S13.E07: 16 Years

[MyAimIsTrue]

The NCIS murder case of a retired Navy Lieutenant Commander forces Ducky to reveal his participation in a secret society that solves cold cases.

[MyAimIsTrue]

I loved this episode.  Jessica Walter can do no wrong.

[Driad]

 

So we are no longer pretending that Abby was in high school 16 years ago?

[Julia]

Who was the older man, or did he just remind me of Brian Doyle Murray?

Amused by Bishop's homebrewed call the devil nullification ceremony.

[immortalfrieza]

Does Gibbs still headslap people? I can't remember the last time he actually did, though the characters talk about him doing it far more often than he actually does it regardless.

[roseha]

Shut up Lyle!

 

That was hilarious, with Gibbs and Ducky independently coming up with it, until Lyle actually came up with something that helped solve the case.

 

Glad Jimmy was back, though his part wasn't really big.  I thought Ducky was being phased out of the episode, glad he was back for the end of it.

 

I wonder if Jessica Walter will return?  Her character seems rather over the top for Gibbs.

[Just Here]

Who was the older man, or did he just remind me of Brian Doyle Murray?

If you're referring to the retired law enforcement officer who was part of the cold case club, he was played by Richard Riehle.

[Julia]

That's the one, thanks.

He really is a That Guy, isn't he. I don't recognize him from any particular part, but he has 23 things in post-production. That's impressive.

[betsyboo]

I enjoyed this ep - echoing other's love for Jessica Walters. I enjoyed it up until the last 35 seconds. Hey Abby - I know you want to apologize and repent for your supposed sins, but did you consider AT ALL that this man may want to touch his daughter - hold her hand - for the first time in 16 years without an audience? But no, of course not - the writers had to make sure she got her "woe is me" apology in at the end. Stop being so selfish! His release wasn't about you!  (I know,  I know, the guy thanked her - but she didn't know that when she decided to go!)

 

Poor Tony and his losing battle with Mother Nature. I enjoyed that the Captain my Captain "here's hoping we have a busy day" was an actual thing the other agents recognized (or they were just clapping for the crazy.) I thought for sure Tony and McGee set her up to embarrass her.

 

I'm sorry, i don't care how suave the new Gibbs is, he would NEVER compliment a guy's manicure!

 

As telegtraphed as it was, i laughed out loud at the cold open exchange: "Hi Bishop  <etc etc> "<crank response>" Tim and Tony oh-so-casually slide out of their chairs and over to her desk to see what was wrong. That was stealth right there.....

[catray]

So we are no longer pretending that Abby was in high school 16 years ago?

 

This is what I was thinking too-- if she was running the tests 16 years ago, there's no way they can say that Abby is in her late twenties now. It's utterly ridiculous!

 

Gibbs + Mallory Archer?! OMG yes, a thousand times yes. I love it. Yes, the character was a bit over the top, but I did enjoy their interactions. I also chuckled over the fact that she and McGee are going to collaborate on a new novel.

 

I thought Tony getting splinters each time they went into the woods was a bit overkill but I liked Tony and McGee trying to suss out what was wrong with Bishop, and then getting her to appease the criminal justice gods after requesting a "quiet day".

[crowsworks]

Did anyone notice Gibbs was watching Mark's mom in the Mummy Movie. Elise Knox of the glorious knife blade nose and cheekbones.

[Kelda Feegle]

Sad to say I hated this ep and it is the first one I can recall ever watching with a great deal of fast-forwarding. 

[Clanstarling]

When Bishop came in cranky and said her husband was safe, in that tone, it suddenly occurred to me that yes - he was safe, and did not contact her (or anyone at NSA apparently) to let her know she was safe. I know, secrets and all, but I think it would piss off most spouses. It's that  "oh my god, you're okay - I'm going to kill you!" response.

 

As an *ahem* older woman, I get tired of the old woman cougar trope, though she and Betty White do it very well. Plus, she's older than Mark, but not by that much in grown-up years (ten) so she's almost age appropriate. 

 

As for Gibbs making the manicure comment, I thought he'd overheard and was just messing with Tony. 

Edited November 4, 2015 by clanstarling

[atir]

That age thing for Abby was ridiculous. Also, I thought the new sleuth at the end would be Abby. But Palmer was a great idea also.

