'NCIS' Fans Are Calling Out the Show's “Painful” Moment on Instagram

NCIS season 19 picked up right where it left off, giving Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) no time to heal from the heartbreak he suffered when Ellie (Emily Wickersham) left. In case you were wondering how he’s doing, Torres spoke loud and clear in Monday’s episode about his feelings — and it wasn’t at all what fans were expecting.

With suspended Special Agent in Charge Gibbs (Mark Harmon) safe and sound, the group focused again on finding Samuels (Jason Wiles). Torres, McGee (Sean Murray) and Knight (Katrina Law) arrived at a barn ready to get to work and found that Jimmy (Brian Dietzen) had transformed it to look exactly like their squad room. But when he denied that it did, Torres stepped in and pointed out bales of hay where their desks would be. McGee joined him and mentioned where Ellie would have sat. Without hesitation, Torres' brushed him off.

“Yeah, and here, Ellie is there,” McGee said. “Ellie, who?” Torres responded. After McGee gave him a quizzical look, Torres suggested that Knight take the desk instead. Reading the room, she declined the offer … twice, because Torres wouldn't let it go. Gibbs then walked in asking for an update, but fans didn’t quickly forget the moment.

After seeing the clip, originally posted as a sneak peak for episode 2, folks expressed a mix of emotions — all negative. While some were shocked by how quickly Torres dismissed Ellie's name, others were in disbelief the hit CBS drama would even include it to begin with.

“Ellie who? That's painful, you know,” one person wrote in the Instagram comments section. “Y’all are SICK for that ‘ellie who?’ line,” another added. “I’m sorry ‘Ellie Who?’ Is the one of the worst things you’ve done and that says a lot because you guys have put us through hell,” a different fan said. “’Ellie who?’ iS MY LIFE A JOKE TO YOU,” a follower commented.

As loyal watchers of NCIS know, Torres and Ellie had a complicated relationship that culminated with them sharing a much-awaited kiss in the season 18 finale. But it turned out to be her way of saying goodbye. Just before that Ellie had been labeled as a “disgraced NCIS agent” as part of a plan for her to leave Washington D.C. and go on an undercover operation.

What’s more, it also marked the last time actress Emily would appear as Ellie. Shortly after this episode, she announced that she was officially departing from the show. So, there’s no hope that Torres will reunite with Ellie and it doesn’t seem like he’s taking it too well …

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