Summary
Alden Parker has been a favoriteNCIScharacter ever since he joined theNCIScast and charactersin season 19, but there is one thing missing that could finally make him a great character inNCISseason 22. When Gary Cole’s Parker replaced Jethro Gibbs as theNCISteam leader, there were hesitations about whether he would match up to Gibbs' leadership. Parker, with his calm and collected nature, has shown that while he is slightly different from Gibbs, he is able to be a great leader to hisNCISteam members.
Parker has been featured onNCISfor three seasons now, showing that he is reliable and trustworthy. Despite hesitations at first, both within the show and from the audience, he has proven to be a popular addition to the team. His relationships with his colleagues are friendly and professional, while offering the right amount of believable chemistry. But as the premiere ofNCISseason 22nears,the one thing Alden Parker is missing is a satisfying emotional arc. Such an arc would transform him into the great character he deserves to be, and there are several potential storylines.

NCIS Season 22 Needs To Pay Off The Craziest Storyline That Almost Broke The Series
Aliens entered the shared NCIS universe in NCIS season 21, and Gary Cole’s MCRT needs to resolve the supernatural storyline in season 22.
A Budding Romance With Clara Logan
A Parker Romance Isn’t New But It Would Offer Emotional Depth
Parker was first introduced to Dr. Clara Logan in the eighth episode ofNCISseason 21, “Heartless.” In the episode, Christina Kirk plays Clara, a dedicated heart surgeon whose colleague is murdered. When Clara is kidnapped to perform heart surgery, Parker goes with her while pretending that he is also a heart surgeon to keep Clara safe.The two have great chemistry togetherafter initially being opposed to one another at the start of the episode. Throughout the episode, they also learn to trust one another and demonstrate the ability to open up.
A fresh romantic relationship would add more emotional complexity to Parker and would be an exciting addition to the new season.

The relationship the two of them had during the episode built enough of a foundation for a potential future romantic relationship in season 22. A fresh romantic relationship would add more emotional complexity to Parker and would be an exciting addition to the new season. While Parker was previously married to ex-wife Vivian Kolchak, not much is known about their relationship except that they ended it on good terms.A new relationship with Clara in season 22 would give Parker the push neededto propel his character development forward.
A Deeper Look At Parker’s Family History
Discovering Parker’s Connection To Lily Would Help His Character Development
TheNCISseason 21 finalerevealed the mysterious Lily, a girl that Parker hallucinates and calls out for as he bleeds out in a tense last episode. When Parker’s colleague, Jessica Knight, asks him about Lily, Parker says he does not know anyone by that name and that he does not remember calling out for her. While the exact connection between Lily and Parker is unknown, it is assumed that she is a deceased member of Parker’s family. While Parker was not ready to talk about Lily in season 21,the possibility of it is open for season 22.
A deeper look at Parker’s family history would reveal his connection to Lily and help unravel some of the emotional trauma that comes with those memories. The emotional arc that his family history would bring would also add to Parker’s character development and help turn him into a great and complex character.NCISis known for its character developmentand learning more about Parker’s family history is one way to add to the character development of the upcomingNCISseason 22.
