Note: This story contains spoilers from the season 22 premiere of “NCIS.”

On “NCIS,” the team disbanded for the summer, but a “super hardcore” mission in California brought everyone back together before the end of Season 22, Episode 1.

In the Season 21 finale, Special Agent Jessica Knight (Katrina Law) decided whether she should leave the team in DC and take a new job in California. Monday’s premiere, titled “Empty Nest,” revealed that Knight had left after all, but a few months into her stint, she was already involved in a case with her old team leader Parker (Gary Cole) – a case where it it was about her taking a priest hostage.

A flashback revealed that Knight helped Parker find Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama), who disappeared after going undercover on a cartel assignment. A member of Knight’s new team found himself in the middle of the investigation, but the suspicion that the priest was actually the leader of the cartel holding Nick hostage got Knight into trouble. She asked Parker to seek legal advice from a divorce lawyer (played by “Nobody Wants This” actress Jackie Tohn), who ended up getting involved in the case himself.

“While I was reading the script, I felt like a spectator. I was like, ‘This is super hardcore and I love it,'” Law told TheWrap. “Ultimately, it was things like this that brought her back to DC. She loves this new job in California, but she’s an adrenaline junkie and loves living this life and being a field representative.”

In fact, the agent was offered an even better promotion in California after catching her abuser, rescuing Nick and clearing Knight’s name. However, she declined and returned to her old job with Parker and the rest of the team in DC

As made clear in the Season 22 premiere, Dr. Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen) still has complicated feelings about Knight’s move. Her return offers her and Jimmy a chance to talk about the issues that led to the end of their relationship, with Law teasing that an “uncomfortable” conversation is coming in Episode 4.

Below, TheWrap spoke with Law about keeping the secret about Knight’s summer future, her future with Jimmy and more:

TheWrap: What a great way to open the season and resolve the cliffhanger of Knight’s job opportunity in LA. How soon after last season’s finale did you learn about Jess’ future – and your own – on the show?

Law: I knew I would never leave. It was fun in a really sadistic way to watch the internet collapse over this and the speculation surrounding it. A few people have already redesigned me.

The stakes are high from the start as Knight is involved in this hostage situation and she is the kidnapper! How did you react to the premiere when you saw the script?

I was very excited to see how they would bring the team back together. I knew I was going to come back, but I didn’t know how they were going to pull it off… When I read the script, I felt like the viewer I was going to say to, “Oh, this is super hardcore,” and me love it.”

Ultimately, it was things like this that brought her back to DC. She thinks, “I love this new job and love California.” My new React agents are great.” But ultimately she’s an adrenaline junkie and loves living this life and working as a field representative… As stressful as that is and it challenges you, that’s how it lives and that’s how it thrives.

It’s a very special personality type who can do that and still stay healthy. And I think she actually started to go a little crazy because she was so confident and careful. When she saw Parker’s face appear, I think it clicked.

Is there any future reason for Knight to regret turning down the promotion?

As the season begins, we find Knight in the early stages of a very big personal growth spurt. For years she has happily walked in the shadow of her father, who was a very influential figure on NCIS. But now she has decided to step into the sunlight. I think there is freedom and strength that Knight derives from making her own professional and personal decisions that are 100% her own. This also means that all her mistakes, all her regrets, all her pitfalls, everything she does wrong now falls 100% on her shoulders.

So yes, she might regret it. But I think ultimately she knows that even if she does, she needs to do what she wants and do for her mental health more than anything else now.

Knight and Jimmy haven’t been able to interact because she’s not back yet, but he certainly seems eager to reunite, so we know there’s more to come. What can you say about the further development of this relationship?

So the fun thing about the relationship is that we’re going to approach it in true “NCIS” style, which is to not deal with it.

In Episode 4, the two come to the realization that the entire time Knight has been back, they haven’t been alone together and haven’t talked or chatted about anything. They both pretended everything was fine and everything was great, or at least they tried to, and they end up in a situation where they’re alone with each other and they can’t get out of that situation. Suddenly they’re like, “Oh, maybe we need to talk.” It’s candid, it’s heartbreaking, it’s heartwarming, it’s embarrassing and it’s everything I think audiences want to see.

The other big figure in Knight’s life is her father, who will certainly have a lot to say about all of these developments. Will we see him soon?

We talked about getting him back. Russell Wong, who played my father (Special Agent Charge Feng Zhao), is great and we had great chemistry between us and the audience really responded to him. That’s why we hope he comes back and plays with us. There’s a lot to tell there. I think Knight’s family is pretty hysterical.

I would like to somehow be able to go on a mission with my father, even though he is retired, or perhaps be involved in one in some way.

We also see the beginning of a possible new rivalry between the DOJ and NCIS this season, made even more complicated when the DOJ’s new big bad is hired as the new deputy director of NCIS in place of McGee (Sean Murray). What can you say about how he’ll shake things up?

He’s already started to shake things up. McGee’s senses, which are usually pretty accurate, definitely detected him and I’m not sure what effect that will have. But I’m pretty sure it won’t end well for him somehow.

It’s always difficult to have someone in your department who knows they’re a big bad, especially when they’re higher up… but I think it’ll be up to the NCIS team to try and get that many Collect evidence as possible about the big evil below.

The show is back for a full season this year. What can you say about what happens next?

It’s so nice to be normal again. Last season was so hard just because of the strike, not only for the cast and crew, but also for our fans. I feel like a lot of them feel like they’ve been robbed with just 10 episodes, especially after 22 years of consistency. That’s why it will be nice to give them back what they love and give it to them for the entire season. Hopefully with the addition of “Origins,” which is turning out to be a great show, and “NCIS,” coming soon before, it will be a full night of “NCIS” with fans tuning in for just a few hours to enjoy it just being a part of our world.

“NCIS” airs Mondays at 9pm ET/PT and streams the next day on Paramount+.

The post ‘NCIS’ Star Katrina Law Breaks Knight’s ‘Super Hardcore’ Season 22 Premiere Decision: ‘She’s an Adrenaline Junkie’ appeared first on TheWrap.