‘NCIS’: Is Torres’ Brutal New Hobby His Way to Deal With Bishop and Gibbs’ Departures?

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

• The promo for the next all-new epsiode of NCIS reveals Agent Torres has taken up a brutal new hobby.
• Is it his was to cope with the departure of two characters he was very close to?
• Fight or Flight will be the last all-new episode of NCIS for awhile.

The NCIS promo for the next episode shows that Agent Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) may have a brutal new hobby. And it has fans asking some serious questions. In the wake of Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and Bishop’s (Emily Wickersham) recent departures, has Torres turned to MMA fighting as a way to cope?

Agent Bishop said goodbye to ‘NCIS’ at the end of season 18

For a couple of seasons, a romance appeared to be brewing between Bishop and Torres. But at the moment it looked like they were ready to take their relationship to the next level, Bishop went on an undercover mission — and Wickersham left the series after seven seasons.

NCIS did give Bishop a great sendoff when she and Torres said their goodbyes. After she tells him about going undercover, he realizes that’s why they never hooked up.

“That’s why you blew me off,” Torres says, to which Bishop replies, “I didn’t mean for us to happen.” Then, Bishop kissed Torres goodbye.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs left early in season 19

In the fourth episode of season 19 — “Great Wide Open” — Mark Harmon took a step back from the series that he’s starred in since 2003. Which meant Gibbs stayed behind in Alaska after the case he was working on came to an end.

During his final episode, Gibbs said a special goodbye to each and everyone of his team members. The moment for Gibbs and Torres came as Torres drove his boss to the airport. Gibbs tells him that he’s a good agent and a good man before warning, “Don’t let this job become all that there is. Take care of you.”

Is Torres’ brutal new hobby his way of dealing with the recent ‘NCIS’ departures?

The 20-second promo for the next episode of NCIS — titled “Fight of Flight” — hinted that Torres has taken up the dangerous hobby of MMA fighting. Could the brutal sport be his way of dealing with Bishop and Gibbs’ departures?

The clip begins with Torres looking rough as he walks into the NCIS offices. McGee (Sean Murray) immediately notices and tells him, “Looks like you had a late night.”

As Torres removes his sunglasses and gives his fellow agent a nasty look McGee jokingly adds, “That, or you just got your pupils dilated.”

Is Torres part of an underground fight club?

While McGee ribs Torres, the promo quickly cuts to what appears to be an underground fight club. Complete with Torres swinging punches in the ring. Then, it jumps to Agent Parker (Gary Cole) leading up an investigation that features a murder victim with a missing eye.

The promo makes it clear, though, that the focus of the upcoming episode will be Torres and his violent new hobby. Is this really how he is coping with the loss of his father figure and his love interest?

“You look like you’re trying to get yourself killed,” McGee tells Torres at the end of the clip.

Torres’ story on ‘NCIS’ will continue after the Olympics

When “Fight or Flight” airs on CBS, it will likely be the last new episode of NCIS until after the Winter Olympics. The network has not confirmed that TV’s most-watched drama is going on a break. But networks have a history of airing reruns during the games. And the scheduled episode for January 31 is a rerun of episode 3 “Road to Nowhere.”

It looks like they are revisiting Gibbs’ departure while the Olympics air on NBC. This means Torres’ story probably won’t continue until new episodes of NCIS return in late February.

The next episode of NCIS — “Fight or Flight” — airs Monday, January 24 on CBS.