Nick Torres' MCRT Departure Route Solves NCIS's Fatal Problems

Published Oct 21, 2026, 8:15 AM EDT

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Warning! Spoilers ahead for NCIS season 24, episode 3, "Sleeping Dogs."Nick Torres is down a path that could end with him leaving MCRT, but it's for a greater NCIS cause. CBS's fall 2026 lineup is full of hits — from Marshals to Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage. That being said, the Eye Network's legacy series and the bigger franchise that it belongs to are having a particularly special cycle, as all three Super Tuesday shows mark the return of universe legends. With regard to the flagship, Michael Weatherly is back as Tony Dinozzo Jr., who is now the director of NCIS following Leon Vance's death.

It's no secret that the most-anticipated moment in the universe this week is the reunion of Mark Harmon's Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Dinozzo in Navy Yard. The pair's team-up takes place in NCIS: Origins season 3 instead of the flagship, however. What's flying under the radar is what goes down in NCIS season 24, particularly the narrative involving Torres, with "Sleeping Dogs" not only resurrecting Torres' undercover days, but also laying the groundwork for his potential separation from MCRT.

Torres' MCRT Separation Is Likely Part Of The Bigger CIA Storyline In NCIS

Image via CBS

After a less-than-ideal reunion with his old handler, Walt Keller, Torres goes on a self-reflection journey, coming to terms with his brutal past. His former boss offers him a job with the CIA that supposedly could allow him to have the thrill again of being on more dangerous gigs. Torres initially turns it down, but NCIS season 24, episode 3 ends with him seeking Keller to ask more details about the gig, setting up the character's potential exit from MCRT. After all, the police procedural has a precedent for such storylines, with Ellie Bishop walking away from his job in Navy Yard to be on the field.

Whether this new job becomes the focus of Torres' arc moving forward is uncertain. Instead of just a way out for the character, however, a more interesting direction for this unexpected plot has something to do with the bigger CIA storyline that has been subtly playing out in the background of NCIS. It's worth noting that at the start of the year, Dinozzo was informed of the mysterious agency's hunt for Russian spies who have embedded themselves into the organization for such a long time. Torres asking about the CIA gig is the perfect way for NCIS to be involved without showing themselves.

Why Torres' CIA Narrative Is The Perfect Way To Solve Gibbs' Bigger NCIS Crisis

CBS

Dinozzo's NCIS dealing with the CIA hacking and undiscovered spies is highly likely tied to Old Gibbs' story in NCIS: Origins. In both timelines, the titular agency is navigating similar case threads, with the prequel potentially tackling the start of it and the flagship finding a resolution. It's the same approach that CBS had when it staged NCIS and NCIS: Origins' first crossover during the 2025-2026 TV cycle. Backing up this scenario is Dinozzo's tip to his former boss about the CIA crisis that his agency recently learned about.

In terms of storytelling, going down this route is a genius way to resolve a couple of narrative issues for NCIS season 24 while also honoring its past. Firstly, it gives Torres a valuable arc, effectively addressing concerns about him having nothing to do since his cast successor, Dinozzo, is back. Secondly, if this plan is hatched by the new NCIS director and he personally sent Torres to this new undercover operation, it's the best way to showcase his abilities as a savvy leader, which is often overlooked because of his silly personality.

Finally, and perhaps the most underrated brilliance of this plan is how it harkens to the earliest years of NCIS. Keller brings up Dinozzo's undercover name — Tony Dinardo, even though the character doesn't really have extensive experience when it came to that line of work. In fact, the persona was really only used during one long arc in the flagship, when Dinozzo was sent on a personal mission by the late Jenny Shephard in relation to taking down La Grenouille. Weatherly's character pulling the same move that Vance's predecessor did with Torres would be the perfect way to honor Lauren Holly's legacy in NCIS.

NCIS

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