S12.E24: Neverland

[MyAimIsTrue]

NCIS feverishly investigates a global terrorist group that is recruiting teens via the Internet, following a deadly bombing overseas that results in an emotional and surprising loss for the team.

[GHScorpiosRule]

NCIS feverishly investigates a global terrorist group that is recruiting teens via the Internet, following a deadly bombing overseas that results in an emotional and surprising loss for the team.

 

First, why is NCIS investigating this? I don't see any mention of Navy/Marine murders/deaths, etc....which, you know, is what they're supposed to do?

 

And I thought the "emotional and surprising loss" (bolded emphasis mine) was this week with Dornie's death?  Is someone else going to be killed off?

 

If so, WTF, Glassberg?!

[Betweenthisandthat]

Maybe the terrorist group might be targeting naval bases or something, and I think the loss was in the deadly bombing overseas was Dornie.  I assume losing an NCIS agent in a blast gives NCIS some kind of jurisdiction to investigate the people behind bombing it, and Gibbs would probably demand it anyway and Dornie's mom is CIA so it might be a joint thing.  Didn't this whole thing start when a naval officer was killed because she was uncovering the online group, and they still haven't caught her murderer, have they?  They found the knife but not the person who killed her, so actually they're still on the hunt for him, and is he supposed to be the one of the recruiters?

[MyAimIsTrue]

Right now there are no words.

[pally]

So we're in for a long summer of endless speculation.....

[jennifer6973]

Is it September yet?

[AntiBeeSpray]

Right now there are no words.

 

Exactly :(. So sad and mad right now.

[HowdyTV]

 I wondered when Gibbs starting seeing dead comrades if it portended something. The location of the second shot is indeed worrisome. Would this show be able to continue without Gibbs? Is Mark Harmon wanting to retire or get into other endeavors? It is going to be a long summer.

[anna0852]

I missed it. Can someone please tell me what happened?

[pcta]

Would this show be able to continue without Gibbs? .

No

[HowdyTV]

Gibbs got shot by a young boy.

Edited May 13, 2015 by HowdyTV

[AntiBeeSpray]

No

 

Exactly.

 

*pictures it, and runs away screaming*

 

It would be Tony and his 'Campfires'.

 

*shudders*

[HowdyTV]

pcta, I used to think that, too, but after these many years and with such a jelled ensemble cast, I'm thinking maybe it could. Tony would finally get his team.

 

 

It would be Tony and his 'Campfires'.

I think Tony has grown past his 'Campfire' stage. His growth has been uneven, granted, mostly by how they can't seem to decide how to go with the character. But no Gibbs would give them the reason to have him grow up fast.

Edited May 13, 2015 by HowdyTV

[AntiBeeSpray]

pcta, I used to think that, too, but after these many years and with such a jelled ensemble cast, I'm thinking maybe it could. Tony would finally get his team.

 

I think Tony has grown past his 'Campfire' stage. His growth has been uneven, granted, mostly by how they can't seem to decide how to go with the character. But no Gibbs would give them the reason to have him grow up fast.

 

I hope so. Probably.

[pcta]

Bishop has severely weakened the team. So I have less belief in the ability to carry on without Gibbs than I would have if they hadn't filled "the girl" spot on the team. I thought the team was stronger and more interesting in that period between Ziva and Bishop.

[MyAimIsTrue]

Truth is I've been enjoying this storyline. Mimi Rogers rocks in the role of the CIA officer and for a very strange reason I liked seeing Mr. Eko's brother (from "Lost") as one of the bad guys but tonight's ending just pissed me off. Mike Franks was right when he told Gibbs he was being played by Luke.

[HowdyTV]

Yeah, he was being played. It's like they were setting it up that he's stayed too long in the job - didn't have anything else really that mattered to him. He tried Mexico with Frank. That didn't work. Bad guys just keep coming, he kept chasing. But it takes a toll, and Gibbs seemed lately to be paying on it. This may be what gets him to retire if it doesn't kill him. Chasing bad guys who are children may just be what gets him to hang it up.

