This NCIS episode is filled with references to the idiom, “No good deed goes unpunished”. Our guess is that many viewers tuned in tonight because the previews indicated Robert Wagner would be back tonight as Tony’s Dad. He did return and added much to the show. We were not disappointed.
We liked that ‘No Good Deed’ involved an uncomplicated single-plot criminal case, peppered with multiple cases of personal relationships. It’s true the show featured the murder of a marine by an unknown person armed with a weapon. The weapon received more attention than the killer at first. That’s because the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) intentionally released this gun into the criminal world by informants who were assisting that federal agency. The show seemed pretty realistic as it dealt with the infamous ATF case of ‘Fast and Furious’, but that wasn’t the most interesting part.
Tonight, we saw the all too common effects of parents, i.e., Tony Sr., trying to move closer to their adult children. We saw the prospective problems of Tony DiNozzo, aka “Junior” navigating his life with his well-meaning dad who always seems to mess up. Also, Tony makes a big mistake when he partners on the investigation with his love interest, ATF agent Zoe Keats.
Some might consider it inappropriate for Tony Sr. to show up at the office uninvited, or to show up at Gibbs’ house, but when a team works as closely as this group, (or any NCIS team), the co-workers are tolerant and understanding of a parent as eccentric as Tony Sr. Gibbs worked his magic in helping Senior and Junior to reconcile their differences. In fact, Gibbs’ scene in his house fixing a sandwich for Tony Sr. was very touching indeed. So was the scene with Jimmy Palmer and Ducky during the autopsy of the young woman. For those who have younger children, the cameras often flashed photos of the dead young woman. Diane cringed, and felt this was overdone. Dave commented that perhaps the writers were attempting to communicate to viewers the terrible dangers of drug abuse. If that was the case, these scenes were effective.
It was true to life when Gibbs and his team finally arranged an undercover meeting with the former ATF informant who killed the marine, and mounted U.S. Park Police stumble upon McGee’s attempt to buy a gun from him. In real life, occasionally and unexpectedly, uniformed police officers who are just doing their jobs, do interrupt an undercover operation. That is one reason undercover agents always carried undercover driver’s licenses that match their undercover identities, and match the registration of their official undercover vehicles.
We are curious to know what you thought of the show, especially the previews for next week’s show when Special Agent Bishop shouts at Gibbs not to put her into danger in the field in Afghanistan. She says she is not equipped for it, and he says, “I’ve told you, I have your back.”
Be Blessed, Diane and David Munson
I’m not impressed by Tony’s (forced) girlfriend and Bishop is still too below average for me.
The father / son dynamics between Sr. and Jr. were well-done. Gibbs’ intervention was totally in character – always the father image, even to the father that has lost his way. Zoe seems to have been brought in to perhaps fill in some of the empty space left by Ziva that Bishop has been unable to fill. As for the young woman dead because of drugs, that is a reality too many parents have faced. I couldn’t help but wonder how someone I know of that lost their daughter to drugs last year would have felt if they had viewed that realistically painful scene. So, is Bishop being written out next week? And then we will follow Gibbs’ turmoil at losing one of his own? That’s too depressing a direction for this show to go, but if this is the last season as I keep thinking it is, then maybe that is a note that they would choose to end on.
Did you watch NCIS: New Orleans D and D?
We did not see the complete NOLA show, but if others did, please offer your opinions.
We watched it OnDemand yesterday. Excellent show! Edge of your seat and emotionally heart-tugging. I told my husband that it may have been the best show of all the shows we watch (and we only watch a half dozen or so regularly) this season.
Diane Neal returns to NCIS: NOLA
I think most every show of NCIS is very plausible and we both like watching it since we have known several agents who have put their lives on the line for justice. Robert Wagner does a credible job as Tony’s dad and comes across as exactly what he is supposed to be: Smooth and adept! Bishop is still holding her own against the big bad males she works with each day! Finally, everybody loves Abby, how could one not!
I say Bishop still gives a extremely weak portrayal as a Federal Agent.
Another good show, and I to liked how Gibbs once again, got Tony and his Dad communicating. And I am waiting to see just exactly what Bishop will be doing next week. Not too long ago Bishop was upset that GIbbs was being to protecting of her, looks like he is just ready to let her do an important job next week…I guess we just have to wait and see what that is.