{"id":439323,"date":"2026-05-13T08:48:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T08:48:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/439323\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T08:48:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T08:48:16","slug":"ncis-sydney-season-3s-supersized-finale-left-mackey-risking-it-all-professionally-personally-and-the-team-down-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/439323\/","title":{"rendered":"NCIS: Sydney Season 3’s Supersized Finale Left Mackey Risking It All (Professionally & Personally) and the Team Down One"},"content":{"rendered":"

Critic’s Rating: 4.2 \/ 5.0<\/p>\n

4.2<\/p>\n

What is it the kiddies say? Ain\u2019t nobody fresher than my clique.<\/p>\n

Our supersized NCIS: Sydney finale was satisfying, offering plenty of great moments and developments, along with some ship-teasing for just about everyone.<\/p>\n

But mostly, it put, well, I won\u2019t say a period on the end of The Collective storyline, but maybe a semicolon, and sometimes that\u2019s more than enough to call it a good day\u2019s work.<\/p>\n

\"\" (Daniel Asher Smith\/Paramount+)<\/p>\n

One of the most interesting things that \u201cHunter\u201d did was finally introduce us to Mackey\u2019s baby daddy, who was hot, mostly nice, and worked in politics. They had a fascinating chemistry.<\/p>\n

I couldn\u2019t quite figure out whether they ever clicked, and there were moments when I couldn\u2019t tell whether Ryan was still interested in Mackey or wanted to pursue something.<\/p>\n

But he had a decent enough rapport with Trey, which was hard to swallow given that we only really knew that Ryan bailed on Mackey when she was pregnant, and things were tense from that point forward.<\/p>\n

I was as curious about the dynamics unfolding in that family as JD, DeShawn, and the others were. But I loved that those two specifically wanted to stop the gossip train while also wanting all the tea themselves.<\/p>\n

Ryan\u2019s appearance was just unusual until we saw that so much of the finale case and The Collective plot would revolve around him, only in the sense that his boss was the person Lee had been working for, and that taking Ryan was a great way to get to Mackey.<\/p>\n

\"\" (Daniel Asher Smith\/Paramount+)<\/p>\n

Bless his handsome little heart, he was our damsel in distress for two hours.<\/p>\n

On a personal front, though, I was curious about Mackey\u2019s dynamic with Ryan and what that means for her and Trey. She was genuinely bothered by his presence, even when he was trying to be nice and cordial with her.<\/p>\n

But she was mostly hurt that Trey and Ryan had forged this close bond, and she had no idea about it. It had her feeling left out of pertinent information about her child\u2019s life. And seeing that dynamic had her feeling inadequate, too.<\/p>\n

It actually broke my heart a little to see how she and the gang had this huge plan for Trey\u2019s birthday party, and instead, he went with Ryan and Callahan to dinner, wherein they had to deal with the accident and Ryan\u2019s abduction.<\/p>\n

Mackey was already feeling out of touch enough when buying a gift for Trey. The subscription to a business magazine was\u2026 terrible, truly. But as much as she loves her son, there\u2019s still a lot she doesn\u2019t really know about him, and it takes moments like that for it to hit you in the face.<\/p>\n

\"\" (Daniel Asher Smith\/Paramount+)<\/p>\n

I felt for her in those moments. And then she overheard Trey\u2019s conversation with Rosy, in which he doubted she\u2019d do everything in her power to get Ryan back. Gut punch much? Yikes!<\/p>\n

The finale served as a great reminder that while Mackey loves her son with everything that she has, there\u2019s still a lot of unspoken strain with that dynamic. I\u2019d actually be curious to see how Mackey continues to navigate that with Trey.<\/p>\n

Seeing Trey with Ryan wasn\u2019t easy, and I really love that JD was there for her. He understood her better than the others could, as a parent, and he\u2019s always a bit more attuned to Mackey\u2019s softer side.<\/p>\n

He also had her back throughout the entire investigation, but then everyone did. <\/p>\n

I always love those moments when the group\u2019s leader knows they\u2019re about to do something illegal and risky, and they give everyone an out, but their squad doesn\u2019t bat an eye.<\/p>\n

The entire finale gave off that energy, as Mackey\u2019s friends were willing to go through the fire with her to get Ryan back and take another stab at Lee and The Collective.<\/p>\n

\"\" (Daniel Asher Smith\/Paramount+)<\/p>\n

A pleasant surprise was that Agent Park, the woman who attempted to get DeShawn to give her intel on Mackey during NCIS: Sydney Season 3 Episode 18<\/a>, was just as willing to get her hands dirty on this one.<\/p>\n

It was so great to see Maia Mitchell again, and I\u2019ve really missed her onscreen. Yes, I\u2019m still in my Good Trouble<\/a> feelings. What else is new?<\/p>\n

Park was properly humbled when she realized that DeShawn had already spoken to Mackey about Park\u2019s offer, so her attempt at acting as if she didn\u2019t know him was silly. And Mackey personally handed her the files of NOTHING that she needed.<\/p>\n