[Julia]

The thing is, though, if Bishop hadn't breached national security laws and illegally accessed data she shouldn't have had, she wouldn't have known he was that close to danger, and he doesn't know she did that. What was he supposed to call and tell her? Leading with an urgent call to say "I'm not dead" when he can't tell her why that was on the table would not be a kindness.

Besides, after the completely ludicrous way she almost got herself killed undercover by ignoring her orders to stay out of casa dead wife for no damn reason at all, she kinda needs to get her head straight about what her values are. I'm going to guess that Jake wouldn't have been best pleased about that, even if he was adult enough not to stalk her.

[HurricaneVal]

As soon as Bishop used the "q" word, I cringed.  I know it is just a TV show, but that is very true to life.  In emergency, police, and fire services, you never, <i>ever</I>, use the "q" word or others of its ilk, especially in reference to the possibilities of the day.  Unless you're getting off shift and you want to screw with the oncoming shift...

[gazebo]

Wow!  Jessica Walters!  I hadn't seen her in ages and here she was, not looking different at all from the last time I saw her on TV, which was ages ago.  She was pretty sassy!  You can tell she made Gibbs uncomfortable.  It made me smile.

 

I recognized that actor that played the retired police officer who was part of Ducky's Sherlock Holmes club.  I was kind of shocked because for some reason, I thought this actor had died awhile ago.  Does anyone know what other TV show he was on?  I'm still trying to recall him.

 

 

[Julia]

And wasn't rich Sherlock Holmes guy the agoraphobic guy with the ammonia gas poisoning from House? It's not up on IMDB yet.

[Clanstarling]

The thing is, though, if Bishop hadn't breached national security laws and illegally accessed data she shouldn't have had, she wouldn't have known he was that close to danger, and he doesn't know she did that. What was he supposed to call and tell her? Leading with an urgent call to say "I'm not dead" when he can't tell her why that was on the table would not be a kindness.

Besides, after the completely ludicrous way she almost got herself killed undercover by ignoring her orders to stay out of casa dead wife for no damn reason at all, she kinda needs to get her head straight about what her values are. I'm going to guess that Jake wouldn't have been best pleased about that, even if he was adult enough not to stalk her.

You are absolutely right. She doesn't have the right to be angry with him, logically. But logic doesn't always enter into emotions. Given the setup, I'm guessing their work is what connected them, and without that connection, their marriage will unravel unless they can find a new way to connect.

[HurricaneVal]

gazebo, were you perhaps thinking of Wilfred Brimley?  My first thought was "hey, I thought he was dead...wait, it isn't him."

[Julia]

You are absolutely right. She doesn't have the right to be angry with him, logically. But logic doesn't always enter into emotions. Given the setup, I'm guessing their work is what connected them, and without that connection, their marriage will unravel unless they can find a new way to connect.

 

You make a good point. I think I have a knee-jerk response to How Woman Are Written On This Show, which probably isn't entirely fair, because so far this season, they've done a pretty good job with Delilah and a better job with Abbie and Bishop. It just bugs that women on NCIS tend not to get called on things, and the vibe I've always gotten is that someone over there thinks it's because being aggressively irrational makes them realistic.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Julia

[FormerMod-a1]

I recognized that actor that played the retired police officer who was part of Ducky's Sherlock Holmes club.  I was kind of shocked because for some reason, I thought this actor had died awhile ago.  Does anyone know what other TV show he was on?  I'm still trying to recall him.

 

I remember him from Newhart, one of the semi-recurring townspeople.  You'd see him in city council meetings and lodge meetings, etc.  He had a speaking role.

[itsmeyousee]

I don't know why but i really didn't get into this ep at all. Maybe it was the guy that did it and his guilt speech but he just killed the Grandfather, sorry not buying he felt guilty for letting his mate rot. Everything felt like that, the "man" in manicure joke, Abby and the ending , the Sherlock Club people. I just can't imagine Ducky hanging out with them no matter how lonely he was feeling, he would be telling them to shut up all the time. The only thing that did work was Palmer joining them, that was funny. All the rest of it just felt too forced to be light hearted but the actually subject matter, people being in gaol for crimes they didn't commit and later proven to be innocent because of DNA. There should have been more to it, more serious that an Abby "fix it Gibbs" moment.

[MyAimIsTrue]

gazebo, were you perhaps thinking of Wilfred Brimley?  My first thought was "hey, I thought he was dead...wait, it isn't him."

 

That's who I thought it was at first until realizing the actor was too young. 

