Following Emily Wickersham’s Surprise NCIS Return, Showrunner Reveals What’s Next For Bishop And How This Will Affect Torres

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Warning: SPOILERS for the NCIS episode “Heaven and Nature” are ahead!

The recent midseason finale of NCIS Season 23 largely revolved around uncovering the truth about Alden Parker’s mother. But the episode, titled “Heaven and Nature,” concluded with a surprising twist unrelated to that storyline. Emily Wickersham made a return appearance as Ellie Bishop – four years after leaving the show – observing Parker’s mother’s funeral. Simultaneously, Jessica Knight discovered that Bishop was the intended target of her very first high-stakes NCIS assignment.

The 23rd season of NCIS will be back on TV in a few months, as part of the 2026 schedule. While we wait, the show’s creator, Steven D. Binder, has given a preview of what’s coming up with Bishop and how her storyline will impact her connection with Nick Torres, played by Wilmer Valderrama.

What’s Next For Bishop On NCIS

As a huge NCIS fan, I was totally shocked when Ellie Bishop left at the end of Season 18! She basically threw her career away on purpose, letting everyone think she’d messed up, all as part of a secret undercover operation her boss set up. I was reading an interview with executive producer Steven D. Binder, and he started to explain exactly how this mission ties Bishop and Knight together, and it sounds really intriguing.

As a film buff, I’ve learned she went on a really tough, fascinating assignment overseas, and that’s basically been her life ever since. It’s incredibly demanding, emotionally draining, and honestly, dangerous – people do die, and she carries the weight of that responsibility. Let’s just say she’s not living a luxurious life anymore, and she’s changed. There’s still a part of the old her – she still loves her Klowny Kakes, which is funny – but she’s a very different woman than the one who started this journey. A lot has happened to her, and that’s why we’re looking for her now, and why it seems like she might have done something wrong.

While Binder didn’t share details about what Ellie Bishop did, viewers will soon understand her reasons. However, don’t expect this to launch a major, season-long story arc. The show’s creator explained that this storyline will be resolved fairly quickly.

We’re wrapping up this particular storyline in a single episode, giving the character a clear ending. While we enjoyed working with the actress Emily and she enjoyed her time with us, we don’t currently plan to continue this plotline. We’ve done long, drawn-out stories before, but this won’t be one of them. We’re moving on to focus on what viewers are most interested in, and we’ll provide a conclusion – though whether fans will like that conclusion remains to be seen. We’ll have to wait and see how it’s received.

Steven D. Binder explained that Emily Wickersham’s character, Bishop, could potentially return to NCIS in the future. He believes the recent storyline has made Bishop a more complex and compelling character. Fans can also be relieved to know she will survive the current events. This situation is similar to when Cote de Pablo unexpectedly returned as Ziva David in the NCIS Season 16 finale and appeared in a few episodes of Season 17.

How Bishop’s Return Will Affect Torres

Throughout their five seasons working together, Ellie Bishop and Nick Torres shared an undeniable romantic tension, eventually leading to a kiss right before Bishop’s departure. When asked about how Torres might feel upon learning she’s back, executive producer Steven D. Binder explained:

If you look at their final scene together, you’ll see she was about to leave without even telling him the truth. She planned to let him think she’d committed a crime. But she felt obligated to do that – it was her duty.

That scenario could have worked if Bishop and Torres had kept their relationship strictly professional. However, considering this is NCIS, and the characters—both current and former—are essentially a family, they frequently disregard orders when it comes to helping one another. Binder then continued:

It’s reasonable to assume that people in strong, trusting marriages – especially those working in government – share confidential information with their spouses, even if it’s against the rules. So, if I were Nick, I’d be upset if my wife hadn’t been honest with me. That seems to be how he’s feeling: she disappeared, she wasn’t truthful, and she didn’t even say goodbye. It’s understandable he’d be shocked by her sudden return, and I doubt his reaction will be unexpected.

Steven D. Binder shared that Jessica Knight will likely have to inform Torres about what’s going on with Bishop, even though Vance asked her to keep it secret. It seems Knight will prioritize her loyalty to her team over following orders. This development makes me wonder how it will impact the potential romance between Torres and Knight, hinted at in the episode “Stolen Moments.” Season 23 of NCIS returns on Tuesday, February 24, but it’s unknown when, or if, Ellie Bishop will reappear.

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2025-12-17 17:15