After a two-week break, NCIS Season 23 is returning with a new episode that mixes a tense military case with a deepening personal mystery for one of the team’s own. Episode 7, titled “God Only Knows,” will air on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 8:00 PM ET/PT on CBS. The episode will explore the dark past of a Navy SEAL while also forcing Agent Alden Parker to confront new questions about his mother’s death.
When and Where to Watch
NCIS returns with its seventh episode after a brief hiatus for the Thanksgiving holiday. The show maintains its regular Tuesday night time slot. For viewers who cannot watch the live broadcast, the episode will be available for streaming the next day on Paramount+. Subscribers to the Paramount+ Premium plan ($12.99/month) can stream the episode live as it airs, while Paramount+ Essential subscribers ($7.99/month) can watch it on demand on December 3.
Cord-cutters also have the option to watch the episode live through services like FuboTV, SlingTV, and DirecTV Stream. The episode can also be accessed live via the CBS website or mobile app.
The Case: A Kidnapping and a Troubled SEAL
The official synopsis for “God Only Knows” sets up a high-stakes investigation. The NCIS team is drawn into a case involving a kidnapped teenager. Their investigation leads them to a Navy SEAL who survived being held captive by the Taliban. While his survival is commendable, the team must now determine if the experienced soldier committed murder after returning home. The preview for the episode shows Agent Parker expressing grave concern for the kidnapped teen, noting that the suspect is a “trained killer,” promising a tense and dangerous mission for the entire team.
Parker’s Deepening Family Mystery
The other major storyline in the episode continues to build on the personal history of Alden Parker. In the previous episode, Jimmy Palmer discovered discrepancies in the autopsy report of Parker’s mother. The findings suggested that she did not die in a car accident as originally believed. In “God Only Knows,” Jimmy will finally share these troubling findings with his boss, Parker. This revelation sets the stage for another personal mystery for Parker, following the two-part season premiere that dealt with the death of his father. The episode will begin to unpack the truth behind his mother’s mysterious death.
The Main Cast Returning for Episode 7
The episode features the return of the show’s main cast, including:
- Gary Cole as Special Agent Alden Parker
- Sean Murray as Senior Agent Timothy McGee
- Wilmer Valderrama as Special Agent Nicholas Torres
- Katrina Law as Special Agent Jessica Knight
- Brian Dietzen as Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jimmy Palmer
- Diona Reasonover as Forensic Scientist Kasie Hines
- Rocky Carroll as Director Leon Vance
What Happened in the Previous Episode
The sixth episode, “Page-Turner,” centered on Timothy McGee. While promoting his latest Deep Six novel, McGee was kidnapped by a delusional elderly woman. She demanded that he find her missing son. The NCIS team worked to locate their colleague, while McGee used his skills to solve the case himself. He helped the woman get closure by revealing her son had died a hero, saving others by redirecting a crashing plane. The final moments of the episode shifted focus to Parker’s story, with Jimmy Palmer uncovering the inconsistencies in the autopsy of Parker’s mother.
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Looking Further Ahead in Season 23
The fall finale of NCIS Season 23 is also on the horizon. Episode 9, titled “Heaven and Nature,” will air on December 16, 2025. That episode will see the truth about Parker’s mother finally revealed. It will also feature Jessica Knight tackling her first mission with NCIS: Elite, which involves tracking down a former member of Gibbs’ team. This has sparked speculation among fans about the potential return of a familiar face from the show’s past.
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Credits: Cartermatt
