Tonight’s episode deals with a difficult subject. The writers toss in some fun and intriguing aspects to lighten the mood. “Alleged” tackles an issue that is a problem in the Navy right now—sexual assault. David has said many times since we’ve started writing our critiques that many of his cases while with NIS (the original name of the agency when he and Gibbs were there) were sex cases. He also has said how the problem has only gotten worse with recent changes in the military.
The show’s producers and writers meet with the Navy and U.S. Marines each season to find out the important matters they are facing. They asked NCIS to do this episode to raise awareness of sexual assaults. When David was a Special Agent, he and his colleagues dreaded these cases because of the many difficulties. Diane also prosecuted these cases, and we feel the show presents the complexities in an accurate fashion. Mark Harmon brings the right balance of compassion and drive to catch the bad actors. Kelli Williams plays NCIS Special Agent Maureen Cabot from the special unit. Diane recognized her from movies on the Hallmark Channel. It’s interesting when Tim mentions they don’t have probable cause to obtain a warrant to search the ship. The captain then searches the ship under the “Health and Welfare” provision. “This has to be throughout the entire ship,” David says. “It can’t be done selectively.”
The lighter moments come with Tony and Tim’s “cleansing” to achieve better health. Bishop doesn’t share their determination. She continues eating bacon and egg sandwiches and chili cheese fries. Tony looks tormented just staring at her giant plate of gooey fries. This is hilarious. But even funnier is when he takes a swig of his water concoction in a jug the size of something a family might bring to a ball game. Thanks Michael Weatherly for making us laugh.
The last few days brought another terror attack in Overland Park, Kansas, and today marks the one-year since the bombing occurred in Boston. To leave troubles behind for sixty minutes when we watch NCIS is a good thing.
More to come!
Be Blessed, Diane and David
I too enjoyed tonight’s show…
Good show. I see a much less weird Bishop becoming more of a team member.
I did notice Gibbs salute at the end of the show when he was not wearing a cover. Unless things have changed in the last 48 years Marines never salute without a cover on their head?
Buzz thinks the salute has been devalued over the years. Back when it was done correctly, the military was a fighting machine of men.
Good show but they really only touched the tip of the iceberg regarding sexual assault. However, I do not want NCIS to delve deeper into this issue — it is something that needs to be addressed but not on NCIS. I agree with Buzz, Bishop was more a part of the team than an out-there-oddball this time.
I really do appreciate your real world perspective taking into account how it does or does not fit within the confines of the 43 min run time of a tv show. I thought this was a good episode but it somehow feels a bit too lightly treaded for the subject matter but I don’t suppose that can be helped in the medium and most do watch for entertainment value and not for heavy commentary. Been a fan of Kelli Williams since Medical Investigation. Wouldn’t mind seeing her return. I thought the team mix of screen time was better managed and appreciated more actual crime investigation in this and the previous ep. If you’ve read the Murray/Weatherly interview over on buzzfeed, MW admits to partaking in that very same cayenne cleanse in the early 2000’s and I remember attempting (and failing) it myself back in college. It’s always funnier when I’ve ‘been there done that’. NCIS truly is the whole package of drama, comedy and character and I’m very glad to see them beginning to come back together again.
We agree wholeheartedly with your take, on this one of our most favorite shows,as it addresses a problem not only in the military but many high schools across America. Keep up the blog, it is truly informative.
I enjoyed Alleged as I do all NCIS. But Bishop not so much, Yes, I know that I am still having Ziva withdrawals, but getm someone who isn’t so blah. Well, they haven’t yet, so as long is Mark Harmon is producer and star, I will keep watching.