With NCIS: Sydney season 2 closer than ever before, there are a few things to remember before it returns for its sophomore year. As an NCIS spinoff, NCIS: Sydney is the first show in the NCIS universe to expand beyond America. The procedural puts a unique spin on the franchise by combining the American Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the Australian Federal Police in a unique NCIS/AFP task force that supports the American military base in Australia.
The international offshoot has typically followed the structured format of NCIS episodes featuring a new case every episode, but there have been a few twists. Besides the unique location, NCIS: Sydney has also introduced an interesting partnership between two vastly different characters, Mackey and JD, the leaders of NCIS and AFP respectively. NCIS: Sydney's characters bring life to the series and separate it from its predecessors. Even with just 8 episodes, season 1 featured a riveting amount of plot developments, making NCIS: Sydney season 2 something to look forward to.
8 JD's Son Was Kidnapped In The Season Finale
Jack Was Held Hostage As Leverage
One of the most memorable moments in NCIS: Sydney was when JD's son, Jack, was kidnapped in the season finale. His kidnapping came as a major shock but followed a pattern of unexpected twists in the ending. Jack was kidnapped by international criminal Yaroslav, who wanted to exchange Jack for Ana Niemus, his colleague who was being held for questioning by NCIS. The unfortunate kidnapping happened at Jack's birthday party while JD was still at work.
While the superior officers of the NCIS/AFP task force forbid the team to exchange Ana for Jack, the team was able to work around their demands and sneak Ana out in hopes of bringing Jack back to his family. Fortunately, JD and Jack were reunited in the emotional finale, both physically unharmed. Saving Jack's life gave JD a stronger appreciation for his family and season 2 will likely show him as a more involved parent after the harrowing incident.
7 Rankin Was Tied To The Kidnapping In The Season Finale
Rankin's Involvement Was Revealed In A Cliffhanger Ending
The NCIS/AFP task force's boss, Richard Rankin (Lewis Fitz-Gerald), has consistently been a bit of an antagonist to the team, but nothing could have prepared them for the shocking reveal that Rankin was connected to Jack's kidnapping. In the final moments of the series finale, after Ana killed Yaroslav, Ana tossed Jack Yaroslav's phone and told him to "phone a friend" to ask for help. When Jack called the only number on Yaroslav's phone, Rankin's phone started ringing at NCIS/AFP headquarters.
The phone call would not have been so suspicious if the team had not been watching JD live via satellite imaging that Rankin supplied. However, JD's surveillance meant that the team was privy to everything, including the unlucky timing of Rankin's phone call. NCIS: Sydney's Rankin twist means that Rankin could be a bigger problem than originally thought in season 2 if he really does have a connection to Yaroslav and Ana.
6 Ana Niemus Escaped
Ana Was NCIS: Sydney's Season 1 Villain
As the NCIS: Sydney season villain, Ana Niemus (Georgina Haig) appeared in a few episodes throughout season 1. However, her masterful skills and adaptability meant that the team was only able to catch her near the finale. Ana's ability to elude the team is also partially credited to the fact that her name is likely an alias, as the team has very little information on her, and she has gone by several different names, including Monica Rowe.
After several attempts, the team was finally able to catch Ana when she was posing as a pregnant woman who was losing oxygen along with half of the NCIS: Sydney team in episode 7. However, the team's celebration was short-lived as, shortly after, Yaroslav arranged an exchange for her by kidnapping Jack. Ana's escape in the season finale means that Ana could still come back in season 2. Even though Ana is a villain with a heart, she is still an antagonist who has shown no remorse for her actions, making any return of hers worrying.
5 Roy's Wife Is In A Long Term Care Home
Roy Was Forced To Open Up About His Personal Life
Roy "Rose" Penrose is a man of few words, but episode 5 forced Roy to reveal personal information about his family life. In NCIS: Sydney's "Doggiecino Day Afternoon," Roy revealed that his wife had dementia and was living in a long-term care home. While being held hostage in a dog cafe, Roy gets a call from his wife. His captor, a young girl who was in way over her head, allowed Roy to speak with her. Unfortunately, that meant the whole NCIS/AFP task force also listened in on his private phone call.
