Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
“Moonlit,” the March 24, 2025 episode of NCIS Season 22, makes Special Agent Dale Sawyer’s return its strongest character hook. The murder case offers a workable standalone mystery, while the episode also moves Alden Parker’s story with a discovery connecting his mother’s death to Lily. In the review excerpt available through IMDb’s news index, CBR called it a strong return after the series’ brief hiatus and judged its whodunit relatively strong; those are the reviewer’s assessments, not a measure of audience consensus. IMDb’s news index
What happens in “Moonlit”
A Navy lieutenant’s death draws Torres and Knight into an investigation tied to a wealthy family and to Sawyer, played by Zane Holtz. The title also carries a second meaning: the review excerpt says an NCIS agent has been moonlighting as a private security officer. Separately, Parker discovers a connection between his mother’s death and Lily, advancing a thread in the season’s longer story.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
![NCIS: The Twenty-Second Season [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/415UfLVdupL._SL160_.jpg)
|
NCIS: The Twenty-Second Season [DVD] | $30.79 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
NCIS: The Twenty-First Season | $25.19 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![NCIS: Origins - Season One [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41lSkTnH3EL._SL160_.jpg)
|
NCIS: Origins - Season One [DVD] | $30.78 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![NCIS: The Twentieth Season [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51xk8aGVq0L._SL160_.jpg)
|
NCIS: The Twentieth Season [DVD] | $21.10 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
NCIS | $1.29 | Buy on Amazon |
The available episode summary does not establish the complete sequence of clues, the culprit, or the ending. This review therefore focuses on the episode’s supported story elements rather than inventing a full plot recap or spoilers.
Why Sawyer’s return is the episode’s big win
The central appeal is not a confirmed award or ratings milestone; it is the dramatic effect of bringing Sawyer back into the story. His connection to the case gives the investigation a personal dimension, and his presence creates an opportunity for friction with Torres. The indexed CBR excerpt describes the episode’s best character as a guest star, a judgment that points to Sawyer as the episode’s standout rather than to a measurable victory over the regular cast.
#1 Best Overall
That guest-character focus can be a strength in a procedural: a returning figure gives the case an emotional anchor without requiring the whole hour to abandon its investigative engine. The available details support that reading, though they do not establish exactly how the Torres–Sawyer dynamic plays out scene by scene.
Does the murder mystery work on its own?
According to the CBR review excerpt, “Moonlit” has a relatively strong whodunit. The lieutenant’s death, the wealthy family connection, and the moonlighting detail give the case several points of interest, rather than making the hour solely a vehicle for season-long character threads. That is a favorable critical assessment, not proof that every clue or reveal is especially original.
Rank #2
Because the full review and episode ending are not available in the indexed excerpt, the mystery’s resolution and specific construction cannot be independently assessed here. What can be said is that the case has a distinct premise and is presented as one of the episode’s main draws.
How Parker and Lily fit into the episode
Parker’s discovery linking his mother’s death to Lily gives “Moonlit” a second narrative track beyond the lieutenant’s murder. It signals movement in an ongoing season arc, but the available account does not provide enough detail to judge the scale of the revelation or how it changes Parker’s understanding of the past.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Rank #3
- Genre: TV Action & Adventure
- Number of Discs: 4
- Number of Tracks: 0
- Playback Duration: 630
- Number of Movies: 0
The episode’s two strands appear to serve different purposes: the murder supplies the contained investigation, while the Parker–Lily material feeds the longer story. The excerpt supports the presence of both, but does not establish whether the balance favors one over the other.
Verdict
“Moonlit” sounds most compelling as a character-led procedural: Sawyer’s return supplies the hook, the lieutenant’s murder provides a case the review considers effective, and Parker’s discovery keeps the season arc moving. The available evidence supports calling it a strong return in the view of the CBR reviewer, while leaving finer judgments about the episode’s ending and scene-by-scene execution open.
Rank #4
- Genre: TV Action & Adventure
- Number of Discs: 6
- Number of Tracks: 0
- Playback Duration: 934
- Rating: NR
Where to check episode information
CBS’s official NCIS page provides a series-level episode guide and viewing route. It does not, on the information available here, confirm current access to “Moonlit” or availability in any particular region. Check the episode listing and service terms for your location before relying on a viewing link.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
