Wait, is NCIS: Sydney about to go there with Mackey (Olivia Swann) and JD (Todd Lasance)? It certainly seems that way, thanks to a moment between them at the end of the May 12 Season 3 finale. TV Insider spoke with Swann about that and more. Warning: Spoilers for the NCIS: Sydney Season 3 finale ahead! 

For Mackey, going up against the drug syndicate Collective and specifically Meyers (Angus Sampson) gets personal: Her son Trey (Noah Eid) and his father Ryan (Ryan Panizza) are both involved in a car crash that leads to the latter being abducted. The team puts together an op that allows them to follow Meyers, who thinks his men break him free from a prisoner transport but it’s really Mackey and JD, to the plane where Ryan is being held. Meyers does sell the Collective’s entire operation to Callahan, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and he gets away, but Mackey leaves her phone on his plane — after jumping out of it with Ryan!

“It’s been a wild ride this season, and it was a pretty intense finale for Mackey. It was really fun to throw myself in and commit to all the emotions she was going through,” Olivia Swann tells TV Insider. “And I got to fake-jump out of a plane, which was awesome!”

At the end of the episode, with Meyers in custody once again, the team celebrates Trey’s 18th birthday. Mackey sits down close to JD and tells him he’s a catch … and then they’re interrupted when her son wants to take a family photo.

Below, Swann breaks down the Season 3 finale and shares her hopes for Season 4.

'NCIS: Sydney' Season 4: Cast, Premiere Date, More Details
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'NCIS: Sydney' Season 4: Cast, Premiere Date, More Details

At Trey’s birthday party, Mackey and JD share a moment on the couch after she tells him he’s a catch before being interrupted. What’s going through Mackey’s head in that scene? Where’s her heart when it comes to JD?

Olivia Swann: Throughout Season 3, we’ve seen glimpses from both Mackey and JD that their feelings run deeper than just being work partners, and, after such an intense mission, Mackey is riding the high of having both her son and her team safe, so she’s definitely let her guard down for sure. I think she’s acting on her feelings in a rare moment of privacy with JD, highlighting the comfortability and connection they have now. Maybe she’s also testing the water to see how he’ll respond, because a little flirting never hurt anyone, right?

Morgan O’Neill has said, in regard to Mackey and JD, “The challenge is you can’t go there. It ruins everything.” He noted the workplace problems that could arise. But it feels like they’re getting closer to this being something they can’t ignore. What’s your perspective on their relationship?

The “will-they-won’t-they” between the two leads of a procedural is a tale as old as time. As much as you want them to lay it all bare and just go for it, you’re at risk of losing some of the simmering, unresolved tension that’s so fun to watch. I think you’re right though, Mackey and JD’s feelings are becoming harder for them to ignore, and I’d say that’s just as compelling. They’re two people who deeply care for one another, have each other’s backs — there’s so much love, in many senses of the word, between them already. I think it would be really dynamic to see how they interact with the heightened awareness that their feelings may be growing.

How was it to explore Mackey and Trey’s onscreen like we saw near the end of this season?

I was so excited for everyone to meet Trey this season, and Noah was just the best! I’ve wanted to get into “Mom Mackey” mode since Season 1, and it was really cool to delve into their relationship which, let’s be honest, isn’t the most straight forward. It was interesting balancing Mackey in work mode while she was trying to be a mom at the same time.

Olivia Swann as NCIS Special Agent Captain Michelle Mackey and Noah Eid as Trey Mackey — 'NCIS: Sydney' Season 3 Finale

Asher Smith/Paramount+

How tough was it for Mackey to not only have Ryan around but have it be at such a tense time, have him caught up in the case, and find out how close he and Trey are?

I really felt for Mackey in these episodes. Her relationship with Trey and how absent she’s been as a mother, despite her best efforts, is such an insecurity for her. So, seeing Ryan, who she still resents for leaving all those years ago, have such a bond with Trey cuts her deep. And then to find out her own son doesn’t have faith in his mom to rescue his dad is another blow. So, her drive to save Ryan stems from her willingness to do anything for her son, no matter the cost.

Mackey wisely left her phone behind on the plane. We know Mackey’s not the type to let things go. Is she able to feel satisfied at all with the fact that Meyers is in custody when Callahan is still out there and with what he got away with? That should be an entertaining arc next season…

Yes, that was a very maverick, very Mackey move, which I love. I think there is a level of satisfaction for her, definitely after having the last word with Meyers, but I wouldn’t say Mackey is a woman who lets things go easily, especially if there’s still a case to solve.

We knew that Mackey and DeShawn (Sean Sagar) went back to those JAG days and about that court martial, but how was it to get to put that onscreen? 

It was so awesome to work on those flashback scenes. Mackey and DeShawn’s history has always been something I’ve wanted to explore, so having the space to figure out who they were before NCIS: Sydney was very cool. I wanted to make sure I kept the strength we know Mackey has, along with her resolve and conviction, but I also wanted to add a little recklessness and naivety to her as well. She’s come a long way since she was court martialed, but she’ll never stop fighting for what she knows is right.

What are your hopes for Mackey in Season 4?

I’m really intrigued to see where Mackey and JD’s relationship will go, what tests they might face together both professionally and personally. As we’ve said, something’s bubbling there, so I think it’s only a matter of time before they’re forced to face their feelings and deal with whatever drama that might come with it.

NCIS: Sydney, Season 4, 2027, CBS

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Originally published on tvinsider.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.

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