NCIS Season 23, Episode 8 Review: Timing Is Everything

NCIS Season 23, Episode 8 “Stolen Moments” is not just one of the show’s best episodes this season, but one of my favorites of the show’s last few years. Co-written by series star Brian Dietzen, the episode is both an emotional look at who Jimmy Palmer is and what he wants, and great commentary on technology vs. humanity.

The hour focuses on Jimmy and this new AI chatbot that the DOJ wants the NCIS team to test. The chatbot is meant to help the team improve efficiency, but the technology ends up causing more problems than it solves, even as it gives Jimmy something he doesn’t usually have: someone to talk to. But the hour doesn’t just peel a layer off the Jimmy Palmer onion; it also delves deep into one of the biggest dangling plot threads of the show in the past few seasons: the Jessica and Jimmy relationship.

In this hour, we see Jimmy exteriorize something we’ve felt from the beginning about Jessica and Jimmy: they really broke up for no reason. And though the episode doesn’t go as far as to promise that they’re getting back together, it does give us enough to make it clear that they both want to. It’s just about taking that first step.

MORE: Want a complete list of Gibbs’ rules? We’ve got one!

GIBBS RULE 24

One of the biggest messages of “Stolen Moments” is about timing. Timing for this AI chatbot. Timing for Jimmy and Jessica. Except, as we learned from Gibbs rule 24, “there’s no such thing as perfect timing.” In that last moment, at the end of the episode, Jimmy seems to have made a decision regarding Jessica. He’s walking towards her. He’s going to tell her… any of a number of things. That he misses her. That he still loves her. That they can make their own time. And then, he doesn’t.

And sure, part of it is that he sees her with Nick and thinks… maybe there’s something there. Maybe she’s moved on with her life, whether that is with Torres or not. But an almost bigger part is that Jimmy is afraid. He processed Gibbs’ rule up to a point, and it gave him courage, but he’s still in some ways waiting for a sign from the universe that this is meant to be. That the timing is indeed right.

But the universe doesn’t really send those signs. Timing is something we decide. That’s partly what Gibbs’ rule is about. We have to make the choice to go after what we want. We have to put in the work. Jimmy and Jessica broke up because… what, because they were both too afraid that it was going to be hard? They didn’t want to break up. They made it clear there are still feelings involved. And yet, neither of them really tried again. They just accepted that timing was wrong for them and let it go.

In many ways, that’s the problem. Their love is something worth fighting for. It always was. Now we’re going to need the two of them to realize this and stop waiting for things to happen when they could be making them happen. And though Jimmy’s intention in this moment is less self-sacrifice and more “if you love something, let it go,” and he is indeed waiting to see if it returns, if Jessica doesn’t know that, then how are they ever going to get to where they need to be?

MORE: Here’s how to watch every NCIS show in order!

KNIGHT AND …TORRES?

This isn’t the first episode that flirts with the possibility of Knight and Torres, but it must be underscored that even though the narrative is playing with this possibility, the characters haven’t truly acted like this is something they’d consider. Nick made it clear their relationship was platonic, even while he was jealous of Sawyer. Jessica did the same when Torres was dating her sister. And though the two have great, easy chemistry, it’s always been more sibling-like than romantic tension.

Plus, there’s the fact that Nick himself has had more than one conversation with Jimmy—including one this episode, where it’s clear that he’s clocked Jimmy’s feelings for Jessica. So, to go there with Nick and Jessica at this point would be throwing a grenade into the team dynamics, and for what? A short-lived love triangle? This show has done a lot of weird things in its time, but I don’t think (or perhaps I hope), that’s not in the cards.

And I’m going to be honest, it really doesn’t seem like this is the plan. This episode makes it clear there’s still something there for Jimmy. It makes it clear there’s still something there for Jessica. And then, it throws us a wrench by making Jimmy worry about Jessica moving on, either with Nick or with someone else. But does it actually do anything to make us think that Jimmy’s concerns about Torres and Knight are in any way, shape, or form based on reality? No. It really, really does not.

MORE: Is this the year Jessica and Jimmy finally get back together?

LOOKING AT EACH OTHER (AT DIFFERENT TIMES)

What we have right now with Jimmy and Jessica are two characters who seem to be sneaking glances at each other when the other one is not looking. Jessica wanted Jimmy to notice that her idea of a perfect date was… her first date with him. Jimmy wanted Jessica to look at him at the end of the episode. Neither of them noticed when the other one was looking. Bad timing indeed.

If Jessica hadn’t made that first comment and then looked at Jimmy, you might think everything that happened in this episode is one-sided. But then again, we’ve had more than a few little hints this season that the two miss the relationship they used to have, a relationship that seemingly ended because… eh, because it was easier for Jimmy to step away than risk being hurt, and it was easier for Jessica to let him than risk hurting him or herself.

But then, they both ended up hurt anyway. And now, time has passed, and neither of them has done anything to fix it. So, what happens next? How do we move forward from this status quo? I don’t know, but since this is a procedural, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone ends up in mortal peril sometime soon. Nothing like a near-death experience to bring out feelings you were trying to hide.

MORE: What did Sean Murray tell us about McGee and what’s coming in Season 23?

Things I think I think:

• I mean, maybe you are not in on the joke, Vance.
• Cell phone thingy sounds right, I’m with you, Jess.
• “It’s gonna be a problem if some AI Bot tries to tell me how to do my job.”
• Jessica and I are one.
• Not even McGee is in on this! And the fact that he made AI the villain in his next book is perfect.
• Of course your alter ego has a huge following on Reddit, Jimmy.
• “How much damage can it do? Everyone I work with is dead.”
• FAMOUS LAST WORDS, JIMMY.
• So creepy that you can tell the chatbot what personality you prefer.
• Also, so telling that Jimmy prefers “a straight shooter, but generally positive.”
• If you have to explain the joke, Jimmy, it’s not funny.
• So, you’re telling me Jessica’s ideal first date was her date with Jimmy?
• And Jimmy missed it!
• No wonder she’s testy about the AI chatbot.
• Jimmy talking about respect for the dead and remembering our humanity was very good.
• “I’m confused by the inefficiencies.”
• Ouch, Dawn. “It can’t be good for a human’s mental health. Doesn’t this make you sad?”
• Redaction of reckless driving, lol.
• “Between agents Knight and Torres, who qualifies as the bad cop?” Or, alternatively, as the good cop?
• So, even the chatbot knows you have feelings for Jessica?
• Ok, let me get this straight, Jessica’s recent date was one of her worst, and her idea of the perfect date is her first date with Jimmy.
• Evaluating NCIS? Is this our big thing this season?
• “Which snore?” Jimmy Palmer!
• “Gibbs had a rule about timing. What was that? 24.”
• What’s rule 24?! We don’t know that one!
• Lol the Back to the Future reference.
• “Humans can read things we don’t even understand. Call it trusting our gut.”
• “There’s no such thing as perfect timing” is a perfect rule 24.
• Look, Brian Dietzen plays Jimmy in love with Jessica perfectly.
• “And know when timing is close enough.”
• What do you mean the timing just isn’t right?!
• Okay, I’m going to need the show to put a stop to this Torres/Knight tease.

Agree? Disagree? What did you think of NCIS Season 23, Episode 8 ‘Stolen Moments’? Please share with us in the comments below! And if you have any thoughts about the show, leave a review/rating of your own in our NCIS hub!

NCIS airs Mondays at 8/7c on CBS.