Female Characters: Who is your favorite?

[OhioGrandad]

Of the three female leads on NCIS, which one do you prefer?  Kate, Ziva or Bishop?  Speaking for myself, my favorite was Kate, followed by Ziva.  Bishop hasn't impressed me yet.

[MortysCleaningLady]

I'll go with Ziva, but with the condition that Kate was awesome too.  I think it's because I had Ziva longer.  Can't stand Bishop.  I'm rooting for her to sit down on the floor of a Seven Eleven, but the floor is so sticky, she can't get up.  And we never see or hear from her again.

[riley702]

I never liked Kate, so my choices are Ziva, followed by Bishop.

[jaytee1812]

Loved Kate, she was awesome. Capable and smart. Loved her friendship with Abby too. 

I love Bishop, love the sibling vibe with Tony and McGee. 

Ziva is probably the worst written character on the show. The writers continually tell she's awesome: she saved Gibbs, the director and Ducky in her first three episodes, she highlight she can speak lots of languages (but fail to mention both Gibbs and Tony speak at least three), she can kill a big strong man with her bare hands (really? Cos Cote de Pablo looks like she couldn't fight sleep), and everyone fancies her, especially Tony. But we're shown her being a terrible investigator, treating her colleagues like dirt, she physically assaults Tony and threatening to kill him, and uses the death of Gibbs daughter to manipulate him to get away with most of that. And to top it off she's a murderer. 

[OhioGrandad]

Ziva is probably the worst written character on the show

 

Wow,  tell us what you really think!  Actually, I agree with you that her character was absolutely unbelievable.  Kate, on the other hand, had personal flaws and foibles which made her much more "realistic".

[MortysCleaningLady]

I love Bishop, love the sibling vibe with Tony and McGee. 

 

I am sorry, but I have to say that I don't see a sibling vibe.  I see it as more of a parental vibe, mostly from Tony and Gibbs.   Bishop gives off an annoying know-it-all vibe in a Cliffy Clavin manner to me.  We are always hearing how much she knows, but nothing coming out of her mouth is brilliant.  When she ever said to Gibbs that she was going to put McGee right on some assignment, I was waiting for a head slap.  Instead, nothing was done.  The probationary officer doesn't get to delegate work to her peers.   Since she's been on, we've also had less time with some of the other characters.  Abby, Ducky and Jimmy are relegated to one shorter scene per show.  Tony has almost become a slapstick character.

NCIS has given us plenty of complex, interesting women during the series.  I just don't find Bishop to be complex or interesting.  I really would love for her to wander off at a crime scene and, while the adults are working, get lost.  They process the scene and head back to work, while she is stuck to the floor at a Seven Eleven because she sat down while junk food shopping. 

[formerlyfreedom]

FYI, I tweaked the title to mark it clear who we are discussing! :)

[MyAimIsTrue]

Kate was okay but Ziva will always be my favorite in terms of a a female member of the team.  I found her fascinating and thought the character had interesting layers as she went from being cold and almost emotionless to someone with feelings and empathy.  Quite possibly my favorite single piece of acting on the show was when Ziva broke down and cradled her dead father.  I get teary eyed even thinking about it.

[St. Claire]

Of the three, I think Kate was my favorite. Ziva just never resonated with me...I can't put my finger on exactly why. (Full disclosure- I started watching NCIS during season 8, so I got my Kate and early Ziva background piecemeal though syndication).  I suppose it's possible that Kate would have come to annoy me if she'd stayed on longer, though. I felt a bit as though Ziva's character when I started was different enough from the early Ziva I saw during old episodes that the progression didn't make sense to me. The continued idiom goof ups annoyed me, too. Ziva knew she was not good at speaking in idioms, but she kept trying and getting defensive about how the idioms didn't make logical sense.

The less said about Bishop, the better. I just have not warmed up to her at all. I would be perfectly happy if she faded into the woodwork and Delilah got a bigger role.

[jaytee1812]

Bishop gives off an annoying know-it-all vibe in a Cliffy Clavin manner to me.  

Ah I forgot women aren't allowed to be really smart. 

The original post was about the best between Ziva, Kate and Bishop. But the thread title says female leads, now if we're going there then Abby Sciuto wins hands down. She is possibly my favourite character on TV. She is smart, funny, and down right amazing. And if we want to talk great acting PP brings it like no other women ever has on this show. 

[OhioGrandad]

I purposely left Abby out of the original post because she is in a class all by herself. It would be unfair to include her with the others. After all, who really solves the majority of the cases?

