Bishop & Torres’ NCIS Future Teased By Stars After Ambiguous Reunion Ending: "They'll Find Each Other Again"
5 days ago
20
Paramount Press
Published Mar 4, 2026, 9:34 AM EST
Ana Dumaraog is a Writer and Editor at Screen Rant, where she expertly covers Network TV offerings, among other things
She has spearheaded the effort to make the site an authority on broadcast shows, initially starting with The Big Bang Theory franchise, NCIS, and One Chicago before taking on the specialization in general.
Ana has also covered a wide-spread of topics in the past — from franchises like, the MCU and Star Wars, to classic TV favorites, such as Frasier and MASH.
Ana brings clarity and enthusiasm to every story she tackles—whether reporting on new releases or offering deep dives into fan-favorite franchises. Her coverage translates complex entertainment developments into engaging, audience-focused content.
Warning! Spoilers ahead for NCIS season 23, episode 10, "Her."Ellick had to go their separate ways again, but that doesn't mean they will never be reunited.
Despite clearly still having feelings for each other, NCIS season 23, episode 10 ended with the pair separating. Bishop returned to her undercover operation while Torres remained with MCRT. It was a bittersweet split, as their last conversation hinted at a possible reunion in the future. When or if that eventually happens is currently a big question.
Speaking to TVLine, Emily Wickersham and Wilmer Valderrama broke down their characters' parting talk, trying to make sense of what the future might hold for them. The Bishop actor looked at it from a trusting sense, hoping that, eventually, the pair would be reunited to finally have the love affair that NCIS never really gave them. Read her comment below:
Yeah, I think that's always considered. I think the two of them have such a rapport, and they really have, like, a soul connection. But I think there's also such a mutual understanding of what they're doing in this moment in time. Bishop has such a great respect and understanding for where he's at right now in his life. I don't know. It was an interesting moment. Because I thought about it. I was like, "Is she upset?" I think it's more of a knowing that everything just works out as it will. They found each other, and they'll find each other again.
As for Valderrama, he looked at it from a storytelling perspective. Admitting that while the more romantic way to wrap up the story was for Torres to take on Bishop's offer, NCIS's commitment to realistic storytelling made him stay with MCRT. This doesn't mean that he doesn't love her, it's just that, objectively, he can't just up and leave like that.
One of the credits that I give this show is that they're very logical about these things. And no matter how romantic it could be about giving the audience exactly what they expect and how they wanted to end, what I love about "NCIS" is that they keep it pretty grounded and pretty realistic. Like, how realistic is it? I'm gonna jump on this plane with you right now and leave my team? I think we get to see that his wheels did turn, and perhaps maybe he did consider it. You talked about how quickly he answered, but I think he's been thinking about it since the moment he saw her. And I think that's why we played the efficiency of that conversation, because it's been an episode that, once they started trusting each other and started going for the same cause, we realized very quickly that that feeling of trust has come back. Therefore, that could have been a consideration halfway through the episode. And what is her life like? What do you need? And in a moment like that, you have to consider it. He was not blindsided by the fact that she was that forward about it. You could feel that they're great partners, and they could do a lot of good together as well, besides the emotional part of it. So I find that the answer was cryptic enough that it told Bishop how he was really feeling, and then also told her, "I still have a duty to perform out here." And that's something we both kind of respect about each other's characters.
For context, Bishop's NCIS season 18 exit was regarded as one of the worst ways that the show wrote out a character. As a procedural, it has ended countless character arcs in its more than two decades on the air. However, because of how abrupt and uncharacteristic Wickersham's character was in her swan song, it left a bad taste. Bringing her back in NCIS season 23 required a lot of careful planning, as she couldn't just pop by for a visit after she essentially burned all of her best relationship with her old team.
In an ideal world, Bishop would have returned permanently and reclaimed her old spot with the MCRT. She and Knight could have been NCIS's new tandem after years of focusing on male partnerships. That said, Wickersham's return was a one-time thing — at least for now. With her relationships with Torres and McGee now effectively fixed, the writers of the procedural can bring her back more easily moving forward. For what it's worth, the actor has also been open about being interested in the idea.
Emily Wickersham returns to NCIS after five years, with the show revisiting Ellie Bishop's loose arcs and setting up her future in the franchise.
While NCIS season 23 leaves the door open for Bishop and Torres' romance, the harsh truth is that it cannot materialize without any game-changing plot in the CBS procedural. The pair needs to be together, as they can't have a full-fledged affair if they are separated. Either Torres has to leave MCRT and join the undercover world again or Bishop leaves her current job for a more stable crime-fighting gig. Until then, it's unlikely that fans will see them properly get back together.
Directors
Dennis Smith, Terrence O'Hara, Tony Wharmby, James Whitmore Jr., Thomas J. Wright, Michael Zinberg, Arvin Brown, Rocky Carroll, Diana Valentine, Leslie Libman, Tawnia McKiernan, Colin Bucksey, William Webb, Bethany Rooney, Alrick Riley, Jeff Woolnough, Alan J. Levi, Lionel Coleman, Martha Mitchell, Peter Ellis, Michael Weatherly, Edward Ornelas, Stephen Cragg, Tom Wright
Paramount Press
:quality(85):upscale()/2026/02/02/940/n/1922153/tmp_2bS324_5518251436641b44_Photo_Grid_3_Up_-_Burgundy_Green-2-Photo_Grid_4up_Main_-_Green_Burgundy_1_.jpeg)
English (US) ·