Warning: SPOILERS for the NCIS episode “Left Unsaid” are ahead!
Weeks after week on NCIS, we see Wilmer Valderrama’s Nick Torres and Gary Cole’s Alden Parker solves crimes together. And, as it usually the case on procedural shows like this, these two and the rest of their teammates are closer to one another than your average coworkers. However, fresh off tonight’s episode of NCIS Season 21, titled “Left Unsaid,” dropping on the 2024 TV schedule, there’s a fun twist that’s been put on Torres and Parker’s personal relationship, and I’m really hoping the popular CBS show, which can also be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription, explores this more in the coming weeks.
The case for this week’s episode was certainly filled with twists and turns involving a missing petty officer with ties to a stealth submersible powered by proprietary battery technology, a bizarre business called Bold Ventures that allows one to confront their fears in… shall we say, unorthodox ways, and said officer having a secret, wealthy father. But it’s the fact that Torres and Parker are currently roommates that really piqued my interest in “Left Unsaid,” which was directed by NCIS: Los Angeles vet Daniela Ruah.
Why Torres And Parker Are Currently Roommates
Before anyone gets too concerned, no, Torres is not living with Parker because of fallout from what the former went through in the NCIS Season 21 premiere (although I am still worried about him drinking again). This is simply because Torres’ landlord discovered mold in his building, and while he could have easily sprung for a hotel while his apartment is taped off, crashing on Parker’s couch comes free of charge. There’s even something in it for Parker, as he’s been wanting to get in better shape, so having a man like Torres around who’s exercises a lot and eats healthily is most beneficial.
Unfortunately for the team, this results in Parker bringing grapefruit slices rather than his usual pastries on the morning this new case starts, but it gets even worse for Torres. Even he’s getting sick of all “salads, juices and 4 a.m. workouts every single day” that Parker’s become obsessed with, and while he didn’t go around advertising it, even Torres has his cheat days with meals. Parker took the “Torres Lifestyle” too far, but Torres doesn’t want to share the truth with him because he doesn’t want to disappoint the man.
While it initially looks like Parker isn’t going to back down from his dedication to healthy living, by the end of “Left Unsaid,” he admits that the Torres Lifestyle is too much for him; the “wacky juices and workouts” just aren’t doing it for him, and he misses his pastries. So before the episode is over, Valderrama’s character gets to save face by commending Parker for giving it his best and continue pretending like he follows the Lifestyle all the time.
We Need To Learn More About Torres And Parker Living Together
Obviously I don’t expect Torres and Parker to permanently live together, but as Kasie laid out at the end of the episode, there’s no way Torres’ apartment will become inhabitable again in just a week. These two will need to keep living together for several more weeks, and since NCIS Season 21 consists of just 10 episodes. I think there’s a distinct chance we could follow up on these two still being roomies.
It’d be great to peek in on Torres and Parker at the latter’s home, perhaps learning about something they share in common from their personal lives, or maybe getting into some kind of disagreement Odd Couple-style. On the more serious side of things, if Season 21 delivers into Torres having fallen off the wagon, it could be interesting to see Parker discover that his co-worker’s drinking again and trying to help him through this difficult period. NCIS thrives when it leans into its main characters being a found family, so if there are more opportunities for Torres and Parker to form a deeper connection with each other, they should be seized.
New episodes of NCIS premiere Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS, with NCIS: Hawai’i following immediately afterwards. There are also two new NCIS shows on the way: NCIS: Origins, which has cast Austin Stowell to play the young Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and a yet-to-be-titled Paramount+ series focusing on Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David.
