S12.E17: The Artful Dodger

[MyAimIsTrue]

Evidence in an NCIS murder case reveals a rare painting on loan had been swapped for a fake, prompting DiNozzo, Sr. to share his knowledge and contacts of the black market art world with the team.

 

[secnarf]

Oh great...Senior is back! /sarcasm.

[Linderhill]

Overall, Senior wasn't as bad as he usually is.  The one that really annoyed me was Jimmy and his blathering about his baby, etc.  Ugh, shut up, the kid's only a baby.  There's an entire life of parenthood ahead and I don't care about that either.

 

McGee trying to be Tony the model, funny.

[sinkwriter]

I don't care how Senior tries to paint it -- he's still a con man. Or a very slick "entrepreneur" whose main focus has always been scoring the next big deal and galavanting around having fun instead of being there for his son after the loss of his mother. Either way, I don't like him. He's not charming to me, and I'm tired of every single person (except for Gibbs) falling for his charms and making excuses for him. Not everyone is impressed by that kind of behavior. 

 

To me, the best part of the episode was when Gibbs brought up the first part of the story, that Tony covered for his father, a man who had never done anything for him, and Gibbs couldn't understand why. I wish that had made a dent in Senior's brain, but instead he tries to explain away his behavior as if it's okay to treat your son like crap because you "believed" in what you were selling. 

Just because Tony loves him anyway doesn't mean Senior deserves that love, or that Tony's love somehow absolves Senior of his lousy behaviors. 

 

As cringeworthy as it was, Tim was right to tell Senior he needs to stop with the con man stuff. It's offensive and it bothers and upsets Tony, no matter how he tries to play it off as no big deal.

[Linderhill]

I agree with this completely.sinkwriter.

[sinkwriter]

It just drives me nuts. I was hoping this time around they'd actually have one team member not like Senior. That maybe Bishop would see past the slick charm and feel it was kind of creepy, that she'd see Tony's frustration and bond with him about it. In fact, I appreciated seeing Tim trying to look at the situation from Tony's point of view and actually saying something to Senior about it. In the past, the entire team (sans Gibbs) has treated Tony as if he's a terrible son for being frustrated with his father's behaviors, all because they were so charmed by Senior and "how could anyone that charming be a bad dad?" But he has been a bad dad, and just because he tried to explain his behavior to Tony doesn't make up any of the past or make it somehow better. I was glad to see Tim being a little more sensitive about that, perhaps because he's now lost his own father but still recognizes that his own father had flaws and their relationship wasn't always the easiest.

[mtmjr]

I really liked this episode.  I get that Senior was a crap father, but I also get that Tony, as an adult, is gonna give him some breaks on that.  In the end, you only get one father, and sometimes you have to accept him for the flawed person he is and acknowledge that you love him anyway and that he loves you, in the best way he can.  I loved the way the team rallied around both of them.  I also loved the final take down, with Gibbs spinning out this intriguing but not-quite-on-point story, and getting the bad guys intrerested and off guard, so that when the safe word naturally came up in his monologue, the take down happened before they even knew what hit them.

 

And I continue to love how Bishop is relating to the rest of the team.  I especially liked when Tony referred to her as "Bish."  I was not really sure about her at first, because she seemed a little Mary Sue-ish, but since they've dialed back her specialness and made her a real probie, I think she really adds to the show.  I also love, love, love that there is no sexual tension between her and any of the male characters.  They all respect her as a person, and a married woman, and relate to her as a professional and a friend.  It's refreshing.

 

IMHO, this season has had a lot of really great individual episodes.  I found the whole Russian terrorist arc un-compelling, but most of the episodes have stood alone really well and been quite entertaining.

[sinkwriter]

 

I really liked this episode.  I get that Senior was a crap father, but I also get that Tony, as an adult, is gonna give him some breaks on that.  In the end, you only get one father, and sometimes you have to accept him for the flawed person he is and acknowledge that you love him anyway and that he loves you, in the best way he can.

 

I totally get that and agree. But at the same time, I feel for Tony because no matter how much he loves his father and no matter how many breaks he gives his father because he loves him so much, I still see the hurt and disappointment on Tony's face when he hears that his own father had a better conversation with someone else (like McGee) or when he sees his father yet again making choices that are self-serving. Tony holds that in because he loves his dad, but he deserves better. And Senior should try harder; I think he too often takes for granted that Tony will forgive him and somehow Senior thinks that absolves him (Senior) from making the tougher choices in life.

[threebluestars]

I loved Bishop in the dumpster. "Thanks for getting us a probie, boss." LOL

[twoods]

Poor Bishop. Especially the cockroaches- yikes! She has really fit in with the team. Tony is still into his girlfriend- good for him. I wish we saw a little more of her.