Edited May 13, 2015 by HowdyTV

[camussie]

While I don't think NCIS would continue without Mark Harmon, I could see him having a reduced role next season.

As for Bishop weakening the team I could not disagree more. I feel like the team is more cohesive and well oiled than it has been in years. As we saw in this episode the various combinations work well together with all of them contributing their unique skills.

[GHScorpiosRule]

If they fucking kill Gibbs, I am SO out. OUT! I say.

 

That bullet wasn't in the heart, but below it, so I'm hoping it's not mortal.

 

Until I hear from Harmon himself that he's leaving, I'm going to believe he'll make it.

 

It's all a red herring. Right? Riiiiiight?

[AntiBeeSpray]

If they fucking kill Gibbs, I am SO out. OUT! I say.

 

That bullet wasn't in the heart, but below it, so I'm hoping it's not mortal.

 

Until I hear from Harmon himself that he's leaving, I'm going to believe he'll make it.

 

It's all a red herring. Right? Riiiiiight?

 

Me too.

 

I hope not. And I hope so.

[Ohmo]

If they fucking kill Gibbs, I am SO out. OUT! I say.

 

It's all a red herring. Right? Riiiiiight?

 

I have to admit, I'm a big fan of Glasberg, but I was bored with this finale.  I don't think this was Gary's best work.  It felt too redundant.  We've already done the "Gibbs in peril" arc between S3 and S4, so I don't think he's in any great peril now. At least not any peril where he'll actually die.  I don't think Mark's going anywhere.  If he wanted to leave, I think this would have been the Mothership's last season.  With Mark and Gary so involved with NOLA, I think the plan when Mark wants to be finished is NCIS will end and the focus with shift to NOLA.  If he wants Gibbs to occasionally appear on that canvas, then he will, but I don't see CBS continuing original NCIS without Gibbs. NOLA's also another reason I don't see Gibbs dying.  Any future crossover opportunities with Gibbs would then be toast.

 

For me, the most interesting revelation about Luke shooting Gibbs is that I think it showed that Luke killed his parents.  It explains why we never saw the nannycam footage and only heard audio.

Edited May 13, 2015 by Ohmo

[KLovestoShop]

NCIS is Gibbs. When Mark Harmon was on the Talk last week, he said that no one person was the show, and the show would succeed if ANY character left. When I heard him say that, I knew Gibbs would be killed off. If that is the case, I'm outta here. I've not been a fan of Denozzo as I found his frat boy character to be irritating, but he is OK as a supporting person. But, IMHO, no way could he take over for Gibbs.

As for this storyline, I really don't like it at all. Using hidden messages in music, to recruit teens, just doesn't jive with me.

[Julia]

Which is when McGee played the song backwards and realized that the shadowy teenage terrorist group buried Paul. Those wacky kids, with their techno and their instinctive subliminal grasp of morse code. Can't trust a one of them.

So, somebody less ancient than I am who doesn't remember the first coming of techno: is techno really back?

[camussie]

Mark Harmon has been saying that for years so that is really no indication at all that Gibbs will be killed off.  Also, while he may say that because he is a humble guy, there is no way CBS believes that.  NCIS is and always has been a Mark Harmon vehicle with everyone else playing supporting characters.

Edited May 13, 2015 by camussie

[catray]

I'm not going to lie, I feel like this finale was a bit of a let down. It's already been pointed out that Gibbs has been in peril several times already over the course of the show. This didn't feel suspenseful. I don't even feel that worked up about the fact that Gibbs might be dead.

I really like Dornegut's mom-- she is awesome. I would like to see her again.

As for Gibbs, I'm torn. I mean, a bullet to the gut could be a mortal injury, or it could not be. On the one hand, I feel like Gibbs is NCIS, whatever he says to the contrary. On the other hand, I think I could live with DiNozzo taking over at team leader. However, I feel like the show will end (as in an announced series finale) with Gibbs leaving and the team moving on/up. Personally, I think Gibbs will survive but I guess we have all summer to speculate now.

[itsmeyousee]

As for this storyline, I really don't like it at all. Using hidden messages in music, to recruit teens, just doesn't jive with me.

