S12.E17: Through the Looking Glass

[thewhiteowl]

When a Naval Intelligence Officer is tortured and murdered, NCIS must work with Joelle, who informs them that other CIA operatives are being killed in the same way. Kensi receives a threatening postcard from the sociopath who is obsessed with her.

[Maverick]

 Did a costume designer wander over from the Star Trek set?  Why was Joelle dressed like a Section 31 agent?  

 Densi angst aside, I mostly enjoyed this episode.  Except, why would the CIA reveal their hijinx to NCIS?   

 Kilbride's a little extra, but I loved his death threat if anyone sent him an emoji.  

[anna0852]

I find Kilbride a worthy successor to Granger. 

[Sweet Tooth]

Nell's dresses are physically assaulting me at this point.

It has to be on purpose, when you have an electric blue dress with pink polka-dots that's buttoned up to the top of your neck. You can't possibly look in the mirror and think, "THIS is a good look."

Second week in a row Sam had to run from a b0mb rather than disarming it.

Okay...what the what now? They had me so confused for a minute there.

And Joelle...yikes. That was a tad terrifying.

Edited May 17, 2021 by Sweet Tooth

[MDL]

Several things:

1) Joelle? really? The vengeance trip would /would not be allowed (even by the CIA???)  Was the "cane toss" at the end indicative of the fact that she was not as bad off as  she claimed (double amputation not with standing ...), or what ??

2) Am I a heartless ********for not wanting Kensi all sad/angsty?

3) Did the plot in the plot seem needlessly convoluted, and the explanation even more so, and rushed at that?

[wlk68]

Apropos of absolutely nothing, I actually liked Deeks' pink hoodie. I wanted it for myself. :)  

[EtheltoTillie]

2 hours ago, MDL said:

Several things:

1) Joelle? really? The vengeance trip would /would not be allowed (even by the CIA???)  Was the "cane toss" at the end indicative of the fact that she was not as bad off as  she claimed (double amputation not with standing ...), or what ??

2) Am I a heartless ********for not wanting Kensi all sad/angsty?

3) Did the plot in the plot seem needlessly convoluted, and the explanation even more so, and rushed at that?

Yes, to all.  This is one of those episodes where I tune out in the middle and don't go back.  I just can't follow or maintain interest in these ancient rivalries involving Joelle, Anna, CIA, etc.  It's a lot of hot air to me.

What happened with the pregnancy?  Was it still a no at the end? 

[anna0852]

Yeah, test was still negative. Kensi brought up adoption which pretty much guarantees she's pregnant next episode. 

[Sweet Tooth]

2 hours ago, anna0852 said:

Yeah, test was still negative. Kensi brought up adoption which pretty much guarantees she's pregnant next episode.

This actually happens in real life SO much.

People who try and try and do IVF, finally go off it and give up, and that's when it happens. The minute they take the pressure off themselves and just relax into a regular rhythm.

4 hours ago, MDL said:

2) Am I a heartless ********for not wanting Kensi all sad/angsty?

Oh my gosh, no. They're usually the bright spot and seeing them moping around with sad faces is not fun to watch. I really thought this would stop, but it just keeps getting dragged out.

Here's hoping this is the end of it.

 

[maggiemae]

I am so tired of these people....and even more Joelle and Anna.

I love NCIS and the humor...especially in the earlier seasons.

But this series is incredibly tiresome.

The only one I like a little is Sam.

 

 

[wlk68]

On 5/17/2021 at 12:51 PM, GussieK said:

 I just can't follow or maintain interest in these ancient rivalries involving Joelle, Anna, CIA, etc. 

 

If I never saw Joelle or Anna again I would be a very happy camper. 

[LittlePeas3]

It's all becoming so Blah! I have been in for the long haul - since the beginning - I am so invested in seeing this end. But it just is becoming a drag.  The first 7 seasons were fantastic and they slowly go down hill from then.  Possibly from when Hetty started vanishing at random periods.

Joelle, her storyline has become so bizarre.  The fact she keeps dragging the team into it all and they follow blindly drives me crazy.  Why do they not take everything she says with a grain of salt?  

[Gramto6]

I must have missed a few shows/a season...what happened to Joelle that she had a double amputation?? Not need to see TV any more for me...

Edited May 19, 2021 by Gramto6
typo

[SoapDoc]

On 5/17/2021 at 9:17 AM, MDL said:

Joelle? really? The vengeance trip would /would not be allowed (even by the CIA???)  Was the "cane toss" at the end indicative of the fact that she was not as bad off as  she claimed (double amputation not with standing ...), or what ??

I think it was a single amputation. But otherwise, I agree with your point.

