The NCIS season 23 trailer begins with a shocking twist: Agent Alden Parker (Gary Cole) is in jail. The new season promises to be explosive, and it looks like it won't disappoint.
After the NCIS season 22 finale ended with Parker coming home to find his father murdered and two glasses of wine on the table - one of which had Carla Marino's (Rebecca De Mornay) lipstick on it - the new season's trailer focuses on Parker's revenge.
The shocking NCIS season 23 trailer reveal: Parker is in jail
Is Parker's attempt to get said revenge what lands him behind bars? Director Vance (Rocky Carroll) pays him a visit, clearly angry at what Parker did, while the latter insists he's "trying to make things right". Vance's reaction suggests that whatever Parker's actions were, they may have put not only himself but the whole team on the line.
According to TV Insider, Director Vance is done with letting the team overstep boundaries. He may have looked the other way in the past - or even helped at times - but now he wants them to follow the rules. The only problem is, as Parker so eloquently puts it, that if you want to catch Carla, "you don't follow the book. You flip the table".
While Parker drives the team into darker ways to get the job done, Vance urges them to "stay loyal to the truth, and this team."
The whole team goes rogue in NCIS season 23
The others are, as always, loyal to the team. And they're not about to let Parker face Carla alone. They all go rogue to track her down. According to executive producer Steven D. Binder, we'll also see how this side of Parker ties back to his past: "in juvie homes, in trouble, arrested all the time". Fans may not thank Carla for the pain she’s caused, but at least we get to see a much more nuanced Agent Parker than ever before.
The trailer also hints at how Parker isn't the only one feeling the weight of Carla's mind games. As Agent Knight (Katrina Law) points out, Carla "wanted Parker to suffer". Killing him would've been too easy. She's after breaking him, and he's determined to bring her down, once and for all, with the help of his devoted team.
Could this reckless investigation, however, lead to Parker's death? The trailer wants to keep us on the edge of our seats until the season premiere, ending with Parker in a room full of explosives.
With Parker’s future hanging in the balance, Carla pulling the strings, and the team stepping into dangerous territory, NCIS season 23 looks set to be one of the most intense seasons yet.
We'll have to wait until Tuesday, Oct. 14, when NCIS season 23 premieres on CBS at 8/7c. After Oct. 14, Tuesday nights are once again NCIS nights. Previous episodes are streaming now on Paramount+.
Stay tuned to Precinct TV for more NCIS updates.