Knight & Palmer's Slow-Burn Could Set The Future For NCIS Romances

Knight and Palmer are, without a doubt, the most popular NCIS couple at the moment, and their sweet relationship may even be rewriting how NCIS looks at romances. While NCIS season 22 did not reunite the pair, it did highlight their slow growth together. That might even be more important than a quick reunion following their season 21 breakup.

With the NCIS season 23 premiere getting closer every day, a Knight and Palmer reunion also seems to be near. However, NCIS has seemingly turned away from having them get back together quickly and has instead opted to turn them into a slow-burn couple, like many other NCIS romances. But Knight and Palmer’s relationship isn’t typical.

Knight And Palmer’s Relationship Is Complicated But Atypical

Like most NCIS couples, Knight and Palmer’s relationship is complicated. They got together in a sweet, organic way shortly after meeting. However, the time preceding their breakup opened up conflicts that neither had the answer for. Even as they are broken up, they both still carry romantic feelings for one another, which are complicated by their ongoing status and proximity.

However, Knight and Palmer’s relationship is also atypical. Most NCIS couples are slow burn because one or both members have a fear of commitment or a lack of trust. However, both Knight and Palmer trust each other completely. They also both value commitment. Their issue with getting back together is finding a compromise that neither wants to make.

Knight wants someone spontaneous who will move to follow her, whereas Palmer wants someone who can offer him stability. Neither is in the wrong, and they both know that. However, their inability to reach a decision was what ultimately led to a breakup and kept them there. But at the same time, they’re having difficult conversations and growing together.

Knight And Palmer’s Slow Growth Could Be The Blueprint For Future NCIS Romances

Katrina Law as NCIS Special Agent Jessica Knight and Brian Dietzen as Jimmy Palmer in NCIS

NCIS has played the slow-burn trope time and time again, but they are flipping the script with Knight and Palmer. Rather than being a pair that dances around the idea of being in a relationship, they both take their commitment to one another seriously. This is why they’ve been so slow to reunite.

NCIS could learn from this and make future NCIS couples go through a slow, trusting growth too. It could be key to mixing up the ratio of slow-burn couples while also staying close to the heart of the trope. With NCIS season 23 introducing even more romances, there could be one that follows the trend of Knight and Palmer’s relationship.

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Release Date: September 23, 2003
Showrunner: Donald P. Bellisario
Directors: Dennis Smith, Terrence O’Hara, Tony Wharmby, James Whitmore Jr., Thomas J. Wright, Michael Zinberg, Arvin Brown, Rocky Carroll, Diana Valentine, Leslie Libman, Tawnia McKiernan, Colin Bucksey, William Webb, Bethany Rooney, Alrick Riley, Jeff Woolnough, Alan J. Levi, Lionel Coleman, Martha Mitchell, Peter Ellis, Michael Weatherly, Edward Ornelas, Stephen Cragg, Tom Wright
Writers: George Schenck, Frank Cardea, Jesse Stern, John C. Kelley, Jennifer Corbett, Christopher Silber, Reed Steiner, Nicole Mirante-Matthews, Jack Bernstein, Scott J. Jarrett, Matthew R. Jarrett, Kimberly-Rose Wolter, Don McGill, Gil Grant, Frank Military, Nell Scovell, Steven Kriozere, Brian Dietzen, Kate Torgovnick May, Jeff Vlaming, Sydney Mitchel, Katie White, Richard C. Arthur, Laurence Walsh