Where in the world has that been hiding? For the first time in I don’t even want to think about how long, NCIS put on an episode that killed, returning to form and reaffirming its status as one of the most enjoyable shows on TV today. Are you surprised that it took a Gibbs episode to make that happen?
And while I do like to think that Gibbs could have done it on his own, nothing has ever been wrong with a sprinkle of Fornell (Joe Spano) adding something to the mix. And as if that wasn’t enough for us, how about Melinda McGraw — who was great, but who really shouldn’t have time on her hands; remind me again why Men of a Certain Age was cancelled? — as Diane Sterling, the double-ex (i.e. the former Mrs. Gibbs and former Mrs. Fornell)? It was like some kind of grand dysfunctional family reunion!
Even the episode opener was fun, with Diane’s current husband Victor (Tom Gallop), a Homeland Security employee, getting snatched at a drive-thru window by a guy wielding a dart gun. I’ll tell you this: Diane probably doesn’t have to worry about Victor breaking his diet with fast food anymore!
Everything was great about the non-love triangle, and I particularly enjoyed how Fornell and Gibbs battled over who had to deal with Diane. Fornell sending Tony in to question her was perfect, and I loved the dimension that Tony added to things. His outsider perspective — coupled with an unrelenting immature curiosity — made a fun situation all the more fun … it was great when Diane referring to them as Leroy and Tobias tripped him up. “We pronounce it Gibbs.”
I could have done without the Meredith Eaton sighting. She was really annoying on Boston Legal … nothing wrong with her performance as lab tech Carol per say, but with Abby’s expertise inconceivably stretching to all manner of scientific disciplines, couldn’t she have determined the pathogen status of the virus that Victor was being forced to make all on her own?
Speaking of, I understand the premise of the story, but Victor seemed just a bit too complicit in the whole affair, didn’t he? And his story about hiding the money because “when you’re rich you never know what people love you for?” He has two million dollars, not two hundred million; how about a little perspective? The whole thing screamed for deeper investigation. Did Fornell and Gibbs want to be done with Diane so badly that they ignored the obvious?
Some more great moments from a great episode:
How great was this episode?
![NCIS – Sweet little Mary a killer? [51eRnHz2DHL. SL160 ] (IMAGE)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51eRnHz2DHL._SL160_.jpg "NCIS – Sweet little Mary a killer? [51eRnHz2DHL. SL160 ] (IMAGE)")
![NCIS – Sweet little Mary a killer? [517viGC516L. SL160 ] (IMAGE)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/517viGC516L._SL160_.jpg "NCIS – Sweet little Mary a killer? [517viGC516L. SL160 ] (IMAGE)")
![NCIS – Sweet little Mary a killer? [51yRekuK3tL. SL160 ] (IMAGE)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51yRekuK3tL._SL160_.jpg "NCIS – Sweet little Mary a killer? [51yRekuK3tL. SL160 ] (IMAGE)")
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Nov 02, 2011 @ 05:00 EST5EDT
So far, this season of NCIS is a VAST improvement over LAST year’s. I LOVE NCIS, but last season every character seemed out of … kilter. This season they’re back on track.
I think Gibbs remarried so many times because … well, for so many reasons, I would imagine. Especially that almost every one he’s dated and/or married has been a red head – he’s trying to strike gold again in a relationship.
Perhaps NCIS was going for irony in this episode – Diane married Gibbs for love, be Gibbs only liked her. Ans she married Victor for convenience, and in return Victor really loves her. The grass is greener on the other side of the fence?
And Yes, Fornell and Diane have a child – a cute little blonde girl (Emily) that we’ve seen in season four’s episodes, Escaped and Angel of Death.
Excellent episode.
Next week’s episode however looks like a 5 hankie episode.
*POST AUTHOR*
I totally didn’t (and still can’t) recall that Fornell has a daughter. Thanks!
That episode is one of the best in the whole series and certainly the best of the season. I loved that Binder didn’t make it a caricature of characters. They came to life, their story sure did bring a lot of humor, but I thought it sad too. So much hurt for everyone: Gibbs losing Shannon, Diane realizing that she will never be loved by him, Diane cheating on Fornell with Victor. Diane will probably never love Victor too. So many lives in havoc.
Next week episode looks like much more dramatic, and I think it’s a good thing, because you can’t put 2 episodes in the same style without comparing them. And I like NCIS for its humor, but also for its drama.
Personally, I think YOU are really annoying to make such a rude and unwarranted comment about Meredith Eaton.
She was wonderful in last night’s episode of NCIS AND in my opinion of the best characters on Boston Legal. It must be so hard for an actress like her to get good decent work , and you and your out of left field criticism definitely wont help. Sure, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but yours came off as mean spirited.
I loved the episode, yet throughout the entire episode, and even still today, I can’t get past the basic plot line of a kidnapping of this magnitude and planning being based around when a guy randomly stops by a fast food joint to cheat on his diet. I mean REALLY? It would have been one thing if it was his daily stop off at a coffee joint in the morning, or a regular appointment at a book club (Do they still have those), or something that can actually be you know, predicted. But this was pretty silly if you ask me. Besides, what’s with taking over a entire fast food place anyways? Aren’t there like a few hundred better ways to kidnap someone, even if you wanted to make it appear on second glance that it was faked?
Not only that, I have to imagine there’s a better way to kill a handful of military personnel than to kidnap one guy, force him to steal computer code, break into the only place that can turn that code into a virus, then sneak into a sporting arena to deliver the virus, all the while killing dozens of people in the process? (Sure that’s not going to arouse any suspicion.)
One more thought. Once they determined that there was this possible terrorist attack, that brought the attention of NCIS, the FBI, Homeland Security, and I’m sure several other agencies, did no one stop and think that maybe it would be a good idea to cancel an event that put together thousands of military personnel, including dozens of high ranking generals in the same room?
OK, maybe that last one is nitpicking a bit too much, and I understand they needed an exciting ending to the episode, but still.
*POST AUTHOR*
I often feel the same kind of incredulity as you, but this time it just didn’t bother me. I guess I was having too much fun! :-)