[MortysCleaningLady]

Ah I forgot women aren't allowed to be really smart. 

The original post was about the best between Ziva, Kate and Bishop. But the thread title says female leads, now if we're going there then Abby Sciuto wins hands down. She is possibly my favourite character on TV. She is smart, funny, and down right amazing. And if we want to talk great acting PP brings it like no other women ever has on this show. 

Really?  I'm a bit offended.  First of all, I'm a well educated woman.  I enjoy watching smart women on television.  Abby Scuito is a definite favorite; I enjoy Delilah.  Jenny Shepherd and plenty of other female guest stars have been strong, smart and well written.  I really enjoy Heddy and Nell on NCIS: LA.  Sasha Alexander (formerly Kate) has a great role as Dr. Maura Isles, another smart woman I can support.  All of these women and many more (Erin Reagan on Blue Bloods, Sharon Raydor on Major Crimes, Watson on Elementary, etc) are well written.  We aren't just consistently told they are smart.  They do intelligent things and speak in a fairly educated manner.  With Bishop, we are told that she's smart, but I haven't seen a single example of her coming up with a theory or resolution that any of the other team members would not have in previous seasons. 

[St. Claire]

I feel as though I can't put Abby or Jenny in the same category as the Special Agents when trying to compare. I can easily make my parallels among  Kate, Ziva and Bishop because they are serving the same narrative purpose, while the other positions are different from a dramatic standpoint. It's kind of like trying to decide whether I Fornell or Burley better; they are both enjoyable characters for me, but are not in the show for the same purpose.

I have no doubt that Kate, Ziva and Bishop are all smart. So was Jenny, so it Abby, so was Col. Mann...but there is a huge difference between being written as a smart woman and coming across as a know-it-all or being written in ways where the intelligence of the character is presented by everyone praising her as opposed to her just doing and saying smart things in the appropriate contexts. Bishop comes across as the person who has to keep reminding you that she knows things, even though you've never done anything to dispute her intelligence, and ends of being pushy and off-putting.

[jaytee1812]

...but there is a huge difference between being written as a smart woman and coming across as a know-it-all or being written in ways where the intelligence of the character is presented by everyone praising her as opposed to her just doing and saying smart things in the appropriate contexts. 

Like claiming to speak eight languages, not needing to learn anything, your way is better... that kind of thing? 

[Jellybeans]

I am not sure Bishop is married... wonder if she is pretending to be? I like Ziva for some reason.

Edited April 15, 2014 by Jellybeans

[nitrofishblue]

I never enjoyed watching Kate. To me she came across boring and flat. I will skip a rerun of NCIS if she is in it. Ziva took some getting used to but I came to respect her character. Bishop is OK but not is not at the level of Kate and Ziva.

[AntiBeeSpray]

Jenny is at the top of my list, she could kick ass and take names. Second would be Ziva and Abby (tied) -- since they're both good in their own way. Ziva for ass kicking and just for being herself, and Abby for being her self, her love of Caf-Pow and being REALLY good with computers.

[Heather Lynn]

Of the three agents, Ziva was my favorite. I just never cared for Kate and wasn't sorry to see her character go. A friend watched sporadically and asked how Kate was still employed because every episode he saw, she looked incompetent. I'll put Bishop in the middle by default but it's too early to put her permanently ahead of Kate. I like her so far.

Jenny's character grew on me because I hated her in the beginning but, my absolute favorite is Abby. She's smart and just seems "normal". She can hold her own with that group and can protect herself if necessary. That episode where she has the stalker is one I can watch over and over again....especially the last 10 min.

[green]

Ziva by a country mile.  I named a warrior after her in a RPG online game even.  Got to add a Lagertha one to pair up with her now.  Those two could take down small nation states together.  Ziva was kick ass and took no prisoners and she and Tony could verbally spar and keep me laughing half the episode.  They were great together.  Typical good workplace relationship between two sharp and funny people.

 

Kate was just there but pretty okay I guess.  Didn't bother me, didn't do anything for me.  The new one is annoying though I like that she sits cross-legged on the floor.  Her one good attribute.  But the show seems dull now with her and not Ziva on the scene.  May not watch next season unless Ziva comes back for a guest appearance.

[fifty8th]

Kate, especially season one Kate, the bickering and ganging up on McGee in the second season with Tony at times was too much. Ziva second favorite. I've always thought I would have like Cassidy as a replacement better though.