Love the actor that plays the CIA agent. More of him please. And I really bought the art thief's sob story so I'm glad she was caught for conning and killing that poor guy.

Palmer is being the typical neurotic first time dad. Hope they tone him down.

[Packerbrewerbadger]

This is the first episode that I didn't loathe Senior. Still a little bit of him goes along way...... But it was a great call in casting Robert Wagner as Tony's dad.

[gazebo]

I think the Senior DiNozzo is a conman, no matter how he justifies himself to his son.  I think Tony knows it too but wisely did not say anything because he didn't want to hurt his father's feelings.  Tony DiNozzi Senior is what Al Mundy would've become if Al wasn't arrested by the government and made to work for the government.

 

True, Tony Sr. was an unattentive father, but he did take care of Tony as best as he could.  And I think Tony understood that.

 

So nice to see Robert Wagner again on this Show!

 

Poor Bishop having to wade through the garbage dumpster!  Her line about thinking she's just stepped into some chili, at least she hope that's what it was, made me laugh.

[sinkwriter]

One thing I loved a lot: another Gibbs rule is revealed! #20: Always look under. (LOL.)

 

I forget Tony's wording about it, but it was funny. Something about it being an obscure one, but having levels or different ways to look at it? Does anyone remember the exact thing Tony said about rule #20?

[Betweenthisandthat]

One thing I loved a lot: another Gibbs rule is revealed! #20: Always look under. (LOL.)

 

I think he said the rule was rarely quoted but openly interpreted or something like that.  It was funny, and there were a lot of fun moments in this episode and some heartfelt ones too.

 

I like seeing this team support each other.  Senior's not a great dad, but Tony sees the good in him.  

[Linderhill]

 

I think the Senior DiNozzo is a conman, no matter how he justifies himself to his son.  I think Tony knows it too but wisely did not say anything because he didn't want to hurt his father's feelings.  Tony DiNozzi Senior is what Al Mundy would've become if Al wasn't arrested by the government and made to work for the government.

This is what I think also.  Senior also reminds me of Pete Ryan, one of RJ's other charming rogue characters from the mid-seventies series, Switch (I loved Robert Wagner back in the day).  I alawys thought of Pete Ryan as Alexander Mundy when he got out of jail.  I always loved Alexander Mundy back when I saw it in syndication.  Anthony Sr. isn't quite as charming as he thinks he is and it does always baffle me that everyone seems to be fooled/charmed by him except for Tony, of course, and Gibbs.  Gibbs does see him as a useful tool although I'm still trying ot figure out how Gibbs managed to write off those suits Senior charged to the agency a few appearances ago.  (Since I do purchases for my branch of my federal agency, that would send up so many red flags in accounting)

[itsmeyousee]

Not a bad Senior ep, it had some really good moments. Like Gibbs at the table and the "thanks for getting us a probie" " you welcome", very funny. But it always feels like one step froward, three steps back when it comes to Senior. The relationship doesn't seem able to move past that point , not sure how many more eps we can have without changing something. For the better or worse either one just some sort of actual change.

 

  Gibbs does see him as a useful tool although I'm still trying ot figure out how Gibbs managed to write off those suits Senior charged to the agency a few appearances ago.  (Since I do purchases for my branch of my federal agency, that would send up so many red flags in accounting)

They did have it be a problem for the accounts guy, he came up and questioned everything and Vance okayed it as far as i remember

[HurricaneVal]

Sigh.  Another Senior episode.  It was a good episode--as most of the ones featuring Anthony DiNozzo Sr. are--but it always just makes my teeth grind with the retconning that takes place.  See, they got the very charming, very popular (though quite possibly a murderer) Robert Wagner to play Senior, and I do not quibble at all with that brilliant casting.  My problem is that through the early years of NCIS, Tony has let out tidbits of his childhood, and when associated with his father they were all pretty terrible.  Like being abandoned in a Hawaiian hotel room and beaten when Senior saw the room-service bill, or being beaten when Tony had cut up Senior's ski suit to use as for a costume, or being sent away to boarding school at a young age etc.  So the Senior that Tony introduced to us via his reminiscences in the early seasons is very different from the affable and charming Senior we get in these later seasons.  I get it, you've got Robert Wagner, so you can't make him an evil child-beater, you have to give the viewers a character they expect the charming Robert Wagner to play.  But it doesn't match.  And that bugs me.

[Betweenthisandthat]

But it doesn't match.  And that bugs me.

 

 

I remember some of those details because need to go back and watch those episodes to see how he talked about his father.  I don't remember the emphasis on the beatings.

