Tonight’s episode was the last installment of a year long journey for the family of Leroy Jethro Gibbs. We’ve said before that the popularity of the NCIS show is due much to the great script writing, the unique personality of Gibbs, and his means of communicating (most often without words). Also, the fact that Gibbs’ and many of the team members are single, brings them together as a tight knit family. Over the last few years, they’ve added Jimmy Palmer who has a wife and a baby on the way. Bishop is also married. We expect to meet her husband next season.

A horrific schism occurred in the family when Ziva left. The middle part of the season stumbled as the producers brought in Bishop, the new investigator to complete the family. Recently, Ralph Waite passed away, which meant another family member would be gone. Tonight they ended the season with a fitting tribute to a great actor. The entire family assembled at the graveside of Jackson Gibbs. Mark Harmon said good-bye to a close friend and his TV father. In doing so, he honored Ralph Waite, the man who played his father (and better known as John Walton Sr).

It is bittersweet to have the season end, but we enjoyed this well done episode. Having Leroy find the old boat that he and his dad made named “Chickadee” brought Gibbs’ character full circle. This reveals why he is a boat maker: “Water never forgets,” his mother said. “Anyone with a boat named after them lives forever.” So Leroy gets busy drawing plans for a new boat. This is his therapy outside of his dangerous job as an NCIS agent. And of course this boat, whatever it looks like, will be named after Jackson Gibbs.

Bravo!

Be Blessed, Diane and David Munson