With less than two months to go until NCIS returns with a two-part season 23, we now have some exciting casting news! In the aftermath of Agent Alden Parker (Gary Cole) losing his father, we will be meeting one of his relatives beginning in the first episode of the season.
This relative will be played by Nancy Travis, best known for her work in The Last Man Standing. Travis will play Navy Vice Admiral Harriet Parker, his sister. According to TVLine, the kind of relationship they had as kids will inform how they act as adults, especially in the wake of what happened to their father, Roman.
Fans may recall that Roman was killed by Parker’s nemesis, Carla Marino, in the season 22 finale. Marino had blamed Parker for her son’s death, and while he thought she wanted to kill him, in fact, she took his father to make him suffer.
In addition to having lost his father, Parker has also been dealing with a mystery surrounding his mother’s death, ever since he dreamed of a mysterious figure named Lily while on death’s door at the end of season 21. Lily turned out to be a young bystander photographed in a newspaper clipping about his mom’s car accident, but so far, that is all Parker knows about her.
While Lily was confirmed not to be his sister, we will now meet his actual sibling, who showrunner Steven D. Binder described as being the total opposite of Parker growing up. Parker has admitted to not always being a great kid and has been to juvie, whereas his sister was “the good kid.”
This dynamic between the two will still be kicking, and there will be sniping involved between Parker and Harriet. However, considering they are at work and not at a family gathering, it’s safe to say there will likely be awkwardness involved and gossip fodder for the rest of Parker’s team.
The season 22 finale also had medical examiner Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen) discover there was something off in the report about his mother’s death. So far, he has only brought his suspicions to Agent Jessica Knight (Katrina Law), but we’re sure to find out what has him concerned when the season premieres.
NCIS season 23 premieres on CBS on Tuesday, October 14 at 8/7c. In addition to watching the show on CBS, it is also streaming on Paramount+.