S02.E12: Shields Up

[thewhiteowl]

When an elite special forces Marine captain is murdered, the NCIS team finds a suspect in a really unusual place.

[dwmarch]

I'm glad the plot with Alex's girlfriend was wrapped up nicely and in a single episode. Also Tennant is a great mom.

The main plot didn't make a lot of sense to me. Someone was murdered because of something that happened overseas back in the day but the original witness didn't want to cooperate so somehow the monk-Marine agreed to take the fall?

At least the obvious bad guy was obvious for once. I was sure the helpful Marine CID lady would be involved somehow. I was waiting for Ernie to come rushing in saying it was actually snowing in Mexico City yesterday and those aren't standard issue Marine combat boots!

[blackwing]

1 hour ago, dwmarch said:

I'm glad the plot with Alex's girlfriend was wrapped up nicely and in a single episode. Also Tennant is a great mom.

The main plot didn't make a lot of sense to me. Someone was murdered because of something that happened overseas back in the day but the original witness didn't want to cooperate so somehow the monk-Marine agreed to take the fall?

At least the obvious bad guy was obvious for once. I was sure the helpful Marine CID lady would be involved somehow. I was waiting for Ernie to come rushing in saying it was actually snowing in Mexico City yesterday and those aren't standard issue Marine combat boots!

I didn't fully follow the plot either.  But I think it goes something like this.  Somewhere overseas, there was a local kid who mouthed off to the roid rage Marine thug.  Roid Rage killed the kid and his mom (?) and deliberately set fire to the kid's home to cover up the killing and made it look like they unfortunately perished in the fire.  The female Marine saw him setting the fire.  But she knew of Roid Rage's terrible temperament and was too scared to tell her captain about what she saw.  So Monk Marine said that he was the witness and told the captain what he saw.  Then he resigned from the Marines and fled to a monastery so that Roid Rage couldn't find him?  Then something, maybe Roid Rage was sniffing around and suspected Female (?), so Monk called Captain to tell him what he knew.  Roid Rage found out and killed Captain. After Captain died, Monk called Female and told her to hide out in an outbuilding on the monastery plantation.  CID lady comes to assist NCIS in tracking down killer.

I'm sure I got some of it wrong, but to me the overall plot doesn't make sense.  Why exactly did Monk quit the Marines and go into hiding?  He didn't seem like the type to be afraid of anyone.  Why didn't Female immediately tell Captain as soon as this overseas killing happened, and Captain arrests Roid Rage?  Why didn't Monk tell Captain, instead of resigning?

It was great seeing Wes Chatham as the Monk.  Haven't seen him since "The Expanse" ended.  I was looking away from the screen when he first appeared so I heard him before I saw him.  That gravelly voice is instantly recognisable to me.

Nice also to see Commander Chase.  We didn't see Whistler at all, which is fine, I would think she doesn't need to appear in every single case.  Also, not that I need to see her, but I've noticed the last few episodes that they don't even bother addressing where Jane's daughter is.  I just assume she's with the dad.

Not really sure why we seem to be getting this parade of women coming through the office.  Fish and Game lady, Boom Boom, now this CID lady.  Are they screentesting for chemistry for a pairing with Kai?  Or for a more permanent spot on the show and team?  I do find it a bit ludicrous that this team only has three (now two) field agents plus Jane.

I am so glad that Cassandra is gone.  Hopefully she stays gone.  I was really hoping for Jane to give her a talking to about calling her "Jane" and acting like she owns her house.  There should have been a discussion early on about boundaries.  "You are welcome as a guest in this home, but that is what you are, a guest of my son.  You will call me Mrs. Tennant and you will treat me with respect as my son's mother and not an equal."  

I am very intrigued with what Brother Kane said to Jesse, that there is a darkness behind his smile.  I hope that we finally get to see some more character development for Jesse.  Apart from the one episode where his daughter was kidnapped, we haven't gotten any glimpses into Jesse's personal life at all.  We've seen plenty about Kai's life and more than plenty about Lucy and even a little bit into Ernie, but Jesse's life has been a fairly blank slate.  Hopefully that changes.

[Silver-hyren]

3 hours ago, blackwing said:

Also, not that I need to see her, but I've noticed the last few episodes that they don't even bother addressing where Jane's daughter is.  I just assume she's with the dad.

I was actually coming here to ask if Jane still had a daughter or if she was written out.  Has she been mentioned at all this season?  Her son seems to live with her full time now. 

[Raja]

8 hours ago, blackwing said:

I didn't fully follow the plot either.  But I think it goes something like this.  Somewhere overseas, there was a local kid who mouthed off to the roid rage Marine thug.  Roid Rage killed the kid and his mom (?) and deliberately set fire to the kid's home to cover up the killing and made it look like they unfortunately perished in the fire.  The female Marine saw him setting the fire.  But she knew of Roid Rage's terrible temperament and was too scared to tell her captain about what she saw.  So Monk Marine said that he was the witness and told the captain what he saw.  Then he resigned from the Marines and fled to a monastery so that Roid Rage couldn't find him?  Then something, maybe Roid Rage was sniffing around and suspected Female (?), so Monk called Captain to tell him what he knew.  Roid Rage found out and killed Captain. After Captain died, Monk called Female and told her to hide out in an outbuilding on the monastery plantation.  CID lady comes to assist NCIS in tracking down killer.