 

You forget to add that this is the same dad that was supposed to do civil war reenactments, and earlier in the first or second season, Tony had parents who didn't give him an advance on his father's will and he told Kate that growing up rich was great.  There was a scene when she was teasing him and he tried to pull it off as tragic and then said it was wonderful.  Those days they weren't playing Tony as having a terrible, abusive childhood.

 

Then it got a bit darker when all of the characters started to get more tortured, and now it's Tony with a neglectful dad who has some good in him nonetheless because he loves his son.  I don't mind this.  The writing for Tony's dad has never been consistent.  The Senior they described in seasons 1 or 2 isn't the one they started describing later on and then isn't the same as he was when he started to appear.  We still get details that confirm Senior wasn't a good dad, but he wasn't an abusive one, and he tried with Tony even if he failed him, too.  

[Clanstarling]

I think Robert Wagner is great casting, but I will admit to waiting to watch this episode because I didn't really want to watch another Dinozzo Sr. episode.

 

I kept expecting the bug to be in the pen - and the officer (forget her rank) to have something to do with it. But the pen was never mentioned, other than she'd sent the guy to retrieve it.

Edited March 15, 2015 by clanstarling

[GHScorpiosRule]

I'm definitely going to have to do a binge-rewatch of the first five seasons, because I don't ever recall Senior being abusive.  Benign neglect? Yes, I do remember something like that.

 

As for Tony dressing up for Civil War reenactments? That was something his mother insisted on. Not his father.

 

Topic:

 

I enjoyed this episode, and Senior wasn't hogging up most of the screen time as he's done in the past.  But yes, he is a con man. That's something I wish he wasn't revealed to be, to tell the truth. What can I say? I still have lingering feelings for Mr. Jonathan Hart.

 

And I so do miss Ducky's mother, so that's another reason I think I'll go rewatch. She was a HOOT. Especially when she demanded to see Kate's um...underwear.

[sinkwriter]

I can't name the specific episode because it's been a long time since I've watched my early season DVDs, but I remember Tony talking about how he once cut up one of his father's prized suits to make himself a Halloween costume. He was probably exaggerating, but he said that his dad beat him so hard, he couldn't sit down for a month, something like that. That's the closest I can think of Senior being mentioned as actually, physically abusive.

 

I always assumed he was exaggerating, and that it boiled down to a painful spanking. But I don't personally think spankings are helpful (mostly they seem to teach kids to fear their parents, which is not a great lesson when you want kids to take responsibility for their bad behaviors), so... some people might consider such parental punishment to be abusive. Maybe not on the level of a brutally abusive person who breaks a kid's arm or beats them regularly and threatens them and terrifies them, but still abuse on some level.

Edited March 16, 2015 by sinkwriter

[Julia]

As for Tony dressing up for Civil War reenactments? That was something his mother insisted on. Not his father.

I seem to remember that Tony said something during the episode about the civil war corpse with the cell phone about his father being the one who made him do it. I could be mistaken.

 

And I so do miss Ducky's mother, so that's another reason I think I'll go rewatch. She was a HOOT. Especially when she demanded to see Kate's um...underwear.

I loved her, and I didn't realize until after she died that Mrs. Mallard was the rich blonde who was chasing Gene Kelly in An American In Paris.

[MyAimIsTrue]

I loved her, and I didn't realize until after she died that Mrs. Mallard was the rich blonde who was chasing Gene Kelly in An American In Paris.

 

One of my favorite movies.  Even though I recognized Nina Foch's name in the NCIS credits it took me a while to realize she was in 'An American In Paris' as well.

[sinkwriter]

 

I seem to remember that Tony said something during the episode about the civil war corpse with the cell phone about his father being the one who made him do it.

 

I think it was his dad, too. In fact, didn't Tony say his dad was the one who made him carry the "poo buckets"? Gross.

[kassygreene]

It was his Dad, it was early in season 3 (Ziva was new, the open was a female Geraldo-type opening a Civil War era coffin and finding a cellphone in the deceased's hand, and Tony was the resident expert on Civil War re-enactments because his father was a re-enactor, and he "got" to go along and carry the poo bucket, which made him the poo boy).

 

It was sad.  I find re-enactments to be almost as sensible a way to spend your down-time (and money) as a science fiction convention, but until that episode I had never truly appreciated that re-enactors would resist porta-potties.  He should have been at least a drummer-boy.

 

As for "beating" so that he couldn't sit down, Tony would be at the end of the era where kids still got disciplined like that.  Over-reaction to the suit, but probably an expensive suit.  Also at that time Senior was described as a guy who had his evening drink (I forget what) while Tony reported his day.  Before he was retconned as a con man, he was just a cold-hearted rich business executive.  Then they cast Robert Wagner and that all changed.  