I actually think Kensi is not going to get pregnant until the show is about to end. I don't think they want to write a pregnancy into the show because she would have to be kept in Ops for the full pregnancy which would be boring. Given how hard it has been for her to get pregnant, she wouldn't take any chances.

I can see them going towards the foster care/adoption route which could be interesting. Then Kensi gets pregnant towards the end of the show's run -- a surprise baby. Everyone is happy...

We'll see...

 

On 5/17/2021 at 3:14 AM, Sweet Tooth said:

Nell's dresses are physically assaulting me at this point.

I love the way you put this -- it is so true.

 

[Lebanna]

27 minutes ago, SoapDoc said:

I actually think Kensi is not going to get pregnant until the show is about to end. I don't think they want to write a pregnancy into the show because she would have to be kept in Ops for the full pregnancy which would be boring. Given how hard it has been for her to get pregnant, she wouldn't take any chances.

I can see them going towards the foster care/adoption route which could be interesting. Then Kensi gets pregnant towards the end of the show's run -- a surprise baby. Everyone is happy...

We'll see...

Well, I seem to remember Kensi saying that she saw Titanic (1997) as a teenager, so if the show goes on for, let’s say, as long as NCIS: mothership, they’ll probably have to just get on and write it in at some point.

Considering that this show has dealt with a lot of the negative sides of foster care, it would be interesting if they had Kensi and Deeks go into foster-to-adopt or something. I could seem them (eventually) becoming awesome at that and it would involve their team rallying round and offering support.

Edited May 20, 2021 by Lebanna

[123BP]

On 5/18/2021 at 11:19 PM, LittlePeas3 said:

Joelle, her storyline has become so bizarre.  The fact she keeps dragging the team into it all and they follow blindly drives me crazy.  Why do they not take everything she says with a grain of salt?  

It doesn't seem as if the writers know what's happened between Callen and Joelle in past seasons. The Katya defection mess was the second time she almost got Anna killed, but Callen--who doesn't even discuss his personal feelings with Sam until Sam needles him and cajoles him--decides to share his feelings with Joelle? Good grief! And if this NCIS team is supposed to be "elite," why didn't Callen and Sam insist on verifying the identity of the "corpse" instead of accepting Joelle's word (the woman who's lied to them repeatedly)? They didn't need fingerprints; they could get a blood sample and take the body to the medical examiner. If she refused, that would have told them that something else was going on. As for Kensi and Deeks, I'm so tired of the "preganancy watch," and it's weird to see Kensi so depressed and anxious.

The plot was way too complicated, and it was unbelievable that the NCIS agents would let Joelle lead them around like they did after their earlier experiences with her. Military made the NCIS team look stupid. And the CIA would not let Joelle--who made such a mess of the Katya defection (which ended with two CIA officers dead) and has such a bad history with the NCISLA office (she was part of the rogue CIA group) lead any operation tasked with including their agents.

This season has been a snoozer for me. I wanted to see a conversation between Callen and Anna and don't understand why we didn't. Wouldn't that make more sense than conversations between Callen and Joelle? I don't understand the decisions being made by the writers. They've spent so much time of the "pregnancy watch" and let others things just . . .

On 5/17/2021 at 1:14 AM, Sweet Tooth said:

Nell's dresses are physically assaulting me at this point.

Agree 100%. lol

[Sweet Tooth]

3 minutes ago, 123BP said:

The plot was way too complicated, and it was unbelievable that the NCIS agents would let Joelle lead them around like they did after their earlier experiences with her. Military made the NCIS team look stupid. And the CIA would not let Joelle--who made such a mess of the Katya defection (which ended with two CIA officers dead) and has such a bad history with the NCISLA office (she was part of the rogue CIA group) lead any operation tasked with including their agents.

This made me thing of something.

I know nothing about procedure in agencies like this, but after what happened with Joelle, wouldn't they do some kind of psychological evaluation? I mean, you don't have to scratch the service too hard to see the level of crazy she's become.

And now that Callen has been told she is, in fact, mentally disturbed, isn't it his obligation to...I don't know...inform someone that something ain't right? I'm just sayin'.

[catsitter]

The CIA expected Callen to be amazed that they could fake a death. I guess they didn't know about that time when Callen was suspended for killing the Chameleon.

I thought the scene of exposition, where we were told about who the father of the supposed victim was, was terribly written and the director must have just got them all to say their lines as quickly as possible to get it done.  And do people really talk about "illegitimate" children in 2021? (As the unmarried mother of several offspring, I hope not!)

[mythoughtis]

Joelle whining about how she lost her husband and child ... they aren’t dead.   Callan dropped her off at her house in one episode a few seasons back.  Joelle waited until he left and then turned around and walked down the sidewalk.  She chose to abandon her family.  

[Tony Dickson]

That 1967 Plymouth survived 54 years only to be destroyed for this idiotic episode.