Before that moment, no one on the team knew about Roy's wife. The task force is still new, so it makes sense that the team does not know all about each other's personal lives yet, but Roy's disinterest in sharing information about himself could also be a way to protect himself emotionally. However, even in season 1, Roy's character growth was noticeable. Throughout the season, he started to let Blue in and even asked her at one point to drive him to visit his wife.
4 Evie Has A Past As An Undercover Narcotics Officer
Evie's Past Makes Her A Complex Character
Evie's past was the central focus in NCIS: Sydney episode 6, "Extraction." When Evie recognized a deceased man wearing a U.S. Navy Jacket, she knew that her old partner from her days as an undercover narcotics officer would need help. She slipped away from the NCIS/AFP team to return to her old cover, hoping to keep her involvement a secret. Unfortunately for Evie, DeShawn became suspicious of her behavior and ended up telling what he knew to Mackey and JD when he started to fear for her life.
In the end, all was well again, but the episode did give a close look into Evie's former career. While Evie's past life only appeared briefly in NCIS: Sydney season 1, Evie's intimate knowledge of narcotics and dealing could come in handy in season 2 if there is a similar case in another episode. Her experience working undercover also makes her an excellent candidate for future undercover work.
3 Blue Is Finally A Permanent Member Of The NCIS: Sydney Team
Her Bubbly Personality Contrasts Some Of The More Reserved Team Members
NCIS: Sydney started with the implication that Mavournee Hazel's Bluebird "Blue" Gleeson would only be a recurring character in the show. However, Blue was brought in as a permanent member of the NCIS/AFP team in episode 3. The group surprised her with a cake and a small party to celebrate her promotion in a heartwarming gesture.
Blue is a highly intelligent forensic scientist who works under the watchful eye of Roy. However, she is very insecure and highly anxious, which sometimes hinders her ability to think clearly. Her quirky personality has also been poorly received by some of the more reserved members of the team, like Roy and Mackey. As a result, it took some time for the team to warm up to her. However, by the end of NCIS: Sydney season 1, Blue became as much a member of the family as anyone else on the team.
2 Mackey Has A Tragic Past Related To Her Time In The Marines
Mackey Keeps Herself Guarded To Protect Herself
The most mysterious character on NCIS: Sydney by far is Olivia Swann's Michelle Mackey. She has revealed the least about her, and it is clear that she keeps her emotions close to her. Tough but loyal, Mackey is an excellent team leader, albeit a bit private. The closest she has ever come to revealing information about her family life is when JD revealed his son and marital troubles to her. When prompted about her own family, Mackey just said she did not have time for one.
However, Mackey did reveal a closer look into her personal history in NCIS: Sydney episode 4. While interrogating a suspect, Mackey revealed that when she was deployed, she disobeyed an order to save some soldiers, which resulted in her colleagues getting killed instead. Swann revealed that Mackey kept her past a secret in NCIS: Sydney to protect herself. Her guard keeps her safe, which means it is hard for her to open up to others for fear of getting hurt.
1 Evie And DeShawn Have A Budding Romance
The Couple Has Not Admitted Their Feelings… Yet
Perhaps the most exciting part of NCIS: Sydney season 1 was Evie and DeShawn's budding romance. While JD and Mackey needed some time to warm up to each other, Tuuli Narkle's Evie Cooper and Sean Sagar's DeShawn Jackson quickly became friends after being introduced in the NCIS: Sydney pilot. However, their quick banter and friendly conversations seem to imply that there is something more between them. As NCIS/AFP partners, they work great together and have had excellent chemistry with each other. And while they have not shared a romantic moment yet, they have had a few non-platonic incidents.
In NCIS: Sydney episode 7, when Evie was running out of oxygen and thought she was about to die, she recorded a voice note for DeShawn to hear. The voice note by itself would not mean anything particular had she made one for several people in her life. However, Evie's decision to exclusively record something for DeShawn hints at something special between them. Later, after DeShawn and JD managed to save Evie and the others on time, Evie hesitated about showing DeShawn the recording and ultimately decided to delete it.
Evie's hesitation could be nerves about whether DeShawn feels the same way, or it could represent her worries about ruining her friendship with him. It could also be the result of the instability of the NCIS and AFP joint task force. Whatever the case, Evie and DeShawn's relationship seems to be building towards the slow-burn trope, which could make NCIS: Sydney even more exciting.
