NCIS Season 23, Episode 19 ‘Sons and Daughters’ is about legacy and about how much our parents shape the people we become, for better or worse. In the case of Kayla Vance, though she struggled with it, it’s clear that the person she’s become both has a lot to do with her father and yet is very much centered on her own choices. We don’t always have to follow in our father’s footsteps to be successful, much less happy.
When it comes to Mateo, however, the answer might be more complicated. The episode spends a long time hammering home the message that you don’t have to be what your parents want or expect from you to be successful or loved, but what exactly is Mateo? We won’t know the answer until Season 24, but the cliffhanger doesn’t leave us with many good options. For Torres or for McGee.
Overall, ‘Sons and Daughters’ is a good tribute to Vance, but as a season finale, it falls a little short after ‘Deal With the Devil’. The show clearly decided it was better to end on a high note for Vance, and on the cliffhanger about Mateo’s intentions, but when the penultimate episode feels more like a season finale than the season finale, we gotta consider whether that was the right choice.
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FOLLOW YOUR OWN PATH
The focus on a character that’s not a main member of the team feels a little anticlimactic for a season finale, but ‘Sons and Daughters’ is both a pretty nice tribute to Vance and to the idea of breaking free from expectations and choosing your own path. This is important for Kayla, of course, and for Mateo (perhaps in a bad way?), but it’s also important for Jess, who acknowledges her similarities with Kayla at one point in the episode.
What Kayla has managed this hour, and has gotten her father’s approval for, is something Jessica Knight is still struggling with, but seeing Kayla take a step towards what she wants to be and do it with Vance’s blessing might be the wake-up call Jess needs. It’s exhausting living your life according to other people’s standards. And as long as you’re doing that, it’s really hard to figure out what your own standards are. But Kayla now knows, and she’s free to go pursue her own dreams.
Interestingly enough, this new role for Kayla puts her in a position where I wouldn’t be surprised to see her again. And frankly, any Vance is always welcome in my book.
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THAT’S A CLIFFHANGER
The Mateo storyline always felt like it was too nice and tidy, so I kinda expected a curveball. I can’t say I expected Mateo possibly hacking into NCIS and walking out of there with a gun, a reference to a “they,” and for Nick to confront him, only to end with a gunshot, but without any idea who was shot, that I did not see coming.
It’s interesting, though. This show has given us some dark storylines in its time, but having McGee’s son be anything but good would be a pretty big one. It would also make the next season be as much about legacy as this episode featuring Kayla was. And as interesting as it’s been exploring Vance’s legacy as we say goodbye to him, if anyone deserves to have their legacy on this show explored, it’s McGee.
On the laundry list of things we want for next season, that’s right below some actual development for Jessica and Jimmy and perhaps a return of some familiar faces. That’s still pretty high on the list, though.
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Things I think I think:
- The glimpses of Kayla with Vance over a long period of time hurt. I guess they were supposed to, but rude, NCIS.
- I miss Vance.
- Would have also been traumatized by what happened in that cafe, not gonna lie.
- “I want to do everything I can to make sure it never happens again.”
- And you did.
- NCIS Cyber! There’s our next spinoff.
- For legal purposes, that was a joke.
- Also, young men being radicalised online, who would have imagined that? Not at all like reality.
- But can you do both, Kayla?
- Mateo seems so nice and happy-go-lucky, and I’m so concerned about where the catch is.
- Everyone looking at Kayla and thinking of Vance. It’s me, I’m everyone.
- “Are we honoring the legacy or trying to outrun it?”
- This hits hard for Jess, too.
- LaRoche is like a cockroach that will not die.
- McGee is so nice not pressuring Mateo, even if it would surely mean a lot to him if he wanted to intern at NCIS.
- The dad was a little predictable, but it tracks.
- “We have to move on. For them.”
- Come for my heart, won’t you?
- LaRoche wants to be director now?
- I thought the lousy job he did before would be disqualifying!
- “Follow your own path.” Imma cry.
- Okay, but what are you doing, Mateo?
- Why do you have a gun?
- WHO IS THEY?
- WHY WOULD THEY BE WATCHING?
- WHO’S THEY?
- Of course it ends like that.
- No way we should believe Mateo shot first, right?
- But would Nick shoot?
- And now we have to wait months, joy. Not.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of NCIS Season 23, Episode 20 ‘Sons and Daughters’? 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 aired Mondays at 8/7c on CBS. It will return for Season 24 in the fall.
NCIS Season 23 finale was a disappointment. I have been a fan since the very first episode. This episode felt rushed and too crowded. Don’t know if the writers wanted to get the script done so they can go on vacation.
Way too many curveballs, with too many situations left open like a festering wound.
Get back to premise of the show.I’ve enjoyed all these seasons. Hate cliffhangers and subplots.