Is the music for recruiting ? I thought it was for the job they had to do once they were fully in, the chat rooms were the recruitment part.

 

A big part of me says no Gibbs will be fine because it was too obvious, with all the dead agents last week and referring to it again with a dead Mike and that Gibbs was being played by the kid but he knew it.

 

Also where Gibbs was shot leg and stomach so fixable and we didn't get to see the next shot which from the camera angle suggests head. But why not just shoot Gibbs there to start with he was close enough. But what if Tony shoots the kid to save Gibbs, there is 2 other kids there aside from Daniel watching up in the building, dead Tony ?

 

Definitely a cliffhanger

[MyAimIsTrue]

Which is when McGee played the song backwards and realized that the shadowy teenage terrorist group buried Paul.

Now that's funny!

[Trey]

 I wondered when Gibbs starting seeing dead comrades if it portended something. The location of the second shot is indeed worrisome. Would this show be able to continue without Gibbs? Is Mark Harmon wanting to retire or get into other endeavors? It is going to be a long summer.

 

I also wondered if his seeing dead people meant something would happen to him.  Perhaps Gibbs will die, DiNozzo will take over, and Gibbs will always be around (in ghost form) to help him.

 

But I hope he survives.

[MDL]

No way Gibbs is dead (wishful thinking???)

 

That said, whatever the (non fatal, hopefully) physical damage is, my greater  concern is about the mental damage to Gibbs' already damaged mental state.

I mean, he was shot by a kid that he befriended, and one that he attempted to work his "Gibbs' magic way with kids" on.

IIRC, prior to this, Gibbs was always able to "get through to kids. After this, what will he feel?

The disillusionment?? The feeling of psychological mortality? 

[Julie23]

I  stuck around after Kate's death,which really sucked, but I won't watch if Gibbs is gone. He is the heart of this show.   

[camussie]

I should also add that, while I think Gibbs will survive, I think Tony would be a good team leader.  Then again I never got the issue with the campfires.  It is just another name for a brainstorming session and at least he called for one without snarling at people like Gibbs so often does when he is looking for ideas from his team.  Any well run investigative team should be bouncing ideas off of each other and any good team leader would foster that by setting aside time for it.  

[Ohmo]

As for Gibbs, I'm torn. I mean, a bullet to the gut could be a mortal injury, or it could not be. On the one hand, I feel like Gibbs is NCIS, whatever he says to the contrary. On the other hand, I think I could live with DiNozzo taking over at team leader. However, I feel like the show will end (as in an announced series finale) with Gibbs leaving and the team moving on/up. Personally, I think Gibbs will survive but I guess we have all summer to speculate now.

 

If the series were younger, I could see Tony becoming Team Leader.  However, now I don't think CBS would bother. Promoting Tony would create a spot on the team. It'd have to be filled by a new person like Emily or an existing character that we already know.  I love NCIS, but it is old, and that's a lot of moves to make for a series that has 1-2 years left.  I think Tony will be promoted, but it will be a finale move that we won't see onscreen. I can't see CBS saying to Michael, "Hey, here's your reward.  You get to helm an aging series in its last year." I think its far more likely that CBS will offer him a directing deal or his own development deal (like Archie Panjabi got from FOX.)

[jennifer6973]

I think Michael Weatherly has a development deal in place already.

 

 

I think it was mentioned sometime last year.

 

 

http://deadline.com/2014/05/michael-weatherly-closes-2-year-deal-with-cbs-studios-to-return-to-ncis-produce-new-projects-731652/

Edited May 13, 2015 by jennifer6973

[roomtorome]

Personally, I find Gibbs to be a pretty dull character for all his so-called wisdom (which bores me to death) so, with  more animated characters, I could see it surviving without him if MH chose to retire - 

 

I like Bishop - I stopped watching for a long time after Ziva (or however you spell it) ate the show. 

 

I watch this for lightweight fluff - even as the storyline seemed to using the ISIS training of kids as a platform from which to devise this storyline - I still find it fluff as it is all pretty much by the book law and order kind of stuff that CBS does.  