I'm sure I got some of it wrong, but to me the overall plot doesn't make sense.  Why exactly did Monk quit the Marines and go into hiding?  He didn't seem like the type to be afraid of anyone.  Why didn't Female immediately tell Captain as soon as this overseas killing happened, and Captain arrests Roid Rage?  Why didn't Monk tell Captain, instead of resigning?

For the first time in a long time they were with the military and playing a special unit closing ranks and not talking to outsiders. Perhaps if their Colonel showed a command interest the squad would play it different. (From the Roger's Rangers creed of not lying to another Ranger or an officer)

 Master Sergeant "Roid Rage" was almost certainly the NCO running the recon team with the Captain an away from day to day work but the commanding officer presence. As she had to be among the first female Marines in Recon her, Sergeant Brother monk, with more rank stood up for her but neither the chain of command or the cops of Marine CID was willing or able to make a case in a timely manner. And un Marine Corps like " we are all Marines, all elite" , at least outside of aviation squadrons, the unit picked up a nickname and was said to have press interest making a cover up seem more likely.

I think the Brother left the Corps, eventually for the monastery for the PTSD reasons, he had seen too much combat. culmanating with his boss pulling off a murder. But then I missed why the witness went absent to the monastery after NCIS came around.

8 hours ago, blackwing said:

I am so glad that Cassandra is gone.  Hopefully she stays gone.  I was really hoping for Jane to give her a talking to about calling her "Jane" and acting like she owns her house.  There should have been a discussion early on about boundaries.  "You are welcome as a guest in this home, but that is what you are, a guest of my son.  You will call me Mrs. Tennant and you will treat me with respect as my son's mother and not an equal." 

From her introduction I was thinking how could they, she must not be local. Comparing her to Kono of Hawaii 5-0 who went "uncle" with Kamekono in the early episodes before I guess the network dropped the regional customs and courtesies for the general larger publics norms.  All in saying the boyfriend's mom would be "auntie" while forcing a "Mrs" would place Jane as publicly disapproving her which her son would hear and have to fight against.

[Snazzy Daisy]

Bye bye Cassandra! Finally.

Unpopular opinion - I like Summer more than Lucy.

I wonder what darkness that’s surrounding Jesse. Something that he’s carrying from his past? It’s time for his backstory.

 

1 hour ago, Raja said:

But then I missed why the witness went absent to the monastery after NCIS came around.

Brother Ellis Kane called Nadiya on the night of the murder, warning her that Captain Dennison would like to reopen the Niger case. She knew she will be Baxter’s next target after NCIS informed them about the captain’s death.

[Daff]

Thank you @SnazzyDaisy, you explained it quite succinctly. Can you just imagine trying to be a female serving under that thug’s command? I only had one gripe, and apparently it led to the violent shoot-out: after the CID (Summer?) gave the order to the car pool corporal, she should have confiscated his phone. Surely if she has the authority to make him hand over the logs, she has the authority to hold his phone while he retrieves them. I knew he’d go off and warn the jerk! 
I didn’t like her better than Tennant, but she’s one of a revolving door’s worth of characters who cause me to begin enjoying Hawaii more than the original!

[Daff]

16 hours ago, SnazzyDaisy said:

Bye bye Cassandra! Finally.

Unpopular opinion - I like Summer more than Lucy.

I wonder what darkness that’s surrounding Jesse. Something that he’s carrying from his past? It’s time for his backstory.

 

Brother Ellis Kane called Nadiya on the night of the murder, warning her that Captain Dennison would like to reopen the Niger case. She knew she will be Baxter’s next target after NCIS informed them about the captain’s death.

I agree about Jesse. Looked up St. Benedict: you want him looking over you when you must resist evil (but also temptation), he was known for miraculously escaping “traps intended to kill him”. 
 

Oops on the comparison-you are spot on!

[MissLucas]

Amos!!!!! Gosh, I wish someone would give Wes Chatham a regular gig again.

CID lady had nice chemistry with everybody but I don't think they are looking for a Lucy replacement. (I have no idea how big Yasmine Al-Bustami's part on the Chosen is but so far it sounds as if she's scheduled to return to Hawaii.)

That was a strong episode for Tennant, loved how she handled Cassandra. She turned the break-up into a lesson for maturing for both Cassandra and Alex. 

The fight choreography was great (as usual), I appreciate that they show her fighting dirty to make up the disadvantages she has when fighting someone taller, heavier and well-trained. Sure, she should have had a couple of bruises in the end - must be that wholesome Hawaiian air. 

Nice little or rather sad character moment for the Doctor. I never noted any darkness in Jesse's eyes/smile but since Brother Kane just loaded Chekhov's gun it must be there 😄

[dwmarch]

2 hours ago, MissLucas said:

I never noted any darkness in Jesse's eyes/smile but since Brother Kane just loaded Chekhov's gun it must be there 😄

I think this is what passes for foreshadowing on this show. Jesse's daughter was kidnapped in an episode and he wasn't happy about it but he didn't go all John Wick either. I guess his darkness had the week off.

[Raja]

On 1/25/2023 at 3:40 PM, MissLucas said:

Amos!!!!! Gosh, I wish someone would give Wes Chatham a regular gig again.

He's too pretty, the other actors wouldn't want to compete with him.

On 1/25/2023 at 5:50 PM, dwmarch said:

Jesse's daughter was kidnapped in an episode and he wasn't happy about it but he didn't go all John Wick either. I guess his darkness had the week off.

I guess Bryan Mills has run his course and left the public's consciousness. Or we just knew about the particular set of skills and not his name.

 

Was Alex the first mention of COVID in a long time when he saw the negative home test results?