CBS’ NCIS not only deals with criminal cases connected to the Navy and Marine Corps but also delves into the personal lives of the officers. Over the years, the show has featured several heartbreaking moments, including deaths, that have saddened both the characters and the audience.
One character whose death left a long-lasting impact on the show is Breena, the wife of Dr. Jimmy Palmer. Played by actress Michelle Pierce, Breena made her debut in NCIS Season 7 and appeared in a few episodes.
However, in season 18, Jimmy Palmer mentions his wife’s demise and breaks down, which leaves the viewers wondering what happened to Breena on NCIS. It is eventually revealed that Jimmy Palmer’s wife died of COVID-19 during the pandemic.
Jimmy Palmer's wife Breena passed away due to COVID-19 in NCIS
NCIS creators used Breena’s death to showcase the real-world impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, incorporating it into the storyline without losing central characters like Gibbs or Ducky. Breena’s death is revealed in the season 18 episode, The First Day.
In the episode, Jimmy, the team’s cheerful medical examiner, struggles with the tragic loss but still tries to stay positive. He thanks his team for their support as he copes with the loss of his wife. The development leaves the viewers shocked as Breena’s death is not depicted on screen.
Jimmy later reveals that Breena died of COVID-19 complications in December 2020. Due to pandemic restrictions, he was not able to see Breena in person before she died and could only talk to her over video calls. This makes her loss even harder for him.
While Jimmy usually keeps a brave face around others, he eventually breaks down and shows his real emotions to Gibbs. He is so dejected that he even struggles to say the word ‘COVID-19.’
Breena’s passing leaves Jimmy as a single parent to their young daughter, Victoria, who was born in 2015. To help him, Jimmy asks his mom to move in with him. While he struggles with his responsibilities as a single dad and the death of his wife, he carries on with his duty as the Chief Medical Examiner at NCIS.
In an interview with ET Online, actor Brian Dietzen, who plays Jimmy, stated that creators wanted to portray the devastating effect of the pandemic without killing off any main characters. Hence, they chose to showcase the pain someone goes through on losing a loved one. Dietzen said:
“The producers let me know that we want the advent of COVID to hit our team. And yet, we don't want to lose a team member. So the prospect of having Jimmy lose his wife, the most optimistic team member lose someone, came to the table and they thought it would be a great storytelling mechanic, albeit very, very sad.”
Breena returned in a dream sequence in NCIS Season 19
While Jimmy could not be with his wife during her last moments, he finally gets to say goodbye to her when Breena appears in his dream in the NCIS season 19 episode The Helpers. The episode, co-written by Brian Dietzen himself, shows Jimmy telling Breena how much he misses her as the two sit together in a field.
Breena, played by Michelle Pierce, tells him to open his eyes after he loses consciousness due to toxin poisoning in real life. The reunion gives a proper send-off to Breena with an emotional farewell between the husband and wife.
Dietzen opened up about motivation for the scene in an interview with TVLine and said:
“One of the big reasons why I wanted to put this [scene] in there was because Jimmy never got to say goodbye to his wife on-camera, and the audience never got to see her and say goodbye either.”
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NCIS is currently airing its season 22 on CBS and releases new episodes on Mondays.
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