Are NCIS' Jessica Knight and Jimmy Palmer only rebounds for one another? (A fan opinion)

Is a Jimmy Palmer/Jessica Knight reunion on NCIS really happening, or is the couple done for good? Katrina Law has shared an interesting idea on it!

NCIS fans were surprised to see Jessica Knight and Jimmy Palmer hooking up. The nerdy medical examiner had been single since his wife died during the COVID-19 pandemic and seemed an odd match for the action-oriented Knight. 

Yet the pair soon bonded and their relationship became clearer to their co-workers and loved by fans. Jessica also grew close to Jimmy's daughter and things looked like they were going well. 

The relationship saw cracks, however, when Jessica's dad dropped in on a case and it turned out that Jessica had never told him about Jimmy. Jessica's father ran down Jimmy a bit, describing him as a distraction from Jessica's plans to rise up in the NCIS, although Jessica said she was okay being with Jimmy.

The season 21 finale had Jessica accepting a promotion to head up her own team in San Diego. Convinced their relationship was going to fail being long-distance, Jimmy effectively broke up with her on the spot. 

Season 22 opened six months later as a case had Jessica deciding she belonged with the NCIS and she returned to the main team. However, she and Jimmy haven't been able to sit down for a talk. When it happens, it may not be what fans expect.

Are we getting a reunion between Jimmy Palmer and Jessica Knight on NCIS?

Fans are expecting the big talk between the pair to settle things and maybe get back together. But speaking to TVLine, Katrina Law hinted it may not be so easy. 

"Both of them are essentially people pleasers, and sometimes that can be toxic at times. I think what they have to ask themselves is, 'Were we each other's rebounds for the traumas that we've both recently experienced? And even though there's a lot of genuine love there, is that love enough, and can we overcome?'"

Laws' words are intriguing to think about. Jimmy was clearly coming off mourning his wife and seeking someone to take solace with. Meanwhile, Knight was still affected by losing her own former team members and some other problems when they got together. So there is a legitimate question of whether the pair was truly looking for romance or just bonding over their mutual heartbreaks and needing to belong to someone. 

Again, the relationship always seemed so offbeat from the beginning and while opposites attract, the pair just had a strange start. It could make sense it was just them rebounding and getting together more for filling a gap than a real romance. Jimmy is more open on his emotions while Jessica plays them closer to the vest and that emotional baggage can be a tough weight on both of them.

The two are fun together but sometimes it's better when they just banter on a case rather than have serious romantic moments. It's sometimes easy to forget they are truly together and the current break-up lets fans see how they can still work together without the need for romance.

There is love there, to be sure, but Jimmy knows Jessica still cares for her career a lot, and he has to concentrate on his daughter and future. Jessica may love Jimmy, but she could also worry that she's just filling the gap left by his wife and can't ever truly fill that spot. These are a lot of emotions for two people to handle, especially with a job as stressful as theirs at the NCIS.

For now, the pair are having the awkward dance of working together while ignoring their issues but it seems fans of Jessica and Palmer as a couple may be in for a tough time ahead on the show.

NCIS season 22 airs Mondays at 8/7c on CBS. Next day streaming is available on Paramount+. Stay tuned to Americans Undercover for coverage. Follow us on X for more content!