NCIS Season 23 Episode 1 introduces a significant shift for Alden Parker (Gary Cole), who has taken over from Mark Harmon’s iconic Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Since assuming command of the Major Case Response Team (MCRT), Parker has positioned himself as a more easygoing leader, exhibiting a relaxed and adaptable style compared to his predecessor.
However, he dramatically alters this approach in the initial half of Season 23’s premiere, which begins in the wake of Roman Parker’s (Francis X. McCarthy) murder. The procedural has encountered it’s share of challenges following Mark Harmon’s exit from NCIS, with ratings declining in recent years as the show adapts.
Nevertheless, with the franchise’s prequel series, NCIS – Origins, launching into Season 2 and it’s international counterpart, NCIS – Sydney, currently in Season 3, the franchise continues to thrive. However, the flagship series was in need of a refresh to rejuvenate it’s appeal, which Parker’s narrative accomplishes in Prodigal Son, Part I.
A Comprehensive Breakdown of The NCIS Season 22 Finale
Alden learns that a person he apprehended years ago, his enduring adversary, Kansas City mob boss Carla Marino (Rebecca De Mornay), was responsible for his father’s murder in the NCIS Season 22 finale.
The previous season highlighted Parker’s narrative after he endured a harrowing incident aboard a Navy vessel during the NCIS Season 21 finale. This ordeal, which involved persistent hallucinations, drove Parker to investigate his mother’s death, ultimately strengthening his bond with his father.
The death of Roman marked the ultimate strike in the mob boss’s vendetta against Alden during the NCIS Season 22 finale, where she abducted the agent and disclosed her belief that he was responsible for her son’s demise. Marino’s scheme for revenge initiated with her pretending to be an informant for the Nexus cartel, a tactic that enabled Carla to capture Parker.
However, rather than eliminating Alden when she had the opportunity, Marino devised a much more malevolent plan to inflict pain on him by forming a friendship and subsequently killing his father. The plan was to delve into Alden’s psyche, a feat Carla accomplished with success.
In NCIS Season 23, Episode 1, Parker is determined to track down Carla, maintaining his sharpness despite the intense emotions and high stakes, all while operating on minimal sleep.
Ultimately, the circumstances resonate deeply with Parker, prompting him to act impulsively in his quest for justice, revealing a new facet of Gibbs’ successor that recalls the off-the-books operations for which Harmon’s character was famously recognized.
Alden Parker Reveals A More Sinister Aspect In The Premiere of NCIS Season 23
The search for Carla Marino brings forth a new aspect of Parker, who was already treading a dark road as he delved deeper into the details surrounding his mother’s death. In NCIS Season 22, Parker faced visions of a young girl, reliving the disturbing incident aboard a Navy vessel during the conclusion of NCIS Season 21.
Thus, Parker’s transformation has been a long time in the making, following a string of significant life changes. Nonetheless, as Parker undergoes significant changes, the premiere of NCIS Season 23 serves as the crucial catalyst for the character’s transformation.
Alden takes matters into his own hands to locate Carla, reminiscent of his previous actions when he initiated a series of bomb threats along the Eastern Seaboard to disrupt all major transit routes. This tactic is undoubtedly unethical, prompting Director Vance (Rocky Carroll) to sideline Alden and reallocate the case. Despite this, Parker and MCRT persist in their investigation.
Once the team finds Carla’s associate, who had been masquerading as an FBI agent, they attempt to apprehend him, resulting in a fight in the street and yet another reprimand from Vance. Although their suspect escapes, Parker and his team manage to track him down.
At this point, Cole’s character from NCIS takes a sinister turn, orchestrating a car theft involving the box truck he was transported in, and then resorting to underhanded tactics during the interrogation of their primary suspect, aggressively shoving him against the wall of the truck.
MCRT swiftly observes the transformation in Parker. Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) attempts to send Parker home multiple times. However, each time he does, Parker disappears from the records again. He makes a bold move while boarding the ship Carla is escaping on, the Quentin, prompting McGee to compare him to Gibbs.
He remarks, “You know what? That was Gibbs’ excuse. It didn’t work back then, and it frustrates me now,” in response to Kasie Hines (Diona Reasonover) suggesting that Parker might be acting independently to safeguard them.
Parker’s Survival Is At Stake In NCIS Season 23 Episode 1
The arrival of Harriet (Nancy Travis), Alden’s sister, encourages viewers to reevaluate their perception of Parker. Through flashbacks, Harriet examines Alden’s criminal behavior and it’s effects on their father, a resentment she has held onto into her adult life.
During a discussion with Dr. Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen), Harriet implies that her brother might possess a more intricate history than MCRT understands, reinforcing the idea that Parker will adopt a more serious demeanor in the future.
“Prodigal Son, Part I” showcases Harriet’s strict adherence to rules in stark contrast to Alden’s inclination to operate beyond conventional boundaries, a theme that escalates in the premiere. Their opposing views on justice come to the forefront when Alden embarks on the Quentin to track down Carla, while Harriet takes charge of the operation aimed at halting Marino.
When Harriet receives the directive to obliterate the ship carrying her brother, she hesitates for only a moment, issuing the command to attack just before the “To Be Continued” card appears. As a result, Parker’s fate is uncertain following the premiere of NCIS Season 23.
It seems probable that he will endure the assault and continue on the show, but the method of his survival remains a mystery. Should he manage to escape from this life-threatening situation, Parker is set for a significant season, with his personal growth still in progress.
Although it is heartbreaking to witness Parker lose a family member, it has been intriguing to observe his extensive character development, particularly since he embodies the essence of the series. In the premiere of NCIS Season 23, Parker’s narrative marks a significant step forward for the show as it begins to properly develop the character who took over from Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
Harmon was an integral part of the series, and although Parker has proven to be a competent successor, his character has not received the same level of development as the former Agent in Charge.
This is understandable, given that Mark Harmon was part of the series for 19 seasons, but it is evident that the evolution of Cole’s character is reaching a pivotal moment in NCIS Season 23. NCIS is broadcast on Tuesday evenings at 8 pm Eastern on CBS.