“Very” Special Agent Timothy McGee and Special Agent Tony DiNozzo pushed the action forward in this superb episode, with the rest of the team playing backup. Even Gibbs has a minor role as NCIS battles the CIA for jurisdiction in tracking down who murdered Navy Lieutenant Kit Jones in Budapest. McGee’s pretty and talented girlfriend, Delilah, uncovers an email within her encrypted files, which begins the chase to find Jones’ killer.

This show has as many twists and turns as our legal thrillers. We both enjoyed the interagency sparring, and the brilliant resolve. We like happy endings.

The web intricacies are based on real events in the news, such as the Silk Road being used to sell drugs around the world and Bitcoin, the internet currency. The show asks some penetrating questions. Did Kit Jones really leave his Melanie in the lurch and miss his own wedding? What kind of creep would stick her with the catering bill? CIA officer Briscoe would have Gibbs believe it is all for national security. Is Briscoe all he pretends to be or has he gone to the dark side?

Leon is right when he challenges the CIA director for conducting an undercover operation within the U.S. The “Agency” is not permitted to run operations within our borders. That is the job of the FBI. Director Vance also is right to tell Gibbs to keep investigating, albeit “quietly”.  Some of the funnier moments are:

Tony runs into the equipment closet to take Delilah’s call because she doesn’t want Tim to hear. She asks Tony if he is alone and he replies, “In my own way.” Only he isn’t alone because his cardboard cutout of himself (from many seasons ago) is in there with him. What a hoot.

  1. Tim posing as Charles and Tony, using the name Gary and claiming to be animal control officers. We didn’t know that bleach could dissolve Chinchilla hair.
  2. Ducky and Jimmy work undercover in the hospital to find out who is operating this deep, dark website. Dr. Mallard swoops in with “Nurse Jimmy.” Turns out the patient knows less than Gibbs about technical gadgets.
  3. The teacher at a federal prison who uses smiley faces and frowning faces when Tim and Tony interrogate her. We laughed thinking of the times we have wanted to use something as silly.

We award this show 5 out 5 stars for entertainment. NCIS is baaaack!!

Be Blessed, Diane and David Munson