NCIS - Jurisdiction

Network: CBS
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll

Summary: The team investigates the murder of a Navy diver, and they work with their Coast Guard equivalent (CGIS), with whom they find some striking similarities.

Review: I have mixed feelings about this episode of NCIS.  On the one hand, it was funny and engaging in a way that the last few episodes haven't been.  On the other hand, it was an old gag and, overall, not a particularly strong episode.

This season has hit both the highs and lows of NCIS.  The first few episodes were amazing, even if they lacked the witty banter that has become a staple of the show.  But recently it seems to be struggling a little.  The cases, which were never the strongest part of an episode, are lackluster, and even the characters seem to be off just enough to leave me wanting more from each episodes.

On the positive side of this episode, Gibbs' character seemed to settle back a little closer to the way he used to be (pre-season 6 finale).  He's still a man of few words, but the wicked sense of humor he had in the first couple seasons was back (throwing the keys into the middle of the bullpen to let the agents fight over them, his little verbal sparring session with Tony, etc.). Even his possibly-romantically-charged interaction with CGIS Special Agent Abigail Borin (played by Law & Order: SVU's Diane Neal) was reminiscent of the Gibbs of old (and could it mean that he's done fooling around with Rena Sofer?  Please?).

Other positives: a frustrated Abby = a funny Abby.  Abby, for all her eccentricities, is usually confident, capable and completely in control (to be unnecessarily alliterative).  When she breaks, it always makes for a good laugh.  On the slight negative, however, where was Mortimer?  You don't train a seeing eye dog in a week.  And he was so cute!  I know it's expensive (and troublesome) to have a puppy on the set, but I was kind of hoping he'd be back.

Positive (mostly): Tony and Ziva.  Aside from a completely really blatant "oh, we might be in a relationship, but if not, we're just going lay on the sexual tension extra thick" moments, it was fun to watch the two of them together again.  The scene where they checked out Lt. Jensen's storage locker was my favorite of the episode, and the last scene had a sweet feeling that's been seriously lacking since Jeanne showed up a few seasons ago.

Negative: Ducky.  The bow ties were back, and with them was a melancholy attitude that only serves to reinforce my theory that something big is going to happen to Ducky (like potentially a retirement) by the end of the season.  Now, Ducky fans, don't get all excited yet.  I have absolutely no proof to back this up, just a Gibbs-style gut feeling.  So we'll see.

Positive: Palmer.  This little dude has been growing on me since he came on the show, and now he's pretty much cemented a place as one of my favorite characters.  Especially now that he's got a hot new girlfriend, he's gained so much confidence.  He can hold his own in a verbal battle against Tony.  Plus he makes completely inappropriate comments at completely inappropriate times.  He's really kind of wonderful.
Slight positive: The case.  It was actually pretty good for once, even if it was a little predictable. 

Negative: The gag.  This is the second NCIS episode in a row that I feel like I've seen before.  In this case, there was an episode in season 1 or 2 where they met a local PD that seemed to basically be their clones.  In this episode, it's just the CGIS agent in charge who's a Gibbs-clone.  It had some funny moments, but it felt tired.  (For those who are curious, the other episode was the guy with two wives, which I'm pretty sure they did before, but I can't remember which episode.)

Overall, not a bad episode, but not an amazing one either.  I feel like I'm watching so many crime shows that have the same gimmick (the cowboy-ish lead agent and his witty band of absurdly loyal followers) that NCIS needs to do something to stand out from a crowd that includes The Mentalist, White Collar and Lie to Me.  The season's starting to wind down now, so I'm eagerly anticipating the next few episode, and I hope they don't disappoint.


Favorite lines
Ziva: This looks like David Jones' locker.
Tony: Davy Jones.  He used to sing with The Monkees.
Ziva: ...real monkeys?
Tony: I envy your brain sometimes.

Gibbs: I wanted to see how Jensen lived.
Tony: It says a lot about a man.  Take your house for instance: clean, no nonsense, stoic.
Gibbs: Stoic?  My house is stoic?
Tony: Understand then.
Gibbs: I planted some roses last week.  Red ones.  Are red roses stoic?
Tony: Well, they're prickly and thorny.

Tony: Yes, Virginia, there is a CGIS.

Tony: Are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime?
Ziva: It is just a movie, Tony.
Tony: How dare you?  Is Mickey just a mouse?  Ringling Brothers just a circus?

Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad

What did you think of this episode?  What do you hope to see before the season finale?  Leave a comment and let me know.

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