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