[Julia]

Jenny. She managed to shut down Tony's adolescent behavior without any adolescent behavior of her own.

[pcta]

I liked Kate a lot. Took a bit of time for Ziva's character to become well rounded. But she really grew on me - I would say at this point she is my favorite I frankly find Bishop a weak character. I agree with others that we are told what a brilliant person she is - but haven't really seen it. But more than that, when she has significant air time, the timing and flow of the show feels disjointed to me. My hope is that she transfers to NOLA - they haven't established a rhythm yet.

[catray]

I started watching the show when Ziva was introduced, so she's my favorite. I'm still pissed about how they fucked over her character (more specifically, how they wrote her and the shit that happened in later seasons). I liked Kate too, when I went back and watched S1 and S2, but I prefer Ziva.

 

Bishop is still too new for me to really have formed an opinion. I don't dislike her, but she's too "quirky cute" right now. But I do appreciate the sibling vibe between her, Tony and Tim.

[AntiBeeSpray]

I liked Kate a lot. Took a bit of time for Ziva's character to become well rounded. But she really grew on me - I would say at this point she is my favorite I frankly find Bishop a weak character. I agree with others that we are told what a brilliant person she is - but haven't really seen it. But more than that, when she has significant air time, the timing and flow of the show feels disjointed to me. My hope is that she transfers to NOLA - they haven't established a rhythm yet.

Yea Bishop still gives off that disjointed vibe... maybe I'll get used to her, maybe not. Still too soon to tell.

[rainsmom]

1. Delilah, Boren, and a bunch of other multi-episode guest stars. I really like some of them a LOT. There are several I'd have been thrilled to have as permanent team members.

 

2. Abby. I can get tired of her immature behavior, but overall she's fun and interesting and smart and entertaining.

 

3. Ziva. I loved watching her fight.

 

4. Tie: Jenny and Kate. Both had some good points, but overall I didn't love them.

 

5. Bishop. Nothing redeemable so far.

[darbar]

My sister said she read a little thing that says Cote will be coming back this next season.  Bishop just hasn't caught on, and the show lost ratings, despite still being number one, so they are doing anything to get Cote back.  I never cared for Bishop as I found her antics unprofessional rather than quaint.  Would love it Cote would come back.

 

But I feel they made a mistake by killing off Jen and Mike.  Those have been two of my favorite  characters, but for some stupid reason, they wrote them off.  

[Jellybeans]

I love Ziva. I hope they get Cote back. Bishop is meh.

[Ohmo]

To say I dislike Ziva is putting it mildly.  My list of best to worst is:

 

Abby

Kate

Bishop

Jenny

Ziva

 

TVLine is reporting that Glasberg is considering

introducing Bishop's husband

next year, so it doesn't sound to me like Ziva is returning at this point.

[Jellybeans]

TVLine is reporting that Glasberg is considering

introducing Bishop's husband

next year, so it doesn't sound to me like Ziva is returning at this point.

Interesting... I had a theory her husband did not really exist. LOL

[GHScorpiosRule]

Just a thought, since it seems that we're talking about all the females that have appeared on this show and not just the leads, which would be Kate, Ziva, Jenny and now Bishop...should we edit the title to just Best Females? Because Boren, Hollis, Paula...they weren't leads. They were recurring characters.

 

That said, I would never consider Jenny in this group. The woman used her past sexual relationship with Gibbs ("you were thinking about us making love, weren't you" when Gibbs came out of his coma in "Hiatus" Who the FUCK says THAT?!), her ineptitude with the whole Frog arc, how Gibbs always saved her ass when they were partners; the jealousy over Hollis. Those just off the top of my head.  The only time she showed any competence was during her denouement in Judgment Day.

 

ETA: Because Paula is the character and Jessica the actress!

Edited May 28, 2014 by GHScorpiosRule

[formerlyfreedom]

@GHScorpiosRule, change made!

[GHScorpiosRule]

Thanks stacey!

[Ohmo]

If we're talking recurring female characters, I love: Delilah, Borin, Hollis, Paula, Alicia Coppola's character (whose name escapes me at this moment), Jackie Vance

 

I like: Rachel (Kate's sister), the current Sec Nav

 

I dislike: Diane, M. Allison Hart, Dr. Samantha Ryan

 

Neither like nor dislike: EJ, Nikki, Lee

 

Like GHScorpiosRule, I too found Jenny to be an incompetent mess a vast majority of the time.

Edited May 28, 2014 by Ohmo

[jennifer6973]

Personally I loved what I saw of Shannon.

