The NCIS team tackled a case with personal ties and a mysterious past in a recent episode called ‘Moonlit’. This new episode brought back a fan-favorite character and introduced fresh faces while pushing a major storyline for the team leader forward. The episode aired on March 24, 2025, on CBS, ending a two-week break for the show. Audiences saw the return of a character not seen since Season 20, creating instant drama with one of the main agents.
The Main NCIS Team in ‘Moonlit’
The core agents we follow every week were all present in the investigation. Gary Cole continues as Supervisory Special Agent Alden Parker, whose personal journey took a significant turn this episode. Wilmer Valderrama and Katrina Law had major roles as Special Agents Nick Torres and Jessica Knight, leading the primary murder investigation. The rest of the familiar team includes Sean Murray as Timothy McGee, Rocky Carroll as Director Leon Vance, Brian Dietzen as Dr. Jimmy Palmer, and Diona Reasonover as forensic scientist Kasie Hines.
The Returning Guest Star: Zane Holtz as Agent Sawyer
A major draw of this episode was the return of Zane Holtz as Special Agent Dale Sawyer. Sawyer works the night shift for NCIS, and his last appearance was back in Season 20. His comeback immediately caused friction, particularly with Agent Torres, as the two have a complicated history. Sawyer refers to himself as Torres’s “frienemy”.
Sawyer’s return was not under good circumstances. He was reprimanded by Director Vance for violating NCIS policy regarding secondary employment. The case of the week—the death of a Navy Lieutenant—was directly tied to Sawyer’s own side job working private security at night, which is the “moonlighting” referenced in the episode’s title. This disciplinary action is what brought him back to work with the day crew.
New Guest Stars and Their Key Roles
The murder investigation led Torres and Knight to a wealthy family, introducing new characters played by notable guest stars. Isabella Hofmann played Kate Reynolds, a businesswoman whose family became entangled in the case. Her performance added complexity, showing her character was more than she initially appeared.
Playing her daughter, Shayna Reynolds, was Stevie Lynn Jones. Shayna’s actions on the night of the murder were crucial to solving the case. Another key guest was Francis X. McCarthy, who returned as Roman Parker, Alden Parker’s father. A conversation between Parker and his father revealed new, troubling connections within their family history.
The Ongoing Mystery of Lily
A continuing storyline this season involves Alden Parker’s visions of a young girl named Lily. This subplot progressed significantly in ‘Moonlit’. While investigating the murder, Parker discovered a shocking connection between Lily and the death of his own mother.
The young actress Kensie Mills continues in her recurring role as Lily, the mysterious girl who appears to Parker during moments of stress or danger. This episode brought Parker closer to understanding why she appears to him and what secret from his past she represents.
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Where to Watch NCIS ‘Moonlit’
The episode ‘Moonlit’ originally aired on Monday, March 24, 2025, at 9:00 PM ET/PT on the CBS television network. For viewers who stream, the episode is available on Paramount+. Subscribers to Paramount+ with SHOWTIME can watch it live or on-demand, while Paramount+ Essential subscribers can watch on-demand the day after it airs.
The show’s twenty-second season, which includes this episode, premiered in October 2024 and is scheduled to run through May 2025. CBS has already renewed NCIS for a twenty-third season, set to start in October 2025.
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