NCIS’ Jaw-Dropping Season 2 Plot Twist Changed It All Completely, Fans Say

Summary:

• CBS’ long-standing police procedural hit NCIS has seen a lot of characters gone for good or introduced ahead of their long-time vital role in the show, but one particular death in the series has changed it completely ever since the first seasons.
• The character, killed by a sniper during a special operation, had a big impact on almost every other character involved that later on was repeatedly demonstrated in the following seasons.
• Despite their death being a shocking plot twist for viewers and others in the show themselves, the character eventually was replaced by another agent that seemingly embraced their whole legacy.

Over the course of its 21-year television run, CBS’ police procedural show NCIS has been constantly reshaping its story by adding and removing characters, something that would make the plot go in a completely different direction.

Such changes mostly did affect the storyline, but only one character from the first ever seasons gave the whole show a radically switched perspective that later on helped introduce another significant cast member.

Kate’s Death Was a True Game Changer for NCIS

Caitlin "Kate" Todd, a special agent portrayed by Sasha Alexander in seasons 1 and 2, had some special impact on her colleagues that the latter ones didn’t really become aware of until Kate was gone.

Shot in the head by a sniper after she and other agents successfully went through a warehouse that presumably served as a terrorist cell’s hide-out, Kate left the show, but still redefined it all and made NCIS what it is today throughout all those years being kept in her colleagues’ memory.

Though the other agents had to leave their grief aside to get back to work, Caitlin’s legacy stayed with them for quite a long time being repeatedly demonstrated in the following third season and even later installments. The character’s colleagues DiNozzo and Gibbs are shown making up a special code, the phrase for which is “I've got Agent Caitlin Todd looking for her” meaning that someone is dead.

Both viewers and other characters found it very hard to reconcile with Caitlin’s loss and the show proves it with some heart-breaking scenes in season 3 where the agents are trying to cope with their friend’s death by evoking in their mind an image of her that was the most familiar to each of them.

The series then proceeds with a more detailed sneak peek into the characters’ imagination showing that, depending on the type of relationship that Caitlin had with every one of her colleagues, she would be pictured very differently, starting from her clothes and ending with the way of talking.

Caitlin’s sudden death was even more surprising given that Sasha Alexander’s contract had mentioned her pivotal role right up to season 6 at least. The actress nonetheless had very solid reasons to quit the show as she felt extremely pressured by NCIS’ tight shooting schedule that wouldn’t allow her to feel alive, let alone take up some other projects.

Alexander’s departure later on opened a whole new opportunity to shine for Ziva David who replaced Caitlin in season 3 and took not only her job position, but also the status of the most beloved character.

All seasons of NCIS can be streamed on Paramount+.