NCIS: Sydneyseason 2 can restore an essential traditionNCIS' flagship series has ignored for several seasons by opting, instead, to try new things.The Aussie-themedNCISoffshoot returns to CBS on Friday, June 25, 2025, after the network bumped the rookie cop show’s premiere back by one week.
NCIS: Sydney’scast and characters’strong personalities were established in season 1.NCIS: Sydneyintroduced Olivia Swann as Special Agent Michelle Mackey, the team leader for the AFP/NCIS Sydney task force. Mackey and DeShawn Jackson (Sean Sagar), her NCIS partner, build ties with the Australian Federal Police members who complete their task force, building relationships with Jim “JD” Dempsey (Todd Lasance) and Constable Evie Cooper (Tuuli Narkle). InNCIS: Sydneyseason 2,the team’s connections will surely advance, setting up an enthralling sophomore outing.
NCIS Has A Long History Of Slow-Burn Romances
Tony And Ziva’s Love Story Is The Best Example
NCIS: Sydneycan return the franchise’s history of slow-burn romance.NCISdeveloped a romance trend among its leading agentson the series, and it works for the franchise. The most noteworthy and memorableNCISromance of all time was the slow-burn love affair between Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) and Mossad liaison Ziva David (Cote de Pablo), who was eventually an MCRT member.NCISearned Tony and Ziva’s epic romance, barely fleshing out their romance on the flagship yet keeping Tony and Ziva’s connection as the series' heartbeat. Now, the agents will appear inNCIS: Tony & Ziva.
The pairing also worked between Special Agent Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) and Eleanor Bishop (Emily Wickersham).
A relationship between MCRT’s leading agents anchorsNCISwith compelling tension, and that’s why a love story between its leading agents works. The dynamic worked with Tony and Kate untilCaitlin Tood’s shocking death inNCISseason 2. The pairing also worked between Special Agent Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) and Eleanor Bishop (Emily Wickersham), who teased a romance for several seasons before Ellie parted ways with the team. It looked likeNCISwas going to make a bold yet wise move when it teased a romance between Jessica Knight (Katrina Law) and Nick, but alas, Nick’s girlfriend is Knight’s sister.
NCIS: Sydney’s Evie & DeShawn Can Be The Franchise’s Next Slow-Burn Romance
Evie And DeShawn Have All The Right Qualities
While the flagship seemingly misses an opportunity to establish a slow-burn romance inNCISseason 22, the franchise’s rookie procedural can take over the trend.NCIS: Sydneyseason 1 set the scene for a gradual romancebetween two of its leading agents, which has proven to be the perfect combination for the franchise. While a romance could also happen between Mackey and JD, the most promising development for the show is the budding romance between DeShawn and Evie, who established a strong connection in the series' freshman outing.
8 Biggest Reveals & References In NCIS: Sydney Season 2 Trailer
The latest NCIS: Sydney season 2 trailers may have been short but they revealed a lot of exciting information about what to expect when it premieres.
While nothing technically happened between the agents,NCIS: Sydneygave us hints that DeShawn and Evie have profound feelings for one anotherheading into season 2. While she misses an opportunity to profess her love after Evie and the otherNCIS: Sydneygirls are locked in a decommissioned bunker, Evie makes a bold gesture toward DeShawn when she believes herself to be in the final moments of her life. Evie leaves a voicemail to DeShawn, apologizing for the recent tension. The constable’s choice to leave her final, dying words to DeShawn suggests that he is significant to Evie.
Why NCIS Has Veered From Slow-Burn Romances
NCIS Is Testing Something New
NCIShas veered away from slow-burn romances in recent seasons. For instance, the flagship show established aromance between Special Agent Knight and Dr. Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen). The romance took off relatively quickly, with the couple getting together after a short time and establishing a healthy relationship that was void of uncertainty. Romances like Jess and Jimmy’s could be a way for the series to develop love stories that are upfront yet compartmentalized instead of romanticizing connections between its agents that can sometimes cheapen the criminal investigations with trivial relationship banter.
You can catch up withNCIS: Sydneyseason 1 on Paramount+.
There’s one more element to consider. While Tony and Ziva worked together frequently, the colleagues technically weren’t on the same team when they lit the flame of their romance. Ziva was a liaison officer, and Tony worked with NCIS. Similarly, Kensi (Daniela Ruah) worked with the Office of Special Projects inNCIS: Los Angeles,while her partner, Marty Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen), was an LAPD-NCIS Liaison Officer. Therefore, based onNCIShistory, Evie and DeShawn’s minor degree of separation in the workplace could prove to beNCIS: Sydney’s perfect basis for restoring a romance tradition to the franchise.
