Tonight’s episode of NCIS was another trendy episode featuring the problem of international victimization of women through sex trafficking. It is reminiscent of the movie with Liam Neeson, “Taken,” which showed much more brutal aspects of these cases. Once again, Ellie Bishop is in the lead role with mere cameo appearances by Tim McGee and Tony DiNozzo. We viewers are asked to believe that as an NSA analyst Ellie worked on a former task force that investigated an international trafficking ring along with the FBI and others. To us, it would be more believable if Special Agents McGee, DiNozzo, or even Gibbs had worked the previous case. Oh well, it seems the writers aren’t going for believability these days.
Some humor abounds despite the grim topic. Lighter scenes involve the Arctic cold hitting the Washington, D.C. area. The icy conditions lead to camaraderie-building scenes, ending in a sleep over at Gibbs’ house with the entire team camped out in front of his fireplace and watching the movie with Bing Crosby called, “Holiday Inn.” Have any of you seen that classic film?
We were impressed when Ducky heaped praise on Jimmy Palmer for finding the micro chip that Ducky had missed.
We didn’t relate at all to Bishop’s ongoing letter to the late President Harry S. Truman. Was this supposed to be some new form of journaling? Or perhaps it is therapy for Ellie Bishop. If we had found an agent writing such a letter when I (Dave) was a Special Agent, the person would have been put on sick leave and sent for a Psych Evaluation. Definitely weird, but things have no doubt changed …. not for the better.
In the final analysis, this show is mediocre and not up to the standards we’ve come to enjoy in past years. What are your thoughts?
Be Blessed,
Diane and David Munson
Your points are well taken. I didn’t see any reason for the cold.It didn’t affect the case much. You couldn’t see their breath when they were outside. That bothered me. McGee and Tony are both without heat? . Maybe they wanted to sell flannel earmuffs.
Are the writers set up Ellie Bishop as the lead agent after Tony DiNozzo leaves! THAT would definitely be the end of
NCIS :(
Ducky and Jimmy Palmer had larger parts, but still small, then DiNozzo, McGee, and Gibbs! Very small parts for the other cast members!
The only part of the cold weather that ‘hit home’ with anyone is probably a good percentage of their viewers were living through the real thing!
Very disappointing episode and next two weeks are reruns!
A little better than the average fare they have been broadcasting this year, I think we are going to see Bishop improve a lot but McGee will be the new leader under Gibbs.
Reruns for the next two weeks you have got to be kidding.
One more thought which we failed to mention in our initial comments. In real life, Ellie Bishop should never have gone to confront her former NSA colleague alone. She considered him a suspect and should have discussed it with the team and taken backup with her. In real life, she would have been disciplined for such a mistake, but in this episode, Gibbs smile at her approvingly. These technical failures, reduce NCIS’ realism. Ratings fort this episode showed 17.4 million, and the highest number of 18-49 year old age group, which is the target of all TV shows.
Why not put Bishop on the floor again? That was the only useful stuff she did.
Report from Hollywood sites today that a new female regular will be introduced to replace Tony in this seasons last show and another early in next season to increase the cast size.