[threebluestars]

Last night's ep was the one with Emily Fornell, and I have to say I loved the character and the actress. "Wait ... now I'm confused ... you suck at this!"

[GHScorpiosRule]

Personally I loved what I saw of Shannon.

I agree. I absolutely loved all the Shannon flashbacks we got in the early seasons. Oh and Kelly's too.  I also loved the young Shannon we saw in "Heartland."  I have to admit though, and maybe this last part should go in another thread, but it overlaps, so I'll also put it here, that if there was anyone who Gibbs would consider like a daughter other than Kelly, that would be her childhood friend, who met in Requiem, and whose name is escaping me at the moment. But, having said that, there is no one else who could fill that hole in his heart where Kelly resides. If that makes sense.

[St. Claire]

I would love to bring back Emily Fornell as a recurring guest star (provided her mom stays away; I can go quite some time without having to see her again). And Borin remains at the top of my list for recurring characters who can keep on recurring- she has not overstayed her welcome.

[sunflower12]

I am a huge fan of Borin and really wanted her to become part of the team.  I haven't warmed to Bishop at all - frankly, I don't know why they added her.  The rest of the characters really grew together and they didn't need an addition, especially one that makes me what to throw things at the TV every time I see her.  

[Cobalt Stargazer]

I liked Boren too, because I liked Diane Neal when she was Casey Novak. Which might be unpopular, but I digress.

 

If it comes down to a choice between Kate and Ziva, I would probably pick Ziva. I don't see it as a competition, though, as they were each good characters in their own way IMO. I just remember more of Ziva's time on the show than I do Kate's. Also IMO, Tony's assclown behavior was a thing before Ziva showed up, so I don't think that particular facet of his personality just manifested the day she appeared. OMMV, though.

[Watcher0363]

I never enjoyed watching Kate. To me she came across boring and flat. I will skip a rerun of NCIS if she is in it. Ziva took some getting used to but I came to respect her character. Bishop is OK but not is not at the level of Kate and Ziva.

I will admit it I am a member of the Kate hate club. She always came across as a pre pubescent teenage girl who has not been kissed. Her "Gibbs Tony did or said X" just made my eyes roll. Talk about a girl in a woman's body. Yuck!! Now Ziva, loved her backstory. Also the way she carried her body and her movements all very feminine and badass. The fight coordinator for that show really did her character well. The way they used the block and push method to throw larger stronger off balance, then she would strike sensitive areas. When watching reruns of NCIS I cannot wait for SWACK, because Kate will be dead in two episodes.

[ClareBear]

I think Kate is probably my favourite.  She could kick butt, but she had her flaws too, which made her one of the more believable characters on the how.

 

I like Bishop just fine.  Yes they overdid the quirky a bit to start with, but I think she has a ton of potential.  I don't think there's anything particularly heinous about sitting on the floor - I do it a lot myself!

 

Ziva?  She was fine to start with and then Brennan happened, and her character went completely down the toilet. By the end of season 10, I was so sick of her over-wrought, angst ridden melodramas that I was close to giving up on the show altogether.  Happily Cote quit before I did, and I got my show back.

 

Jenny - Awful.  Enough said.

 

Abby - One of the most annoying characters in the history of television, who I could quite cheerfully drop-kick into a volcano. 

 

Of the recurring characters, Jackie Vance was my favourite, so I was beyond pissed when they killed her off for no good reason.  I like Delilah a lot too - hope they don't leave her stuck in Dubai for too long.

Edited June 7, 2014 by ClareBear

[itsmeyousee]

Out of those 3 I would go Bishop, Kate and Ziva. But overall with all the females that have been on the show I would say Abby, Paula, Nikki

[formerlyfreedom]

But overall with all the females that have been on the show I would say Abby, Paula, Nikki

 

I LOVED Nikki. I've spent the past five or six years wishing they would bring her back. I thought she had great chemistry with everyone, even those who weren't her biggest fans (Abby, I'm looking at you!). The last episode she was in, which ended with Nikki in her brother's hospital room, still breaks my heart. That's one episode I sit down to watch every time it reruns on USA. And I bring the tissues.

[itsmeyousee]

I LOVED Nikki. I've spent the past five or six years wishing they would bring her back. I thought she had great chemistry with everyone, even those who weren't her biggest fans (Abby, I'm looking at you!). The last episode she was in, which ended with Nikki in her brother's hospital room, still breaks my heart. That's one episode I sit down to watch every time it reruns on USA. And I bring the tissues.

