Vera Strickland (played by Roma Maffia) is back in the latest episode of “NCIS” Season 23, titled “Now and Then,” and she doesn’t hold back from speaking her mind with a touch of sarcasm. Her return coincides with an investigation involving an escaped convict linked to a past case, bringing her to the NCIS headquarters. Observing the dynamic between Jessica Knight (Katrina Law) and Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama), Vera quips, “Who are they? The new Tony and Ziva?”—a nod to a long-standing observation by fans.

The relationship between Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David is legendary among “NCIS” enthusiasts, full of ups and downs. The duo’s popularity even led to their own spin-off, which you can read about in Looper’s review of the Paramount+ series “NCIS: Tony & Ziva.” Vera’s comment seems to suggest that Jessica and Nick might follow a similar path. Recently, the show has been hinting at a potential romance between them, with increasing on-screen chemistry. However, the question remains: Would their relationship enhance the series?

The chemistry between Jessica Knight and Nick Torres has sparked debate among “NCIS” fans. While some detect a budding romance, opinions are split. An obstacle is Nick’s past relationship with Jessica’s sister, Robin (Lilan Bowden), adding a layer of complexity. Some viewers argue this could pigeonhole Jessica into an undesirable stereotype. As one Reddit user, u/No_Calligrapher2005, pointed out, “Not cool to make Jess the pass around girl in the office if they are headed that way?” Previously, Jessica was linked with Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen), but Season 22 clarified their romance had ended.

Should Jessica Knight and Nick Torres get together? That’s the question some “NCIS” fans have begun to ask as they pick up on the chemistry between the two of them — and the results have been mixed, to say the least. The fact that Nick dated Jessica’s sister Robin (Lilan Bowden) obviously makes the whole situation kind of awkward, but one of the main sticking points for viewers is that it’s not what they want for Jessica as a character. “Not cool to make Jess the pass around girl in the office if they are headed that way?” remarked u/No_Calligrapher2005. She was, of course, with Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen) for a little while, though “NCIS” Season 22 gave fans an update on Jessica and Jimmy’s relationship, confirming that it’s no longer romantic.

The door is seemingly wide open for Jessica and Nick to couple up, but some fans feel that it’s too soon. As u/10robins pointed out on Reddit, the most successful “NCIS” couples have taken their time to get together. “The reason a lot of people loved the Ziva/Tony and Kensi/Deeks stories was that they were a slow burn. We got to see WHY and HOW they fell in love. With these current stories, there’s none of that.” Are Nick and Jessica truly meant to be? Some fans are behind the idea, but the writers will have to come up with something that feels more natural if they want to get the full fandom on board.