But Park was a good sport about it, and she actually was a great addition to the team as she worked alongside them in this joint operation. <\/p>\n

One of the funniest moments of the finale was literally everyone bringing out their badges and reciting a litany of agencies they belonged to while trying to obtain financial records.<\/p>\n

\"\" (Daniel Asher Smith\/Paramount+)<\/p>\n

Of course, topping that with Blue in all her nerdy NCIS <\/a>attire as she worked her magic in the system was the icing on the cake for that moment.<\/p>\n

Park was great, though. She wasn\u2019t afraid to get her hands dirty, she was fine with everyone once she realized that she could trust them, and she came through in many ways throughout the finale.<\/p>\n

She also had some great chemistry with DeShawn. It\u2019s unofficially the season of romantic engagements, and DeShawn getting some chemistry kicking off with someone, too, was nice.<\/p>\n

They\u2019d be a super-adorable and super-hot couple. I\u2019m just saying.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s safe to say that they both earned each other\u2019s trust in the field after saving one another a few times. Park being the only thing keeping DeShawn from falling from that skyscraper was a doozy, and if he hadn\u2019t shown up when he did, Lee would\u2019ve surely killed Park.<\/p>\n

\"\" (Daniel Asher Smith\/Paramount+)<\/p>\n

As a \u201cBig Bad,\u201d Lee has been a great one. He\u2019s intimidating and unpredictable, and the reach that he has, well, that\u2019s been stressful all around because it makes him feel untouchable.<\/p>\n

This operation has been so messy all around. We had another military operation that went sideways as part of a cover-up situation with The Collective, which kick-started the finale\u2019s one case in the first place.<\/p>\n

And then it became this race to solve what they could and get some level of justice before other agencies and those who hold power beyond their control could get involved.<\/p>\n

Our team often finds itself poised between right and wrong, holding its line when others fail to do so. The case has so many nuances and went in so many little directions, including going after Australia\u2019s version of Pablo Escobar.<\/p>\n

And it was also a great case to have Trigger out in the field and useful, from hotwiring elevators to handling bombs.<\/p>\n

\"\" (Daniel Asher Smith\/Paramount+)<\/p>\n

I just love the full team and some rallying during this hour, and we got so many great, badass moments because of it.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, I\u2019m glad that Mackey succeeded in shipping Lee off to Romania. But that leaves Callahan in the wind, and he\u2019s someone that they\u2019ll likely have to come face-to-face with again someday.<\/p>\n

My frustration is that it\u2019s a worthwhile arc that could take a few episodes to explore properly, but NCIS: Sydney Season 4 <\/a>doesn\u2019t have extra episodes to spare.<\/p>\n

Also, our team will look a little light next season. I\u2019ve absolutely LOVED Trigger throughout the entire season. He\u2019s been one of my favorite characters.<\/p>\n

But he\u2019s since proven himself while working with our gang, and now he\u2019s up to rejoin the bomb squad. I guess they aren\u2019t worried about his Death Wish anymore because he\u2019s no longer acting as if he has nothing to lose. <\/p>\n

Part of that is because of Evie, as well as the family he\u2019s found there.<\/p>\n

\"\" (Daniel Asher Smith\/Paramount+)<\/p>\n

Where I\u2019m bummed is that Trigger, being immersed in the group, has almost exclusively started revolting around Evie now. It would\u2019ve been nice to see him share his news with everyone, and for them to be that blend of sad that he was leaving them and proud of him, too.<\/p>\n

After all, JD and Mackey both took a chance on Trigger, giving him a place to land at his worst.<\/p>\n

But this new job presents the opportunity for him and Evie to become something deeper.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s with NCIS: Sydney<\/a> playing so coy with its relationships? I\u2019m not expecting HBO-level graphic content in romance, but it\u2019s been odd to have characters allude to things without ever seeing any onscreen physicality.<\/p>\n

We can surmise that Trigger and Evie finally hooked up. And Trigger has truly been a goner for Evie. He wants something more serious with her. But she made it seem like it was a one-time thing, mostly because they work together. <\/p>\n

\"\" (Daniel Asher Smith\/Paramount+)<\/p>\n

Well, now they aren\u2019t working together. He\u2019ll be at the bomb squad, and his first assignment is in Cambodia. They almost got a kiss when he shared that. Chances are, they\u2019ll be celebrating on their own off-screen later.<\/p>\n

But Trigger and Evie\u2019s dynamic is unusual, largely because it has lived in an indefinable space, with hints and innuendo up until now, and some verbal confirmation, but not much else. Would it kill them to give us a smooch or something?<\/p>\n

If we dug into it a bit more, it would\u2019ve been such a great way to peel back some layers and explore how Evie hides behind humor and puts up walls with people. <\/p>\n

She\u2019s trying to do that again with Trigger. <\/p>\n

Without the excuse of them working together, and with him going to Cambodia on an assignment for however long, I wonder if she really could navigate a real, healthy, stable romantic relationship with someone?<\/p>\n