 

I've never really understood the appeal of the character of Gibbs with his usually non-emotive expressions or lack of dialogue and his (at times) awful treatment of staff - but, that's just me.  His sanding of his boats all these years as a way to deal with emotional situations too always bored me - He's like a blank canvass onto which other characters project all sorts of things - my opinion only, of course.

 

CSI went on for quite a few years after the lead left - never watched it much so don't know how it was but it did stay on air - this may well too if MH decided to leave.  

[Ohmo]

I think Michael Weatherly has a development deal in place already.

 

 

I think it was mentioned sometime last year.

 

 

http://deadline.com/2014/05/michael-weatherly-closes-2-year-deal-with-cbs-studios-to-return-to-ncis-produce-new-projects-731652/

 

Thanks. If I knew that before, I had forgotten it.

 

i'm getting the feeling that next year will be it.  The cancellation of CSi was just announced.  I can see the following happening.

 

Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders was given an order for next year.  Ditto CSI: Cyber.  NCIS has NOLA.

CSI has already been cancelled. Cyber will remain.

I can see the same happening with Criminal Minds if the spin-off is received well. (2016 season, season after next)

Ditto NCIS. NOLA will also remain.  LA may or may not remain. (2016 season, season after next)

 

All brands are still represented with newer versions.

 

 

CSI went on for quite a few years after the lead left - never watched it much so don't know how it was but it did stay on air - this may well too if MH decided to leave.

 

CSI started that process when the series was several years younger than NCIS is now. CSi is what?  15 years old?  (I don't watch it.)  They had Lawerence Fishbourne, Liev Schribner, and Ted Danson after Peterson left.  NCIS is already 12 years old. I think it's too late to make that type of move.  Three to five years ago?  Sure maybe, but not now.

Edited May 13, 2015 by Ohmo

[Ohmo]

CBS’ NCIS wrapped Season 12 on Tuesday night with 14.8 million total viewers and a 1.9 rating, rising 5 percent in audience but dipping a tenth in the demo to a new series low.

 

TVLine

[Betweenthisandthat]

It's been hitting that 1.9 for awhile only to be adjusted later.  At least that's what has happened before.

 

The show has been renewed, and even with lows still ends up being one of the top shows of the week these days, but I wonder how long NCIS will continue.

 

Gibbs has been shot, and he might survive, but when you bring your lead to his knees like that it's hard for me to imagine him getting up and being fine again.  The show might be a little too long in the tooth to make drastic changes if Gibbs leaves or doesn't survive but the episode set up some interesting questions about where it might go next.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Gibbs has been shot, and he might survive, but when you bring your lead to his knees like that it's hard for me to imagine him getting up and being fine again.  

 

True. But he was also blown up in Season 3's two part finale "Hiatus" and survived. And after a four month "sabbatical", returned. Sure it was 10 years ago, but the point is, he did survive. I posted an interview with Glasberg about last night's finale in the media thread, which makes me think that Gibbs will survive to fight again next season.

[Betweenthisandthat]

You're right that he might live.  I was thinking about season 3, but we did see him survive at the end of the season.  This time they've ended the season with him injured, his life theoretically in the balance. Have we seen that before?  How does he recover from that?

[Julia]

It might not be a bad way for them to transition into less onscreen involvement for Harmon, having Gibbs be a senior eminence/consultant the way he was after the explosion. There was a much larger role for DiNozzo, and it changed the dynamics between him and Abbie/McGee in interesting ways. 

 

Honestly, I don't think I'm ever going to much care what happens to Bishop, but hopefully they'll play out the Gibbs/Bishop's husband relationship and we'll see more of him.

Edited May 13, 2015 by Julia

[rtms77]

I do not see DiNozzo taking over this particluar team.  McGee would resent it and leave, Bishop wouldn't tolerate it for long either, Ducky would retire finally. Abby and Palmler would probaly stay.

[Julia]

I do not see DiNozzo taking over this particluar team.  McGee would resent it and leave, Bishop wouldn't tolerate it for long either, Ducky would retire finally. Abby and Palmler would probaly stay.

