Like the mighty Mississippi itself, New Orleans seems like a meandering place, where things don't change too quickly.

But that lack of progress isn't a good thing in a TV series. That's why it's good that there were a number of developments on NCIS: New Orleans Season 3 Episode 10.

The series picked right up again with another Cuidad Natal cartel episode, focusing more closely on its New Orleans head, Javier Garcia, finally introduced in NCIS: New Orleans Season 3, Epsiode 8.

Garcia got more interesting this episode. Instead of being just a money-laundering businessman for the cartel, he showed a brutal side, sacrificing several underlings and having his fiancee Eliza gunned down.

Bombastic Isler, who doesn't understand the meaning of subtle, pretty much tipped the hand of law enforcement to Garcia, who just replied nonchalantly in response.

I understand New Orleans can be a really dangerous place.

Garcia

• Permalink: I understand New Orleans can be a really dangerous place.

Alas, poor Eliza, we barely knew ye.

She could have been an interesting addition if she weren't, you know, dead. She gave legitimacy to Garcia while simultaneously serving as his fall gal. And can anyone be that altruistic, well-meaning, and, well, blind?

Javier keeps his money in the bank, just like everyone else.

Eliza

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Well, I just she served her purpose, getting a pissed-off Pride more involved in the cartel investigation, which has been a back-burner issue for too much of this season. You would think losing Brody because of the cartel would be reason enough, but it hasn't seemed to be.

Also, let's face, now Pride doesn't need to pussyfoot around Garcia for Eliza's sake.

So now that Garcia has met much of the NCIS crew, how can they possibly bring him down? Pride with guns a-blazing isn't the answer, because Garcia's a cagy bastard.

How about bringing in a young Latino male to infiltrate his organization? It's more long game, but I don't think there's a conclusion coming soon, even though the cartel storyline already been dragged out too long.

Another promising change is that Gregorio's messy divorce from the FBI is on.

She likes the bureaucracy-free ways of Pride's NCIS unit, and after Isler tells her that her career is over, she is free to join it.

Gregorio: It's what we do, sir.
Isler: No, it's what he does [pointing to Pride]. What we do is protocol and procedure, or we did, until you came south.

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I'm in for taking the wise-cracking Gregorio and her ever-present scowl if it means getting rid of the ass-covering Isler for good. I'm just afraid he isn't gone.

Even though it meant no Percy, it was good to see CGIS Agent Swanson again.

Granted, she's not Abigail Borin, the female Gibbs, but still a nice change of pace even if there was no real need for inserting the Coast Guard into the hour, beyond "there's a murder on a boat."

Maybe she's being showcased for the open position.

Then there's Sebastian, still dreaming the impossible dream.

First, if you're in the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, get a pair of SeaBands.

Swanson: Looking a little green there.
Sebastian: I just need to get my sea legs.
Swanson: You know that we're docked, right?
Sebastian: I do.

• Permalink: Looking a little green there.

He freezes and Gregorio almost gets killed (which, granted, some viewers would applaud). It was nice that LaSalle gave him a pep talk and all, but...

He's not meant to be a field agent. Take him out into the field more often until he gets the idea out of his system. The open slot needs to go to Gregorio now that she's a free agent.

Unless Percy's absences this season means she's on the way out. I prefer Percy over Gregorio, but I like both better than Sebastian fumbling around with a gun.

Hey, maybe Percy, Gregorio and Swanson can be Dwayne's Devils. That's got a nice throwback ring to it.

In all seriousness, what I'd like to see the rest of the season are interesting cases of the week with a cartel scene or two thrown in so we can keep on top of the situation. Unfortunately, bringing down the cartel is going to require inter-agency cooperation, which seems like an oxymoron on this series.

To catch up on the cartel storyline (it won't take long, just a handful of episodes), watch NCIS: New Orleans online.

Is it time to bless Gregorio yet, or do you still want a different option? How should the cartel storyline play out? Which recurring character needs to appear next? Comment below.

Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.