 

As stated in a post above the role was played by Richard Riehle, a total "That Guy" who has been in about a million things over the course of his career.

[Clanstarling]

You make a good point. I think I have a knee-jerk response to How Woman Are Written On This Show, which probably isn't entirely fair, because so far this season, they've done a pretty good job with Delilah and a better job with Abbie and Bishop. It just bugs that women on NCIS tend not to get called on things, and the vibe I've always gotten is that someone over there thinks it's because being aggressively irrational makes them realistic.

You know, I have never paid that much attention - especially since I exercise when I'm watching, so I'm usually just looking for something that moves quickly and entertains me. Now that you pointed it out, I see what you're saying. I may have to turn in my feminist card. 

[Julia]

You know, I have never paid that much attention - especially since I exercise when I'm watching, so I'm usually just looking for something that moves quickly and entertains me. Now that you pointed it out, I see what you're saying. I may have to turn in my feminist card. 

 

In fairness, it probably would chafe me less if the foundational myth of this show (Gibbs' family) wasn't a fridging.

[Clanstarling]

In fairness, it probably would chafe me less if the foundational myth of this show (Gibbs' family) wasn't a fridging.

I'm not sure what that means (channeling Bones here, I guess). 

[Julia]

I'm not sure what that means (channeling Bones here, I guess). 

 

It's a trope, named after an incident in a Green Lantern comic where someone's wife was killed and her dead body left in a refrigerator for him to find as a way of hurting him. Basically, a character (usually female, but not always) being killed or badly hurt so the character who loves them can have an emotional arc.

 

See: Gibbs' first wife and his daughter, Kate, Jenny (who herself was obsessed with her father's death), Leon's wife, Diane Sterling-Gibbs-Fornell.

 

Two men, Eli David and La Grenouille, have also have died so that women left behind could be traumatized, but both of those women were love interests for Tony and he lost both before it was all over, so you could view it as sort of a fridge bank shot.

Edited November 5, 2015 by Julia

[Trey]

Thanks, Julia, I hadn't heard that one before.

[Clanstarling]

I hadn't heard of the trope before either - but that's pretty dead on. Thanks!

[torqy]

Glad to see Jessica Walter still looking decent. Hard to believe she's 74 now. She looked really good as Clint Eastwood's nutbar stalker in Play Misty For Me. (Much scarier to me than Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction)

 

Richard Riehle is one of my favorites, probably a charter member of the H!ITG Club.

I hadn't heard of the trope before either - but that's pretty dead on. Thanks!

Was the pun intentional? LOL

Edited November 8, 2015 by torqy

[Clanstarling]

Was the pun intentional? LOL

Hah! I'd like to claim I was aware - but it was totally unintentional.

[Calamity Jane]

As soon as Bishop used the "q" word, I cringed.  I know it is just a TV show, but that is very true to life.  In emergency, police, and fire services, you never, <i>ever</I>, use the "q" word or others of its ilk, especially in reference to the possibilities of the day.  Unless you're getting off shift and you want to screw with the oncoming shift...

My daughter works nights in a county jail, and I learned right away that wishing her a "q" shift was completely verboten!

[Calamity Jane]

I remember him from Newhart, one of the semi-recurring townspeople.  You'd see him in city council meetings and lodge meetings, etc.  He had a speaking role.

If you look him up on IMDB, he's been in an astounding number of TV shows and movies.  I think my favorite was as the cosmetic surgeon on Boston Legal who was injecting his own butt fat into his clients' lips.  Including those of the lawyer who was representing him.  Comedy gold.

[slothgirl]

It's a trope, named after an incident in a Green Lantern comic where someone's wife was killed and her dead body left in a refrigerator for him to find as a way of hurting him. Basically, a character (usually female, but not always) being killed or badly hurt so the character who loves them can have an emotional arc.

 

See: Gibbs' first wife and his daughter, Kate, Jenny (who herself was obsessed with her father's death), Leon's wife, Diane Sterling-Gibbs-Fornell.

 

Two men, Eli David and La Grenouille, have also have died so that women left behind could be traumatized, but both of those women were love interests for Tony and he lost both before it was all over, so you could view it as sort of a fridge bank shot.

In a fabulous twist on the trope, Chuck Norris' underrated, genre parody (that pretends to be serious), "Lone Wolf McQuade" has all kinds of things happen to people he loves, but when they kill his DOG, that's when the %^& really hits the fan.

Edited November 16, 2015 by slothgirl