What an exciting episode to watch and critique! Some authors, we included, write a novel with two or more subplots that resolve at the finale. So how does the title “Double Blind” figure in to the plot lines? First, Petty Officer Evan Lowry is blinded by pressures of being a ‘lab rat’ for a government consulting company studying the reaction of their subjects who know they are under constant surveillance. The second ‘blindness’ happens to Gibbs’ crew. While they investigate the consulting company, they are being shadowed by Special Counsel Richard Parsons, who is conducting his own investigation of the NCIS team. As Parsons pushes his obnoxious self into the mix, Abby, McGee and probably most viewers expect he is going to bag Ziva. Or is Leon his prey? Oh no! It can’t be. The creep is trying to bring down Leroy Jethro Gibbs! We as viewers experience what the NCIS team is feeling—the pressure of being under tight scrutiny is debilitating and even blinding.

For Tiva conspirators, there are emotional heart tugs when Parsons questions Ziva about her possible romantic involvement with her Mossad friend Adam, back when she was in Israel to bury her father. Tony DiNozzo demands to know from Ziva how she could have done such a thing. Her eyes flinch when she admits how alone she felt at that time. Tony is crushed. He looks deep into her eyes, reminding her that when he dropped her at the airport, he assured her that she was “not alone.” Her reaction to his hurt is touching. She finally acknowledges the feelings between them.

We loved the lighter moments as well. Ziva comes roaring in with her new car, which brings out Tony’s lament. “I wanted to buy your MINI.” In fact she sold her little car to McGees’ friend because Tony is a “car killer”. Gibbs joins in the fun and quips, “Everyone needs a hobby.”

David was especially attuned to the multi-layered intrigue of Internal Affairs Inspectors investigating the investigators. On several occasions, while with NCIS and later DEA, he witnessed fellow agents being investigated by Internal Affairs Inspectors and even the FBI. These investigations were favorably resolved, but the agents involved were anxious while waiting for the outcome. In his career, David was assigned to the Inspection Division and conducted similar inquiries as Richard Parsons. Unlike Parsons, who was portrayed as a lightweight, most Internal Affair Inspectors are the most-experienced agents. Therefore the agencies trust them to discipline the errant and exonerate the innocent.

Okay, here are some questions for you NCIS fans to answer: Will Ziva return next season? Is Gibbs exonerated in the finale or does this carry over into Season 11? Are you looking forward to Mike Franks reappearing next week? We are and wish he was still a character on the show. There are a few others that can go. What do you think?

Be Blessed, Diane and David Munson