’m a fairly sturdy swimmer. I used to surf. I scuba dive. I’m fairly snug and completely satisfied within the water,” Legislation says. “That being mentioned, I at all times have a masks on, or my eyes are closed.” For this scene, she needed to take care of myriad technical points, together with the chance her contact lenses would possibly float away. (Watch the video for particulars.)
With everybody safely again on land on the episode’s finish, Knight agreed to take the California job. Legislation advised us she’s been knowledgeable she’s staying on the present: “The writers mentioned that they had been going to deliver me again, however they lie generally, so we’ll see what occurs.” So, what might the producers provide you with to maintain Knight in DC?
“Possibly she goes and takes this job and realizes that she actually loves her NCIS group, or perhaps she simply desires to be again in a relationship with Jimmy full time. Possibly one thing occurs with the NCIS group that calls her again. I feel there’s a complete plethora of causes that would make her both come again or keep,” Legislation says.
Click on on the video to listen to from Legislation and Dietzen about fascinating behind the scenes particulars; their favourite Palmer and Knight scenes of all time; and the way a lot Legislation actually is aware of about The Poseidon Journey.
