Franks and Tish’s breakup in NCIS: Origins is painful, and it could preserve a 2-decade trend for the procedural. Throughout the first season of the NCIS spinoff, Franks and Tish’s relationship has remained strong, and their interactions clearly represent a couple who have been together for a long time. Their connection is both a blessing and a curse because it has given the show so much more depth, but it also foreshadows a dark future ahead for the couple.

NCIS: Origins episode 13, “Monsoon,” even revealed the year the two of them met, 10 years prior to the premiere of NCIS: Origins. While the episode showcased their beginnings and potentially their ending, it does not seem to be the end of their story yet. Even so, NCIS has a long history of mistreating its female characters, and I am worried Tish could be next.

NCIS Usually Breaks Up Couples By Writing Out Its Female Character
The Same Thing Does Not Happen To Male Romantic Interests

As popular as NCIS romances are, the show has a long history of breaking up couples by writing out its female characters, and I am worried that NCIS: Origins could follow its path. In NCIS, Ziva (although faked), Shannon, and Breena were killed off the show while their male counterparts remained active members of NCIS. Bishop and Knight were also written out as a way to separate them from Torres and Palmer, respectively. While exceptions exist as Ziva returned alive years later and Knight only left NCIS briefly, NCIS’ harshness towards female romantic interests does not go unnoticed.

A double standard exists within the franchise because male romantic interests never face the same circumstances. While most NCIS agents are men, which makes up for some of the discrepancies, there still has not been a time when a male romantic interest was written or killed off with preference given to the female character. The unjust treatment means that women in NCIS are often the victims of romantic separations in more ways than one.

NCIS’ ongoing trend of treating its female characters poorly hints that NCIS: Origins is at risk of following the exact same thing. Tish is also not the only character in NCIS: Origins that risks having a bad ending, as Lala’s disappearance in NCIS also leads to suspicious conclusions about her story in the prequel. NCIS: Origins has the chance to step away from NCIS’ pattern, but whether it will is yet to be determined.

Franks And Tish’s Potential Reunion Might Mean She Receives A Tragic Ending
Their Breakup Is Sad Enough But It Could Get Worse

An interview with Kyle Schmid revealed that Franks and Tish’s relationship is not done yet. Their on-screen reunion after their heavy scenes in “Monsoon,” might mean great things for the couple if Tish is able to forgive Franks for disregarding his interests. However, it could also foreshadow the fact that Tish could receive a tragic ending near the end of NCIS: Origins season 1.

Since it is canon that Franks ends up alone in NCIS, Tish needs to leave Franks’ life by the time NCIS: Origins nears its overlap with the flagship. That still gives the couple several years, since there is still more than a decade between NCIS: Origins and NCIS, but it does mean NCIS: Origins needs to make a decision about Tish sometime soon. With the NCIS franchise’s history of disregarding its female characters when it comes to breakups, Tish is not safe as long as she and Franks still want to get back together.

Franks and Tish’s Inevitable Breakup Might Be The Key To Her Survival In NCIS
Tish Could Become Another Fallen NCIS Character

Franks and Tish are currently broken up, but they could get back together. Their story has not finished, but what exactly that means has not been revealed just yet. In any case, Franks and Tish staying broken up or getting back together only to break up later could be the only way to save Tish’s life, as she cannot follow Franks into NCIS. She either has to leave his life amicably or risk being killed off by the show’s writers.

…NCIS’ harshness towards female romantic interests does not go unnoticed.

The NCIS franchise has already revealed its treatment of female characters, so Tish is in danger. The one thing that pushes NCIS: Origins towards break-ups rather than deaths is that the prequel has not followed NCIS’ format. They have added their own spin to the franchise by focusing on personal arcs, character backgrounds, and interpersonal relations more than the cases the team works on. As such, it is very possible that their desire to be different from NCIS could translate into the treatment of its female characters, which would give Tish an easy, though heartbreaking, way out in NCIS: Origins.