 

I don't know. It seems to be they work together better now than they did eight years ago, and they worked together nicely with DiNozzo as the boss eight years ago. And that was back when he was being a spectacular jackass to McGee. Wouldn't break my heart if Bishop left, but I don't think she would.

[Cranston]

Rats.  And I had this lovely thought that Gibbs would take in that poor child who lost his Mommy and Daddy and raise him and they'd live happily ever after.  I'm such a Pollyana. 

[UncleChuck]

 

Perhaps Gibbs will die, DiNozzo will take over, and Gibbs will always be around (in ghost form) to help him

Exactly...

Franks retired, yet kept showing up...

Then he died, yet he still is showing up to impart his wisdom...

So if Gibbs dies, his ole ghost can still keep hovering over the orange room to pop DiNozzo on the head or quote some "Rules" to the team.

 

Or maybe Gibbs will actually retire and move down to Franks' old beach house in Mexico...

But sooner or later (likely sooner) the team will be down on the beach begging for his help...

And heeeeee's back!

 

I don't really think TPTB can kill him though.  I just cannot imagine Abby running into the orange room with her large CafPow yelling "DiNozzo--DiNozzo--DiNozzo"

[jennifer6973]

um Col. Bell's minions burned the place down

[Julia]

Or maybe Gibbs will actually retire and move down to Franks' old beach house in Mexico...

But sooner or later (likely sooner) the team will be down on the beach begging for his help...

And heeeeee's back!

um Col. Bell's minions burned the place down

It'll be next season's moment of zen. Can Gibbs build a home in its own basement?

[pally]

Unlike previous probies, Bishop already sees Tony as her superior.  She of all of them would have the least adjustment to him as team lead.  Besides those two seem to get along quite well.  It won't matter because Gibbs will live and we'll spend all next season dealing with his recovery.  Was Gibbs shot in his good or bad leg?

 

I did like the overall storyline.  It actually seemed to flow naturally out of the Navy Lieutenant's death as opposed to some vendetta against Gibbs or NCIS.  I was however bothered by the lack of Fornell or FBI in this and like last week spent half the show wondering where Delilah was.  This case seemed right up her alley.  It came across to me rather redundant to bring in Ned's mom as another expert who did the same thing as Delilah does.  I saw Stepford kid Luke going home with CIA Mimi not Gibbs. 

Edited May 14, 2015 by pally

[camussie]

On another board someone mentioned that MH cancelled his annual charity softball game due to scheduling conflicts.  They also speculated that the conflict could be him having knee replacement surgery (for years he has talked about having knee problems due to his football playing days) this summer since there has been no news of him having anything else lined up and in fact earlier this week on the late late show he said he didn't have any thing for the summer.  

 

While it is speculation it actually makes a lot of sense to me.  He is about the right age for knee replacement surgery and it would probably hinder some action scenes earlier in the season so by shooting Gibbs in the leg and chest they can have him desk bound while MH gets his knee up to strength.  Like i said though it is speculation so who knows.  

[BitterApple]

This show has gotten so embarrassingly bad I could barely make it through the season. Remember when NCIS used to be about investigating crimes involving Navy personnel? Yeah, I miss those days too.

I can't stand Bishop and her perpetually wrinkled forehead. Abby is like 40 by now and still acts 12. Tony should be leading his own team at this stage of his career and Gibbs is just a perpetual crank. Yeah, I get that it sucks your wife and kid died, but move on ffs. He would be such a drag to work for in real life.

I'm not sure how any more seasons they can drag this out for.

[AntiBeeSpray]

On another board someone mentioned that MH cancelled his annual charity softball game due to scheduling conflicts.  They also speculated that the conflict could be him having knee replacement surgery (for years he has talked about having knee problems due to his football playing days) this summer since there has been no news of him having anything else lined up and in fact earlier this week on the late late show he said he didn't have any thing for the summer.  

 

While it is speculation it actually makes a lot of sense to me.  He is about the right age for knee replacement surgery and it would probably hinder some action scenes earlier in the season so by shooting Gibbs in the leg and chest they can have him desk bound while MH gets his knee up to strength.  Like i said though it is speculation so who knows.  

 

Good point. That makes a lot of sense. Hoping that it's the case.