NCIS: Sydney season 2 is happening! Here's what to expect in the new season
NCIS: Sydney has earned itself a second season and here's what we're hoping to see when the hit spinoff returns!
Expanding the NCIS franchise internationally was probably inevitable, and this co-production between CBS and Australian television hit the ground running. The pilot's setup had NCIS Special Agents Michelle Mackey (Olivia Swann) and DeShawn Jackson (Sean Sagar) investigating the murder of a Navy officer in Sydney. They were soon clashing with the local Australian Federal Police, led by Jim "JD" Dempsey (Todd Lasance) and Evie Cooper (Tuuli Narkle).
After thwarting a terrorist plot, the two teams were paired together into a new task force, working alongside Forensic scientist Blue Gleeson (Mavournee Hazel) and forensic pathologist Dr. Roy Penrose (William McInnes).
The show was a hit, thanks to being the only NCIS program on CBS in the fall due to the Hollywood strikes. It did a good job showing the clashes between the Americans and Australians and using the Sydney area well. It also left off on one wild finale.
What happened in the season 1 finale?
The last major storyline for the season had the team capturing Ana Niemus (Georgina Haig), the freelance spy who'd when toe-to-toe with them in the series premiere. The woman was clearly working for someone else but not saying who.
JD then got word his son had been kidnapped, with the abductors demanding Ana be freed. The team realized this wasn't a rescue; rather, they were trying to silence Ana. They were aided by government agent "frenemy" Rankin (Lewis Fitz-Gerald).
JD went on his own to break Ana out himself and deliver her to a location where the kidnapper had his son. Ana ended up killing the kidnapper and tossing his phone to JD before escaping. JD dialed the last number called…and in NCIS headquarters, Rankin's cell phone rang. The final shot had Swann reaching for her gun as she faced the man.
With such a huge cliffhanger, season 2 is going to have a lot to unpack.
What can happen in NCIS: Sydney season 2?
In a press release, showrunner Morgan O'Neill on the renewal and how season 2 offers a chance to explore the agents' lives.
"We're beyond stoked with the response to the first season of the show, both in Australia and around the world, and that the team at NCIS: Sydney is returning for a second season. We're especially thrilled to invite our audience deeper into the lives of our core team, peeling back the layers to find out what really makes them tick. This will be even more important as we see the bonds of the new family tested to breaking point in the face of a much more potent enemy looming on the horizon…."
The obvious place to start in season 2 is the cliffhanger and if Rankin is truly corrupt. It's been hinted Ana was working for a larger conspiracy that may be planning something in Australia, making trying to stop it a top priority for the team.
As for the team members, JD will obviously be shaken by his son's abduction, which is likely to cause tension with his ex-wife. Mackey will also not be happy about JD breaking protocol as he could overcompensate by acting up in the field.
There's also potential for exploring Mackey's past as it's indicated a case went wrong for her and drove her hard attitude. Meanwhile, Jackson will still be adjusting to life in Sydney and perhaps continue his nice chemistry with Cooper. The season could also touch on Cooper's own rough past as an undercover cop.
Meanwhile, Blue is getting used to being more in the field rather than just being the lab rat and her quirky nature brings some nice humor. It'd be good to see her growing her confidence more for a new year. An emotional moment of season 1 was Penrose having to reveal that he had been forced to check his wife, who has dementia, into a home, which can be a distraction.
Production is expected to begin soon so hopefully the series can premiere by the fall. It's great to see NCIS: Sydney back for a second season to expand the franchise and let this new incarnation of the hit show continue to rock fans.
NCIS: Sydney season 1 is streaming on Paramount+.