NCIS: Sydney Season 3, Episode 19 ‘Hunter’ & 20 ‘Killer’ are two of the best episodes of the season and give this show a proper goodbye for Season 3, while making us very excited for Season 4. Despite having more episodes than the first two seasons combined, NCIS: Sydney Season 3 did a pretty good job balancing character arcs, fun, and development for a lot of the individual relationships we’ve become invested in, and the final two episodes feel very much like the cherry on top of a pretty satisfying sundae.
In a bit of good news, the scheduling gods gifted us with a 2-hour finale, which is a very good thing considering how ‘Hunter’ ends. Imagine having to wait a week after that cliffhanger. But the best part of the two-hour finale isn’t that we don’t have to suffer a week to find out if Trey is okay, or that we get some pretty sizable crumbs about the burgeoning relationship between Mackey and JD, but that we get a great showcase for Michelle Mackey herself.
A show like NCIS: Sydney is only as good as its characters, and procedurals often live and die by their lead and their main relationship. Think of all the ones you remember, and there’s probably that one character you loved and that one ship you can’t stop thinking about. NCIS: Sydney has that, and the best news coming out of this finale is that we get to keep exploring this world for one more season.
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PARTNERS
‘Hunter’ and ‘Killer’ do a great deal to advance the relationship between Mackey and JD, but they do so in a way that feels not just realistic, but earned. Sometimes, procedurals go for the big romantic moments, and we certainly wouldn’t say no to one of those for these two in the future. But right now, the right move was this: a deepening of their connection followed by a shared awareness that what they have might go beyond partnership.
Slow-burns have the word slow in them for a reason. And of course, no one wants the slow burn to take so long that you’re annoyed at how long they’re taking instead of looking forward to when they figure it out. But we’re nowhere near there with this show. Let’s remember that the first two seasons only had 8 and 10 episodes, respectively. That’s basically two full seasons if we add Season 3. We’re good here. This is the right pace.
Because now we can believable say this is more than two people working together really well, trusting each other and even liking each other. We can say it’s two people being attracted to each other, two people who have now realized that when things go well, the first person they want to talk to is the other, and when things go badly, well… there’s no one else they’d rather call. Isn’t that what everyone’s looking for?
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WE’RE GONNA HAVE TO WAIT
Ironically, as NCIS: Sydney has given us clear signs that Mackey and JD is a thing that’s happening, a thing they’re actively building towards, Season 3 threw cold water on the possibility that we’ll get the same with Evie and DeShawn anytime soon. But make no mistake about it, this is still the endgame. The show had set it up. It’s established. They’re just choosing to take the even slower road with them.
Controversial, maybe, but I think it more or less makes sense. Mackey and JD have gotten so much more development than Evie and DeShawn, and we still need to unpack a lot of their individual baggage before we can even attempt to focus on any relationship they could have. I’d like to see that sooner rather than later, and I think we could have spent some time this season delving into just that, but procedurals rarely develop two couples at the same pace. The main couple is always going to win.
Agent Park and Trigger have been the red herrings this season, and maybe their storylines will continue into next season. But the show has already established that Evie and DeShawn care about each other a little more than either of them wants to admit. And, well, when you have the baggage they do, is it any wonder they’d do anything to avoid the relationship that feels the most real?
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Things I think I think:
- Mackey, I love you, but tell me you have another gift.
- “I thought you loved this kid.”
- See, this is how you know your team loves you: they’re comfortable enough to roast you when you deserve it.
- He got into Yale! Yale!
- Yeah, that was the only gift she had.
- Meyers has actually ended up being a very effective Big Bad, because Angus Sampson can play creepy pretty well.
- “Hey. Trey’s fine.” FAMOUS LAST WORDS.
- The comforting has gotten very touchy lately, JD.
- Did anyone think DeShawn wasn’t gonna tell Mackey? Because I didn’t.
- “Relax, I didn’t tell her anything.”/”Well, she still asked.”
- Evie, we need to talk about you being so territorial with D. You’ve literally got this thing with Trigger going on.
