NCIS showrunner Steve D. Binder has addressed Katrina Law's future on the show. Almost a month after the season 21 finale aired, the EP was asked about her character, Jessica Knight's arc after accepting a job at Camp Pendleton.
Speaking to TV Line, Steve was quizzed about Katrina's status on the show, and whether or not she'll officially depart in series 22. "Well, you know, we've set something up there, and I will point you toward our track record where 'You never know,'" he said.
"We've had people look like they were going away and then it's found out they weren't going away, and then people who just disappear like Gibbs."
"I will say this. We do aim to please, and we think the audience will be satisfied with where they see this go," Steve continued. "Sometimes that satisfaction is bittersweet and sometimes it's just pure joy. You'll have to wait to find out which one it's going to be."
As fans of the show will remember, in the season finale Jessica was offered a new job as Chief REACT Training Officer by Director Leon Vance, which she gladly accepted. Unfortunately for the character, her decision didn't go down well with her boyfriend, Dr Jimmy Palmer, who was reluctant to enter a long-distance relationship.
Ready to move to another coast, Jessica's conversation with Jimmy seemed pretty conclusive, fuelling further speculation that Katrina Law will hang up her badge. But, of course, this is NCIS we're talking about, and nothing is ever simple.
Last month, Katrina herself hinted that she will appear in series 22, with her character's future determined in the next instalment. "Guess we gotta wait for CBS FALL," she penned on Instagram. "Until then..catch up on @ncisverse on @paramountplus. Thank you all for a wonderful season."
Addressing Jessica's decision to take the job at Camp Pendleton, Katrina has also mused that it was right for her character.
"I think that at the end, Jessica has to take this position because she knows deep down this is what she wants," the actress told TV Line.
"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 make 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."
So, when can fans tune into the 22nd season of NCIS? While an official release date is yet to be announced, the show has historically returned in September, so we're hoping that we'll find out what's next for Jessica Knight in just three months.