CBS Hints At NCIS's Dark Future Beyond MCRT

Published Oct 23, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT

Cher Thompson is a Senior Staff Writer at Screen Rant, where she covers everything from explosive reality TV moments to cast interviews about the twists and turns of scripted dramas. With a background in creative writing, marketing, and teaching, Cher knows how to spot both the storytelling genius and the guilty pleasures in pop culture. Her work blends wit with insight, making readers feel like they’re chatting with a friend who just happens to know way too much about TV.

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NCIS has spent years developing its core characters, especially in the newest era of the series, but its surprising roadmap appears to feature a detour into something much darker than viewers have seen from the franchise before. Throughout the impressive run of NCIS, viewers have seen their fair share of dark stories from the flagship series, which have ranged from deep undercover stories to brutal murders of their own team members. Even in its darkest moments, however, NCIS hasn't recently told a story where one of its own agents has seemingly flipped a switch and found themselves entirely in the depths of darkness.

NCIS season 24, whether it's meaning to or not, is teasing a story that could do just that. While the season has had a sense of levity to it with the return of special agent turned NCIS director Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly), another story unfolding on screen has a more intense edge. Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) has been a member of the MCRT since NCIS season 14, but his past has always been nipping at his heels. During the most recent episode of the series, Nick's dark past came back in a massive way, painting a better picture of who he used to be.

Although Nick made it clear to his team lead, Agent Alden Parker (Gary Cole), that he was going to continue down the path of resistance when it came to his near-vigilante desire to bring those who deserve it to justice by any means necessary, his actions said otherwise. Nick's choice made it seem likely that dark changes are coming to NCIS in the very near future.

Torres' Dark Past Came Back Into Play During NCIS Season 24 Episode 3

CBS

While Torres' past has always been known to be a darker one, NCIS season 24 episode 3, "Sleeping Dogs", made it clear that things were more intense than viewers had realized. With the episode opening with a flashback that saw Torres brutally killing a man during what eventually becomes clear to be a part of his undercover work, viewers are tossed into the world of a completely unrecognizable Torres. Operating as Dante Navarro, his cover while infiltrating an organized crime family, Torres had to be comfortable with being violent, more so than NCIS viewers have witnessed in the decade since his debut.

As Dante begins to haunt Torres' present day, NCIS brings the past into the present with his former handler, Walt Keller (Mike O'Malley), making an appearance. Keller knows a very different Torres than the rest of the MCRT, and while he's able to get on board with who Torres has become in the years since he's known him, it's clear that Keller feels that Torres leaving his quasi-hitman past behind was a major mistake for someone with his unique skill set. As the case revolving around Torres' past continues to take shape, the longtime agent is visibly struggling to keep his composure.

While the case concludes in a way that allows Torres to retain his professionalism, it's obvious throughout the final act that he's having a harder time than he should with restraining his impulses. Despite the fact that Torres has changed over the years, he has a tough time suppressing his instincts.

NCIS Season 24 Episode 3's Final Moments Paved A New Path For Torres

As NCIS' most recent episode came to a close, it was clear that Torres felt like he was at a crossroads. Keller, who offered Torres a side job with the CIA during the episode, finds himself with Nick at his doorstep questioning if the position was still available despite having pushed back against it originally. While Nick, who'd reassured Parker that he was planning to share how he was feeling after admitting that he'd struggled to push his violent instincts down during the case, wasn't necessarily doing something wrong, he definitely wasn't doing something that will be condoned by the MCRT, either.

With an ambiguous ending that led viewers to the possibility that Torres could be moving in the direction of living a double life, even for a short time, NCIS season 24 made it clear that a dark path is ahead for the long-time character. While undercover work has always been a positive for Torres, knowing that he may be moving in a darker direction with the dangerous style of work could be a huge indicator that things are going south. With Torres' old world becoming all the more appealing after he revisited, things are likely to get worse before they get better.

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The consequences of Torres' decision may not be immediately clear, as it's still not certain that he's taking the CIA job, nor is it directly stated that he's doing so without Parker's awareness, but the possibility that Nick is doing something dangerous and devious is strong.

Torres' Plan May Not Be What It Seems, But May Hint At A Dark Future

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While things may seem bleak, the most important thing to note about Torres' storyline is that he hasn't been confirmed to be leaving NCIS, which is a great sign as the narrative moves forward. Though the show wouldn't likely be upfront about such a major departure, Torres' story in the most recent episode was a sign of more to come, not a sign of the end approaching. With a huge shift in his character, Torres could find himself having to learn how to trust his instincts and, at the same time, hold himself back from going too far yet again.

NCIS season 24 has already been full of change, and while it hasn't been unheard of for the series to lose cast members midway through the season, it seems less likely that he's leaving than that he's about to take on a huge, character-altering story. It's of interest that Torres is beginning to go through something big, as well, with the return of his former partner Ellie Bishop (Emily Wickersham) on NCIS: Origins season 3 in the coming weeks. As Nick moves to balance his work with the MCRT and the CIA side job, likely with some difficulty, NCIS could reunite the former partners.

With "Sleeping Dogs" giving NCIS a way to proceed with Torres' storyline in multiple ways, the character is finally going through something darker and more difficult than viewers have seen before. After years of exploring Nick from one angle, NCIS is taking a vastly different approach and opening the door for a dark change.

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  Sean Murray

  Timothy McGee

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  Michael Weatherly

  Tony DiNozzo