- I love when Mackey and JD are like “partner, partner.” We get it guys, you’re partners.
- Why you calling her Michelle? Bad guys don’t get to call her Michelle!
- I knew something was up because JD took way too long to react to Mackey “losing it.”
- “You think he bought it?”/”Are you kidding. Even I bought it.”
- “So either way, we never let it happen again.” This is how you know the relationship is not that important; we didn’t even see it.
- “Not if we want to continue working together.” Oh, a show that’s actually going to play the no fraternization card? Color me intrigued.
- Oh, Trey’s dad. Did not see that one coming.
- Instinctively don’t like you, dude.
- The bit with all of them looking at Mackey and Ryan through the window, and then DeShaw telling everyone to back up, but he and JD stay? Perfect.
- And DeShawn and JD making pacts to tell each other about Mackey? Also played really well.
- Trey, you ignoring mom already? 18 is rough.
- We better keep Trigger, because he’s useful!
- JD is too much of a nice guy, don’t be so friendly with Ryan! We’re not Team Ryan.
- “We share a son. That’s more than enough.”
- Look, I have a bad feeling about Ryan and Trey.
- Makes no sense for Trigger to stay if he’s been cleared for duty. None.
- “He’s all yours.”
- See, that’s what partners are for.
- “I did come here to gloat.” You earned it, honestly.
- Trey, you’re killing me! How do you abandon your mom?
- JD showing up anyway is giving me feelings. Like, my heart grew three sizes.
- And hey, I think we gotta talk about how important it is that Mackey lets him in.
- “You raised a good kid.”
- “Like a mini you.”
- Ryan walked out on her; she’s got a right to be mad!
- “You really do suck.” Compliment, truly.
- My head: No, they did not kill Trey. My heart: Nooooooooooooooooo.
- JD looking at Mackey is giving me flashbacks to when JD’s kid was kidnapped, except times 10 because they’re so much closer now.
- Everyone’s faces!!!
- Oh, thank God, Trey’s okay.
- “They took dad.”
- Sorry, Trey, but my first thought was like: okay, but we should care why?
- Fine, he protected his kid, I guess he should be saved.
- Doc talking about Mackey, I’m fine… I just having something in my eye.
- “So, if we’re planning on doing something stupid, now’s the time.”
- We. Not a shred of doubt.
- But so funny how JD is like, “Are we?”
- When the Jim comes out you know it’s a big moment.
- “I didn’t agree to anything.” I love it, truly.
- “Not always. Sometimes she’s asleep.” HA.
- How could Mackey do anything but help DeShawn?
- D, what are you doing?!
- No, you did not think that through.
- Did Evie stay behind with DeShawn?
- “Anyone wants out, say the word.”
- Hell, I want in at this point. No one’s leaving.
- Don’t really love D and this FBI lady or Evie and Trigger, though I get it.
- Mackey and JD are such a good partnership; half the time they don’t even need to talk.
- There’s a point in this fight where it felt like everyone was getting their ass kicked.
- Ofc, then they turned it around.
- Here we go again, Jim.
- “You good?”/’I will be.”
- You earned the gloating here.
- These random romantic entanglements for D and E give me we don’t even want to try to go there anytime soon.
- But that was a moment of recognition between them. So, yeah. We see the vision.
- The SMILE from Mackey when she sees JD. We rarely (never) see Mackey look like this.
- “Did I ever tell you you’re a catch?”
- Eh, no. We’d remember.
- That was A moment, with a capital A. And even they noticed.
- Of course she left her phone on the plane, I love you Mackey.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of NCIS: Sydney Season 3, Episode 19 and 20 ‘Hunter’ and ‘Killer’? Share with us in the comments below! And if you have your own opinion on the show, leave a review/rating on our NCIS: Sydney hub!
NCIS: Sydney airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on CBS.
Very interested to see if there’s any fallout from DeShawn point-blank pulling the trigger on Lee Myers right in front of Agent Park.
Also, are you not going to mention Blue and Rosie’s cute little ‘twinkle fingers’ prelude to dancing? Adorbs.