‘NCIS’: Vance Has a Romance and Parker Tries to Protect Him After a Home Invasion
The latest NCIS episode was intense. Director Vance’s home is broken into, and agent Parker must jump in to protect him. We also get a glimpse inside Vance’s personal life. Here’s what happened last time on NCIS.
Director Vance is the victim of a home invasion
During NCIS Season 20 Episode 5 (titled “Guardian”). Agent Vance (played by Rocky Carroll) wakes up to get a glass of water and finds three criminals in his home, going through his paperwork. As soon as he sees them, he says, “You all picked the wrong house.” He then fights off the men.
One of the other criminals points a gun at him and fires, but he misses. Vance is able to defend himself and kill the shooter. Parker springs into action and has the team investigate the break-in.
Jimmy and Agent Knight’s romance isn’t a secret
In the next scene, the team talks about how tired they are. Since they worked late, they came to the office in their pajamas. One unexpected twist is that Agent Jessica Knight is wearing Jimmy’s T-Shirt. Torres reads the shirt, which says “Medical Examiners Convention 2013.”
McGee points out that Jimmy Palmer has the same T-Shirt. Jess thought no one knew about her and Jimmy, but she now realizes that’s not the case. Her teammates suspected they were together, but the T-Shirt confirms their suspicions.
The NCIS team comes to Vance’s aid
The NCIS team has reason to believe Vance was targeted. He’s planning to go to a conference in Berlin, but Parker advises against it. Vance isn’t convinced he should cancel his trip. “I understand your concern Agent Parker, but I’m not going to let a threat stop me from doing my job,” he tells Parker.
Vance says he will be OK because he has security. He then introduces his security agents to Parker. After greeting them, Parker says, “You’re dismissed,” and tells Vance he’s going with him to Berlin so he can protect him. McGee steps in as acting NCIS director, but he’s not thrilled about it because he would rather be in the field. Later, McGee warms up to the role and considers it as his next career move.
When Vance makes it to Berlin, he bumps into Deputy Lena Paulson of the German Federal Intelligence Services. It’s clear from their interaction they’re having a fling. Lena is quite impressed with Vance. “He’s a bit of a legend in these parts,” she tells Parker during their introduction.
Vance doesn’t like having a babysitter
Vance appreciates Parker’s help, but he doesn’t like someone in his space, watching his every move. After Parker sweeps the room, Vance tells him he can handle himself and that it’s not the first time his life has been threatened. Parker tells him this is the first time it happened on his watch, so he’s being careful.
Vance was planning to meet Lena in her hotel room, but when Parker finds out, he tells him he has to accompany him. Vance isn’t thrilled, but Parker has a job to do.
Unfortunately, someone got to Lena’s room before he did and shot her. The people who were in Vance’s house booked a flight to Berlin. The team learns Lena stole diamonds that were found during an assignment she and Vance were on a few years ago.
Lean exchanged the diamonds for money and put them in a trust fund for a child she took in who was found in the criminal’s house. She raised the girl as her own, but she never told anyone about it.
Vance wonders if he will be ‘married to the job’ forever
Vance is disappointed when he discovers what Lena did. He talks to Parker about his life and how it has turned out. He understands now why some agents are “married to the job.”
“Back when I was an agent, I used to look at the older guys in the office,” says Vance. “Most of them were single, they were drinkers, married to the job. I always wondered if I would end up that way.”
Parker says Vance didn’t end up that way because he got married and had a family, but Vance says he’s alone in a big house.
“Now I’m alone in that big house,” says Vance. “The job is all I got left.” He was hoping things would be different with Lena and that he wouldn’t be alone anymore.
Right now, the future doesn’t look good for Vance and Lena. This isn’t surprising considering the track record for NCIS relationships. When Vance visits Lena in the hospital, she asks if there will be a “next time,” and he doesn’t answer. He can’t get over Lena breaking the law, even if she did something good by taking in the child. It looks like Vance will have to make the most of living in that big house by himself.
NCIS airs Mondays at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on CBS.
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