Edited March 16, 2015 by kassygreene

[BigBeagle]

I like Robert Wagner, but all the Tony Sr. episodes are starting to blend together.

 

Let's see:

 

1) Senior arrives unexectedly.

 

2) Senior does things that mortify Junior

 

3) Senior charms the pants off of most everybody.

 

4) Much tension develops between Junior and Senior.

 

5) The two eventually reconcile.

 

Which Senior episode am I talking about? EVERY ONE.

[Julia]

I liked that they hung a lantern on it, though, with Tony telling McGee that he and Senior hadn't had the second act awkwardness yet so they couldn't talk until that was out of the way.

[Ohmo]

I really liked this episode.  I get that Senior was a crap father, but I also get that Tony, as an adult, is gonna give him some breaks on that.  In the end, you only get one father, and sometimes you have to accept him for the flawed person he is and acknowledge that you love him anyway and that he loves you, in the best way he can. 

 

i really dislike the "you only get one father" argument.  I'm going to intentionally be crass for a moment.  Senior became a father because he got laid.  That's all it takes to join the "fatherhood" club in its most base sense.  Tony doesn't "have" to do anything.  He is choosing to do something because he himself wants a relationship with Senior.  That is Tony's choice to make, but I certainly hope he's not making it because he thinks he "has" to honor biology.

 

I also think this series and this episode resoundingly blows the "one father"  argument out of the water.  Tony has two: the biological train wreck who helped create him and the man who is his boss.  Yeah, I know that NCIS can get heavy-handed with the "Gibbs as father" dynamic, but Tony wasn't calling Senior in SWAK or when Chip was trying to frame him.  Those are things a father does.  Senior is fortunate enough to have a relationship with his son because his son is awesome in spite of Senior.  Tony is choosing that.  Senior is not deserving of that simply because he walked into a bedroom one night 40+ years ago.

 

Palmer is another example.  We don't have any indication that his relationship with his dad is terrible, but he has two fathers as well---hence "Grandducky" (which is too awesome for words, in my opinion.  LOVED that!)

[immortalfrieza]

I honestly pity Tony when it comes to his father. It's obvious he wants desperately to love his Dad, but at the same time knows perfectly well that the man doesn't deserve much if any love from him. It doesn't help that just about every time Tony ever sees his father he's either running some scam or in big trouble, and after the so called reconcile where he apologizes for being the con man that he is he's back to doing it his next appearance, which makes his apologies meaningless.

 

Love for anyone including and perhaps especially one's relatives is something that is earned like anything else, not something that is given just because they are one's relatives, and it's sad Tony is so conflicted he's incapable can't truly understand that.

[betsyboo]

McGee's fierce Sears catalog pose!! hahahahahahaha

 

To me, the best part of the episode was when Gibbs brought up the first part of the story, that Tony covered for his father, a man who had never done anything for him, and Gibbs couldn't understand why. I wish that had made a dent in Senior's brain, but instead he tries to explain away his behavior as if it's okay to treat your son like crap because you "believed" in what you were selling. 

For anyone who is a musical theater fan, as soon as he started to defend himself, I said to myself "There's always a band, kid." (The Music Man)

 

And I continue to love how Bishop is relating to the rest of the team.  I especially liked when Tony referred to her as "Bish."  I was not really sure about her at first, because she seemed a little Mary Sue-ish, but since they've dialed back her specialness and made her a real probie, I think she really adds to the show.  I also love, love, love that there is no sexual tension between her and any of the male characters.  They all respect her as a person, and a married woman, and relate to her as a professional and a friend.  It's refreshing.

YES. and while they respect her, they don't hold any punches (well, anymore) about her being a probie or woman. She has to do everything Tim had to do way back when.

 

I loved Bishop in the dumpster. "Thanks for getting us a probie, boss." LOL

I laughed right out loud. "no problem."

 

Palmer is another example.  We don't have any indication that his relationship with his dad is terrible, but he has two fathers as well---hence "Grandducky" (which is too awesome for words, in my opinion.  LOVED that!)

YES! Grandducky! Delightful!!! And how excited Ducky was about it!

[Julia]

I wonder. Because I think Gibbs has Tony's daddy issues a bit mixed up with his own daddy issues, which were a little less black and white. Gibbs dealt with his father as an obligation, and clearly resented that obligation and wasn't sure his father earned it. Tony just loves his dad, who clearly didn't earn it.

 

I think Tony'd be happier if he'd let that paradigm go, because as long as he looks at the world in terms of who deserves to be loved he's going to keep wondering if there's something wrong with him because his father didn't love him, or at least love him enough. And when Tony's insecure, he acts like Senior. Douche Tony is not a favorite of mine.