In a franchise not known for queer storytelling, NCIS: Origins Season 2, Episode 4, ‘No Man Left Behind,’ delivers a quietly radical twist
The episode introduces a surprising arc by revealing that Cliff Wheeler (Patrick Fischler) is queer, and he was once in a relationship with another agent from a different agency.
A fleeting moment between Cliff and FBI’s Special Agent Noah Oakley (DaJuan Johnson) in the former’s office offers a quiet confirmation of a long-buried truth.
Cliff’s Life Comes Into Focus
The prequel series introduced SAC Cliff Wheeler, who oversees Franks (Kyle Schmid) and his team. Cliff usually ensures that the team doesn’t overstep its boundaries and maintains a normalized relationship between the agency and the public.
He’s not their favorite person, but he’s their boss. Meanwhile, at home, things are not going much better because his marriage is breaking down and his son is out of control. Like many children, he doesn’t understand why his parents are divorcing.
He questions if his father is cheating with a secret girlfriend but Cliff denies it.
Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBSSeason 2 finds continuing his duties as the enforcer of protocol even as his personal life unravels. The team investigates new cases, and in the “No Man Left Behind” episode, they team up with the FBI again to investigate the robbery of a naval bank.
Agent Oakley returns as a task force is formed, and from the get-go, things are awkward between them. Their tension blends into the general unease between agencies — until it doesn’t.
However, when Oakley comes to Cliff with some updates, a tender moment in the privacy of Cliff’s office reveals that there is something more between them.
Oakley inquires about Cliff’s divorce as the distance between them shortens and they find themselves holding hands. In the 1980s, such tenderness between men — especially in law enforcement — was rare and loaded.
Mary Jo Becomes the Custodian of a Secret
The duo inadvertently outs themselves to Mary Jo (Tyla Abercrumbie) when they tell a similar story of a horrible date, and the details match up way too perfectly.
It starts with Cliff trying his best to console Mary Jo, and he tells a story about a date he went on with someone, where the car’s stereo was broken, so it kept playing Elton John‘s “Daniel” on loop.
Nothing stands out to Mary Jo until later, when the case is done and Oakley is leaving, only to hear Mary Jo sing the same song absent-mindedly. He also recalls a date when his car’s stereo was broken and kept playing “Daniel” on repeat.
Mary Jo connects the dots and realizes that Cliff and Oakley were lovers once.
Though Cliff and Oakley shared screen time in Season 1, Episode 6, ‘Incognito,’ there was no hint of a deeper connection.
Photo: Robert Voets/CBSWhat Does This Mean for ‘NCIS: Origins?’
It’s still too early to tell where the writers are taking this, so it will be interesting to see how the storyline unfolds.
Cliff is a recurring character, but the show does focus on recurring characters in certain episodes, meaning an answer is coming sooner or later.
Broadcast procedurals are not the epitome of queer representation, but NCIS: Origins has proven itself a bit different with its storytelling.
Perhaps showrunners/writers Gina Lucita Monreal and David J. North know what they’re doing, or this is just a plot device for some larger arcs.
Will we see the infamous date? How does this affect his divorce? Is his sexuality the cause of the divorce? How will Mary Jo deal with this secret? Boots proved that being queer in the Marines at that time was not ideal. Will the show explore this?
Expectations regarding how this is handled are low, but we shall see. If NCIS: Origins is serious about queer storytelling, this arc can’t be a one-off. The emotional weight and historical context demands more.
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