NCIS: Sydney Season 3 is about to begin on the 2025 TV schedule, and if you’re like me, you’ve noticed a chemistry between Olivia Swann’s Michelle Mackey and Todd Lasance’s Jim “JD” Dempsey. But does this equate to the two of them being romantically paired someday? You can certainly find Sydney fans online who ship Mackey and JD together, and while Swann is well aware about this, she has her own complex opinion on the subject.
During my recent conversation with Swann, which included her sharing an idea for how an NCIS and NCIS: Sydney crossover could be pulled off, I noted how many fans of the latter series are keen on seeing Mackey and JD get together. I then asked where she stood on this particular ship, and she started by telling me:
I adore them both, and I think as a fan myself, I’m like, yes, get them together, But that comes with a lot of issues, and I do think that at least from Mackey’s perspective, she is the leader of this team. She knows the hierarchy, she understands that and she has to remain professional. I think they’ve been through so much together and they go through so much together that obviously a closeness is formed, they are beginning to trust each other even more.
Mackey and Sean Sagar’s DeShawn Jackson may be the newcomers to Australia, but when it comes to the chain of command, Mackey is indeed the one calling the shots for the most part. THere’s no question that JD’s her second-in-command, and as a member of the Australian Federal Police, there may be times when he takes point on a case. But overall, even as these two have gotten to know each other better, Olivia Swann believes it’s important to keep things between Mackey and JD professional… mostly.
Additionally, there are the events of the NCIS: Sydney Season 2 finale to consider. Mackey was betrayed by her friend Etienne, and that’s going to weigh on both of them in Season 3. As Olivia Swann explained:
They also have to deal with the fallout of Darwin where JD’s maybe slightly frustrated that she went ahead and trusted the wrong person, and she’s frustrated that he thinks that. So there is friction at the beginning of the season, and it’s always fun to play with that for them too. Like, no matter how much they butt heads, there will always be this level of trust with the two of them.
Mackey trusted JD enough to tell him about her teenaged son in the Season 2 premiere, and they obviously have no trouble counting on each other in the field. Ultimately, as Olivia Swann sees it, that’s more important to maintain than possibly exploring a romantic relationship. She concluded:
But also as two people who maybe find each other attractive and they work together through all these kind of crazy scenarios and life and death situations, I think the thought of, ‘Oh, maybe this person could be something more than a friend to me’ is in their brains, but there’s so much stopping them from acting on it. And I think it’s that dynamic that is so watchable and so intriguing, and obviously does make people want them to be together. So it’s not an easy ‘Yes, they will’ because I don’t think that’s possible as two leaders of the team. But you never know.
Mackey and JD shippers, you’re welcome to continue holding onto hope that these two will eventually become more than colleagues. But for now, you can look forward to them solving more crimes together with DeShaw, Evie, Rosie and Blue when NCIS: Sydney Season 3 premieres this Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on CBS. Episodes can also be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription.