The latest two NCIS episodes were enjoyable episodes. Episode 12.18 "Status Update" focussed on the long-distance relationship between McGee and Delilah, while episode 12.19 "Patience" saw a 40-year old cold case heat up pretty quickly. Sorry it's a double review, but I didn't have the opportunity to do 12.18 before 12.19 aired. So here they are both.
A woman is murdered in the garage of a Marine Gunnery Sergeant. However, the Sergeant is relieved to find out that the deceased is not his wife. It turns out that his wife was in a spa and had been posting on social media that the house is empty. Hence, the dead woman had every opportunity to live in the house unnoticed. Now she is killed and Ducky finds a paper with a logo in her bra. McGee recognizes the logo and calls his girlfriend Delilah, who has been tracking a terrorist group with her task force leader Rafi Ali. The terrorist they are after is Omer Malik, a cousin of one of those involved in the bombing that paralyzed Delilah a year ago. Malik has been making online contact with someone called Pistachio. The team heads to Malik's apartment and enters with the help of a pizza delivery boy. When Pistachio turns up, it is revealed that Pistachio is really... Delilah!
Apparently she had been undercover to catch Malik and has been back in the US for a week. In order to scare people, Malik is making videos in military houses when they are away. However, the team realises he has an accomplice which turns out to be the pizza delivery boy. He tells them Malik is obsessed with Pistachio and that he is trying to turn her against the US. Malik shows up at Delilah's apartment when she is in a conversation with McGee. The latter tries to convince Malik that Delilah is turning on the US, but Malik says he will only belive that if she shoots McGee. She refuses to do that, but instead remembered rule #9 and pulls a knife from her shoe and stabs Malik in his leg. This buys them just enough time for the rescue party to arrive.
It was good to see Delilah back in this episode. The relationship between her and McGee was one of the more interesting aspects of season 11 and I'm happy they are no longer doing their long-distance relationship. The case was good though I feel like some aspects could have been explored further. The fact that Malik was connected to one of the bombers that paralyzed Delilah was interesting, but didn't add anything of significance to the terrorist story. Also, the aspects of social media that were presented in this episode could have been played further. So when people are away from their houses and they post it on social media, a burglar and a terrorist come into their homes? The first one is more believable than the second one. All in all, I get the feeling that the status update that the episode's title refers to, is McGee and Delilah's relationship status on Facebook: from "It's complicated" to "In a relationship". And I'm very content with that!
The episode starts with a man and a prostitute being shot to death. When the team enters the crime scene, they learn the identity of the male victim: Petty Officer Second Class Daniel Harvey. They later find out the female victim was Lolita Cortes, who had just returned from a trip to Columbia. However, much to their surprise, Bishop finds there is no Daniel Harvey enlisted in the Navy. His vehicle is registered to the Department of Defense and at HQ, McGee finds out it is connected to something named Lex Talionis. This puts Gibbs and Tony on high alert and they immediately run to MTAC, with McGee and Bishop being locked out. Vance, Gibbs and Tony talk to Vice Admiral Dawn Tyson, but she denies any recent activity in the operation.
But what exactly is the operation? There was a bombing in 1979 at Metropolitan International Airport, but the culprit was never identified nor caught. Two years ago, a similar bomb was discovered in Columbia and it was made by the same person: drug lord Tomas Orlando. Vice Admiral Tyson created an operation to find Orlando and put Gibbs in charge, who brought Tony in as well. The dead Petty Officer, whose real name is Lieutenant Louis Freston, had recruited Lolita to be an asset. Lolita's family knew the location of Orlando's barber and they were able to get a hair sample from Orlando. If they match the DNA to that of 40 years ago, they can finally arrest Orlando. Ambassador to Columbia Olivia Edmunds has learned that Orlando is meeting with his top men and she has found out their location. After Abby matches the DNA sample, a SEAL team prepares to arrest Orlando, but find nothing at the location where he was supposed to have a meeting. They are hot on his trail, but he is nowhere to be found.
Abby learns that Orlando has a niece in the US, so Tony and Bishop go undercover to her parenting class to get a copy of her hard drive. And while everyone is trying to find Orlando, Tony finds him in the squad room. Orlando wants asylum and claims he is being framed. He gives Gibbs a hair sample and Ducky and Jimmy find out it is not a match to the DNA from 40 years ago. Meanwhile, Abby finds out that someone has been spying on Orlando, and that someone is none other than Ambassador Edmunds. She admits to working for another drug lord named Arman Luna, who was responsible for the 1979 bombing. A drone strike is ordered and Luna is killed. The cold case is finally closed.
What did you think of "Status Update" and "Patience"? How do you feel about their respective cases of the week? Are you happy that Delilah is back in the US? And what do you think about McGee's behavior in "Patience"? Sound off with your opinions in the comment section below.
The next episode of NCIS airs Tuesday at 8/7c. Here's a promo for "No Good Deed":
Both cases were interesting. Case in E18 was not so important because this was an episode about McGee and Delilah relationship. But the case in E19 was fun (Bishop and Tony undercover scene and finger clapping) and I guess unpredictable, as I too thought that Orlando was the bomber.
ReplyDeleteI am very happy that Delilah is back. I hope we will see more of her. But I would love to see agent Tina Larsen again, too. I don't think NCIS had so many beautiful ladies (whit Delilah, Bishop and Larsen) in the bullpen at once before ;) ...
I thought exactly the same about McGee's behavior and I remembered those two operations too. So I can totally understand what are you trying to say.
The ending in E19 was very nice. I like how Gibbs smiled when he looked at his "family" ;).
Also I like to point out, that the title for the episode 12x23 was released. And if they're not planning to do "The Lost Boys (Part I) and (Part II)" like whit Judgment Day, we really won't have a two-parter in this season ;(.
I really can't remember Tina Larsen in 3x16, I believe she had a small role. But yeah, it would be fun to see her again. I kind of miss an NCIS agent on the recurring cast, like Paula Cassidy or Michelle Lee. Someone who does not appear in every episode but can assist the regular characters when needed.
ReplyDeleteI agree, the ending of E19 was nice. It's been too long since we've had that family ending.
And I'm really wondering what they will do with the finale. We haven't heard much about it. I don't think it will be a two-parter, but judging by the titles, it might not be a long arc either. So it might be a stand-alone finale. I do hope it will end in an interesting cliffhanger, I've missed that last year. As I said, there's not much information yet. I only know that the titles of 12.21 and 12.23 both have the word 'lost' in them ("Lost in Translation" and "The Lost Boys"), but that might just be a coincidence. After all, 12.22 ("Troll") sounds completely unrelated.
I didn't remember it either. So I looked on NCIS wiki. It says that Tony was flirting with her, but she went on a date with Tim.
ReplyDeleteThat's actually a really good idea, they should have someone like that again. I personally liked Ted Dorneget. He reminded me on Mcgee in the first season. Lee and Cassidy are dead, but he isn't..
I really liked season 10 ending story that was basically 4 episode long. I was hoping for a similar Sergei hunt, but I guess not...
The word LOST in both titles is really probably just a coincidence. And I know that The Lost Boys doesn't sounds like a two-part episodes, but I really want it ;(.
Hah I almost couldn't believe when I read the press release. Ned Dorneget is actually back on NCIS ;). I swear, I didn't know anything about it, when I write about him the other day...
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed both episodes but loved a couple of scenes in E19 - Mostly when Abbey accused Gibbs of cheating on her and when she got to go out to the aircraft carrier. I can't believe this is the first time in 12 seasons that Abbey has been out at sea.
ReplyDeletePoor Tim wasn't having much luck, first of all Delilah kept him in the dark in E18, then in E19 he had been excluded from this investigation and then to find out that Abbey had overlapped their relationship with some other guy. There was also a bit at the start of E19 where Bishop and McGee were discussing how he and Delilah were getting on. I am wondering having watched E20 if there isn't something going to happen with McGee before end of the season.
Also loved the class that Dinozzo and Bishop had to take - the Directors comment that Tony would want hazard pay and then Tonys stunned reaction later that he may have intimacy issues! I though he was going to group therapy for this already? I also think an honorable mention to Palmer's antics during E19 with getting his coffee nicked and then complaining about Gibbs when he could see it all from MTAC.
Loved the family feel at the end of E19 - always feels good when despite all the stuff going on between the team they still can come together as a family.