\"\" (Daniel Asher Smith\/Paramount+)<\/p>\n

I have no doubt she has feelings for Trigger. You definitely see that when things are more harrowing, and she\u2019s afraid of losing him. As of now, we\u2019re seeing him be a bit more in love with her than she is with him, though.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s interesting is also seeing how that reflects Mackey and JD\u2019s dynamics these days. There\u2019s an unspoken agreement of professionalism between them.<\/p>\n

But what\u2019s fascinating this season is watching Mackey be so soft with JD. <\/p>\n

She genuinely likes him, and we\u2019ve seen all these little moments when she can barely hide it. We\u2019ve also seen those moments when it feels like she\u2019s throwing something out there to see how he\u2019ll react to it.<\/p>\n

The ball is in his court right now. <\/p>\n

\"\" (Daniel Asher Smith\/Paramount+)<\/p>\n

Maybe Mackey finds some comfort in the fact that he\u2019s not exactly giving in, and the moment he does, she\u2019ll pull back. <\/p>\n

But from her body language, to her facial expression, to her words and actions in the most dire of moments, Mackey has strong feelings for JD, and it\u2019s undeniable.<\/p>\n

The intimacy of them sharing beers in her apartment, just relaxing on the couch together, was just so different than how things were earlier in the series between them.<\/p>\n

Repeating that at the station, when she told him that he\u2019s a great catch in that flirty way she did, there was no misinterpreting her feelings then.<\/p>\n

\"\" (Daniel Asher Smith\/Paramount+)<\/p>\n

Had they not gotten interrupted, I wonder how much further Mackey would\u2019ve gone with her coquettish behavior, as it had slid from fun, subtle poking to overt, open flirting.<\/p>\n

Mackey keeps looking at JD like she\u2019s ready to risk it all, and JD has been harder to read because he mostly comes across as aloof. And I don\u2019t know what to do with any of this!<\/p>\n

I\u2019m also curious if they\u2019ll do a role reversal on this front come next season to get some more life out of this \u201cwill, they\/won\u2019t they\u201d thing they\u2019re hinting at<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While I\u2019m still bitter about this shortened season and the fact that we won\u2019t see this gang again until next year, hopefully I\u2019ll be ready to tackle it all then!<\/p>\n

Bits and Bobbies:<\/p>\n

\"\" (Daniel Asher Smith\/Paramount+)<\/p>\n

The contrast between Park\u2019s fashionable business aesthetic and our team walking around in tank tops, flannels, and cargo pants had me laughing.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m really not a Trigger\/Evie hater at all because I love them both. But I did miss the Evie\/DeShawn dynamic on the back half of the season.<\/p>\n

Mackey and Rosy dancing together was so cute!<\/p>\n

DeShawn and JD\u2019s deal to tell each other gossip first made me laugh. I love their bromance, and we need more of it onscreen. Golden moments.<\/p>\n

I loved every second of the action during this finale. JD going toe-to-toe with the special forces guy while goading him? Priceless. DeShawn holding his own against Lee? Loved it. DeShawn\u2019s elevator and window shenanigans? They really let our guy get to be the action-star during the finale, and I loved that for him (and us).<\/p>\n

I do wonder if they\u2019ll revisit the fact that DeShawn pulled that trigger and would\u2019ve killed Lee in cold blood if there was a bullet left. And Park watched. It seems like something worth unpacking later, no?<\/p>\n

Over to you, NCIS: Sydney Fanatics!<\/p>\n

How are you feeling about losing Trigger full-time? Are you picking up what Mackey is putting down? Let\u2019s break down this finale below, and let us know what you want to see next season, too!<\/p>\n

\"NCIS:<\/a><\/p>\n

JD deals with heartbreak as the rest of the team takes on a diamond case on NCIS: Sydney Season 3 Episode 16. But The Collective lurks! <\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

CBS is cutting back NCIS: Origins and NCIS: Sydney in the name of \u201cmore\u201d content, but shorter seasons just mean less of what we love. <\/p>\n

\"NCIS:<\/a><\/p>\n

Killer drones give the team a run for their money on NCIS: Sydney Season 3 Episode 17. But it\u2019s a great thing the team has Blue! <\/p>\n

\"NCIS:<\/a><\/p>\n

DeShawn has to defuse a dangerous hostage situation on NCIS: Sydney Season 3 Episode 16, when a father steals a heart for his daughter. <\/p>\n

\"Characters<\/a><\/p>\n

Emotional payoff, growth, compelling arcs, our Characters of the Week delivered. From Doc and CIA to NCIS: Sydney and The Pitt, check it out! <\/p>\n

TV Fanatic is searching for passionate contributors to share their voices across various article types. Think you have what it takes to be a TV Fanatic?\u00a0Click here<\/a>\u00a0for more information and next steps.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Critic’s Rating: 4.2 \/ 5.0 4.2 What is it the kiddies say? Ain\u2019t nobody fresher than my clique.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":439324,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[146,85,46,411],"class_list":["post-439323","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-entertainment","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-tv"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/439323","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=439323"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/439323\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/439324"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=439323"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=439323"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=439323"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}