 

Completely agree , it's also one of my fav eps. I guess the actress got a different job but i loved what we saw of her.

[Blade]

I adored Ziva.  Always felt like she could hold her own and then some. Plus, she was intense.  I liked Kate, but felt she was always in training mode and trying to catch up to the team. Plus it bothered me that she always seemed so flustered by Tony.  Bishop is an epic fail in every sense of the word.

 

Boren needs to replace Bishop.  Immediately.

 

I liked Jenny.  She made some stupid decisions, but she was intense. Obviously, I like intense.

 

I like Abby, but her rambling can get on my nerves.  I know she's written that way to show her innocence and that she's pure of heart, but I find myself thinking, "Get on with it! Times a wastin'." every time she gets off track.  I do think she is vital to the show.

 

I really like Delilah. I'd love to see her take charge of the MTAC room and proceed to whoop azz globally.

 

Ziva

Abby

Boren

Delilah

Kate

Bishop

[GHScorpiosRule]

Having Boren replace Bishop would be a demotion for Boren. She has her own team that she leads/commands.

 

I've never seen Kate being flustered by Tony. On the contrary, she was, just like Ziva, putting Tony down, fighting with him; they were like kids, vying for Daddy's approval. At least when Kate was there, Tony got to win every now and then.

[jaytee1812]

Now Ziva, loved her backstory. Also the way she carried her body and her movements all very feminine and badass. The fight coordinator for that show really did her character well. The way they used the block and push method to throw larger stronger off balance, then she would strike sensitive areas. 

 

I thought Ziva's fight scene bordered on the comical. It was in no way ever believable that a woman of that size, and more importantly build, could fight like that. The scenes where they suggested she could take on Tony, McGee or even Gibbs were hilarious. They're all 6ft plus with military or law enforcement training, they would snap her in two. They only had her fight Tony when he was injured so her getting the upper hand was believable. 

 

One other reason I love Kate over Ziva is Kate never used her sexuality to get anything. In fact in one scene I felt like jumping into my Tv to give Kate the highest of fives. She's trying to get information for a case and she tells Abby a guy has the hots for her and has been pestering her for a date. She doesn't agree to the date but threatens him with a report of sexual harassment unless he helps her. 

[Blade]

Ziva served in the special forces in the Israeli army for two years, so she too, has military training.  She then served in the MASAD.  Her father raised her to be a killer. No doubt some of the tactics used in her training wouldn't be considered fair, even in war.

 

Size doesn't matter.  In the 2012 Olympic Judo competition, Guam`s Ricardo Blas Jr., who weighed in at 481 pounds, was beaten severely and soundly by opponent Oscar Bryson, who weighed in at 238 pounds – less than half the size of Blas.  Technique overcomes size and power in the martial arts,

[jaytee1812]

Ziva served in the special forces in the Israeli army for two years, so she too, has military training.  She then served in the MASAD.  Her father raised her to be a killer. No doubt some of the tactics used in her training wouldn't be considered fair, even in war.

 

Size doesn't matter.  In the 2012 Olympic Judo competition, Guam`s Ricardo Blas Jr., who weighed in at 481 pounds, was beaten severely and soundly by opponent Oscar Bryson, who weighed in at 238 pounds – less than half the size of Blas.  Technique overcomes size and power in the martial arts,

I also pointed to Ziva's build, she's skinny, she has no muscle, and she's slight. Put that up against a 6ft plus man who built like a brick shithouse and no amount of training will save a woman. He fight scenes were comical and unrealistic. The scene where she's with Tony's father undercover should've ended up with them both dead.

 

To be fair to NCIS it's not the only show guilty of that, Hawaii Five-0, NCIS LA are also guilty of it. In fact the only show where I bought the woman had the self-defence skills they claimed was Megan Reeves on Numb3ers.

[heirloomtomata]

Whoever has been writing the women for this show has actually never created a woman I truly like or identify with.  Ziva was a perfect princess of arrogant know-it-all-ness, who seemed to enjoy making others feel inferior;  Abby literally devolved from quirky/genius/smart-aleck to unstable idiot savant; Jenny was a jealous, inappropriately sexualized "boss" and Bishop is "Abby Lite" in terms of the brilliant-but-awkward spin.  The only one who (mostly) survived the caricature treatment was Kate, but I'm among those who think the writing was better in the early seasons all around.  (Exception:  Tony, who has always been a cartoon.)