NCIS' Brian Dietzen Teases 'Best Season Finale Script' in Years With Some Closure and Some Cliffhanger

Gary Cole, Katrina Law, Wilmer Valderrama

NCIS is wrapping its 21^st season tonight with an episode in which Alden Parker (Gary Cole) and Jessica Knight (Katrina Law) discover three bodies on an old Navy ship that’s about to be sunk and turned into an artificial reef, when they’re suddenly locked inside by a mysterious figure.

And Brian Dietzen, who stars as Jimmy Palmer, told Parade at the CBS New Fall Schedule Celebration, where we spoke to the cast, said, “I can say all the normal stuff, like it’s not to be missed, but honestly, it’s the best season finale script we’ve had in years objectively speaking. It’s filled with danger, it’s filled with character intrigue where relationships are going to be changing and shifting, and some damn good scene work by Katrina and Gary.”

Since it’s a life-and-death situation, Law wouldn’t confirm or deny if Knight survives but she did say that if she does what happens in the season finale is going to dictate what happens for Jessica next season, especially because before she gets trapped on the ship, Director Vance (Rocky Carroll) offers her a unique opportunity.

Related: Sparks Fly on NCIS When Jessica Knight's Father Meets Her Boyfriend

“She has a lot of soul searching in the final episode,” Law said. “She’s not necessarily sure she’s going to make it through. It will be interesting to see if she does but there will be some fundamental changes in the season finale. And if Jessica comes back, maybe some opportunities open up that take her down a different path.”

Diona Reasonover, who plays Kasie, gave us this tease, “It’s a very interesting case and you’re going to get to see a little bit more of Parker, more of his backstory. Things that are near and dear to his heart.”

NCIS showrunner Steven D. Binder told Parade that what he’s hoping to achieve in the Season 21 finale is some closure but also some cliffhanger elements, so it’s a mixture where large things will be resolved and some new things will be opened up.

“There will be some character cliffhangers, but we want to resolve the case,” he said. “Cliffhangers are titillating but also aggravating. We’re feeling less aggravating and giving the audience more peace and then, of course, in NCIS fashion, taking a little bit of it away.”

And Dietzen wraps it up, saying “Like all good NCIS finales, people are not going to be sitting there saying, ‘I know exactly what happens next.’ They’re going to be saying, ‘Wait, wait, wait! They’re ending there? I want to know more.’ That’s what NCIS does.”

NCIS airs Monday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CBS, next day on Paramount+.

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