‘NCIS’ Season 14 Spoilers: What Happened In Episode 13? Jimmy Palmer Is A [SPOILER] In ‘Keep Going’!

The waterworks rained down in CBS’ “NCIS” this week. Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen) took center stage in Season 14, episode 13 after the team was called to a crime scene to investigate the death of a Navy Captain.

“Keep Going” kicked off with a father-son duo having a conversation. While his father, a Navy Captain, drove, he chided his son Ryan (Spencer Treat Clark) for losing his job. But today was also his birthday. Softening up a bit, the Navy Captain decided to cut him some slack and head to the ATM to get some cash. This cash would help Ryan cover his expenses before landing another job.

Unfortunately, when Ryan’s father crosses the road to head to an ATM, a driver rams his car into him. He is killed instantly. Then, the NCIS team is called to investigate the hit-and-run case.

When Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and his team arrive at the crime scene, the Medical Examiner’s assistant, Palmer, notices someone on the ledge of the roof. Without thinking, he follows him to the ledge. Soon, Jimmy and Ryan are on the ledge of a roof with the NCIS team watching them.

While the team investigates the Navy Captain’s death, Palmer tries his best to prevent his son from jumping. Gibbs sneakily puts a microphone inside a burger package. He hands Palmer the burger and listens in on their conversation.

Ryan is not only filled with guilt over killing his father – he would not have gone to the ATM had it been for him – but he has been having suicidal thoughts for a long time now. His father was the only good thing in his life. With no job, no relationships, no friends and now no parents, Ryan is a lonely and depressed man.

Palmer, ever the optimist, tries his best to make him see the positive aspects of his life. Things get better when the team discovers that the driver who killed his father had a string of DUIs. He would have killed him even if he didn’t stop for the ATM.

Finally, Palmer recalls Gibbs’ tragedies. The team leader lost his wife and daughter on the same day.

However, the biggest aspect of “NCIS” Season 14, episode 13 was fans learning that Jimmy Plamer is now Dr. Palmer! He went to medical school after his mentor Ducky (David McCallum) coaxed him. He passed the exams the third time. He didn’t tell his colleagues since he didn’t want to change the group’s dynamics. He certainly wants to leave the NCIS at some point of time. But for now, he is happy helping them catch the bad guys.

In the end, Ryan and Palmer are both off the ledge.

Later, in this “NCIS” episode, Gibbs hugs Palmer when he apologizes. He felt sorry for telling a stranger about his tragedies. Also, some of the NCIS team members demanded Gibbs that he receives a raise!

So, will Palmer’s new status change his dynamic with the team? “A lot of his teammates and characters on the show are going to be looking at Jimmy through a new lens,” Dietzen told TVGuide, “and what happens out on that ledge is going to change his relationship with Ducky forever. ... We’ve filmed a few episodes since then where he’s referred to as ‘Dr. Palmer,’ and you have a bit of a ‘Doctor,’ ‘Doctor’ in the coroner’s office downstairs. It’s pretty cool. It’s a neat next step for the character that just makes sense.”

Dietzen also teased about an upcoming “NCIS” Season 14 episode which involves the Sherlock Society. Palmer is now a member of the Sherlocks since he replaced Ducky. Not only will this episode see the reemergence of Tony’s father, but it’ll be the first in which the society’s members call him Dr. Palmer.

“NCIS” airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.