S15.E12: Dark Secrets

[MyAimIsTrue]

After a seemingly happy and successful Navy Lieutenant appears to have taken her own life, Gibbs and the team conduct a thorough investigation, interviewing family and friends from her past and present.

[retired watcher]

Bud!

[Katy M]

That was sad.  I don't like green lollipops.  Iguess that means I have a small heart.

[GHScorpiosRule]

BUUUUUUUUUUUD!!!!!!!!

?????????

Breathing Deeply.

Will be back later...

[stonehaven]

That was a sad episode...but I loved the talk that Abby and Jimmy had..where they mentioned the help that vets can get..wish they would have done a PSA at the end...

..and as much as I loved This is Us tonight, the segment with the best friend saying that she was shocked by her friend's double life and now has to mourn the person she thought she knew and try to forgive what she did know.....that hit me..my best friend died last year and when he died, I found out he had been lying to me about his family for 19 years....it's a strange grief...and that segment got me more than anything tonight.

[MyAimIsTrue]

How nice to see Jimmy treated like the adult he is, though I thought Gibbs would smack the back of his head when he quoted Ducky and called him Jethro.

[GHScorpiosRule]

What did they do to my JAG headquarters??? Cheapass show. They couldn't cut and splice or I'm sorry, edit in stock footage from JAG to show the headquarters? And now JAG has all these cubicles? I have to go back and watch, but is Bud the JAG now? And if so, why doesn't he have his own office? And I am still waiting, waiting, waiting for a throwaway line about how Harm is doing (he's totes an Admiral now, right? riiiiiiight?) as well as Mac. And if they have any wee Harms or Macs running about.

Ahem.

So I am confused. Did this double life happen suddenly and for only three days? Or has it been going on since Melissa and Kerry accidentally killed Mr. Griffin, I mean Mr. whatever his name was?

I'm glad that the hinky feeling I was getting about Kerry turned out to be wrong and that she didn't kill Melissa.

Hey! It's George Hazard!* Er, I mean James Read. And Gina Hecht playing the mom, and when she was on JAG, killed Jordan!!!

Mark Harmon's smiles and laughs are the only things that continue to keep me watching.

*1986's North and South

[enoughcats]

There was one Harmon smile that was so genuine, I wondered if it had been edited in from stock footage.  
I thought the baby pictures at the beginning were about right and great line about "look the same as yesterday's" that gave a whole lot more background than just the five words they used.  
But then they had to do the silly time for your annual, biennial, decade, whatever ID photos.  That seemed wasted. 

And two problems: one tied to the 8pm eastern viewing zone:  Content of SM for the family viewing time?  Really.  And that at 7 central?  The bondage presentation just was over the top.

Also the dead woman and her best friend were not stupid, not even when they were in high school.  When their trap misfired and pervdude died of a heart attack, why did they bury him?  Had they left him out in the woods, he would have been found.  But there wouldn't have been a story that needed newest person in the cast. 

And a worry:  the time that was spent with Abby and Jimmy talking about mental health.  My gut tells me that's foreshadowing something that happens later this season.  Something not good. 

Summary: I'll save this episode but I won't rewatch it unless there were hints in it of things to come.

[Chaos Theory]

Last week was my favorite episode in awhile.

This week was my least favorite in awhile.  I didn’t watch JAG so seeing Bud does nothing for me.  The storyline was stupid and boring and stupid.  I guess it was supposed to be sad.  I just got bored.

Edited January 10, 2018 by Chaos Theory

[MyAimIsTrue]

20 minutes ago, Chaos Theory said:

I didn’t watch JAG so seeing Bud does nothing for me

Same here so on the rare occasion Patrick Labyorteaux is on NCIS I remember him as the kid from "Little House On the Prairie" and think how old he looks, even though we're the same age.

[GHScorpiosRule]

31 minutes ago, MyAimIsTrue said:

Same here so on the rare occasion Patrick Labyorteaux is on NCIS I remember him as the kid from "Little House On the Prairie" and think how old he looks, even though we're the same age.

He was also the football jock from Summer School, where Mark Harmon played Mr. Shoop, the summer school teacher. What I love about seeing him, is that they're still true to the character--who lost his leg below the knee from a land mine in Afghanistan. And since I loved JAG, I love these bits and crumbs they give me. Hey, if other shows can do a wink wink and whatever when the show runners were also show runners of say, like LOST, which I never watched and have no desire to, I will gleefully hug to my chest whenever a show I used to love and watch is mentioned.

[Ohmo]

2 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

So I am confused. Did this double life happen suddenly and for only three days? Or has it been going on since Melissa and Kerry accidentally killed Mr. Griffin, I mean Mr. whatever his name was?

That's not how I interpreted it.  The double life started shortly after the teacher's death occurred.  I thought the three days referred to the period of time after the teacher's body was discovered.  Melissa began to crumble emotionally from the stress and took her own life.

I thought it was an interesting episode because, as Gibbs said, it was a death investigation, not a murder case.  That has to be something that NCIS does IRL, so it was interesting to see that part of the agency's work.

Yeah for Bud.  Bonus would have been an appearance by Harriet.

I like Jack, but darn it, I miss Ducky.  If David is resting easy somewhere, good for him, but at least give me some dialogue to tide me over.

Find something else for Nick besides telling us that he's supposed to be the gorgeous, manly stud.  (He doesn't float my boat, but to each his/her own.)  I understand that's supposed to be the pretty face.  That's been established.  Move on.

Edited January 10, 2018 by Ohmo

[GHScorpiosRule]

22 minutes ago, Ohmo said:

That's not how I interpreted it.  The double life started shortly after the teacher's death occurred.  I thought the three days referred to the period of time after the teacher's body was discovered.  Melissa began to crumble emotionally from the stress and took her own life.

Ah, thanks!

22 minutes ago, Ohmo said:

Yeah for Bud.  Bonus would have been an appearance by Harriet.

I was thinking the same thing. Or show a picture of her and their boys.

[Chaos Theory]

The one thing I did find funny was the ID picture stuff when Torres complained that Bishops picture looked like there had been a wind machine or something like that.  I laughed at that.

[threebluestars]

I did notice a shot with Bud at the computer where you could very clearly see his wedding band, so I suppose that was the biggest nod to Harriet we'll get lol.

[welnoc]

6 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

What did they do to my JAG headquarters??? Cheapass show. They couldn't cut and splice or I'm sorry, edit in stock footage from JAG to show the headquarters? And now JAG has all these cubicles? I have to go back and watch, but is Bud the JAG now? And if so, why doesn't he have his own office?

They were at Melissa's cubicle. There was no reason to go into Bud's office.

[GHScorpiosRule]

1 minute ago, welnoc said:

They were at Melissa's cubicle. There was no reason to go into Bud's office.

Thanks for that. But still; when did their offices turn into cubicles? Back in the day, neither Bud, Sturgess, Harm, or Mac, work in cubicles. They had offices. 

And even in the backdoor pilot, "Ice Queen," Gibbs and Blackadder went to Chegwidden's office. 

I know, I know, I'm nitpicking. Can't help it, because the very same people involved with this show also worked on JAG.

[Katy M]

2 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Thanks for that. But still; when did their offices turn into cubicles? Back in the day, neither Bud, Sturgess, Harm, or Mac, work in cubicles. They had offices. 

And even in the backdoor pilot, "Ice Queen," Gibbs and Blackadder went to Chegwidden's office. 

I know, I know, I'm nitpicking. Can't help it, because the very same people involved with this show also worked on JAG.

Probably what happened was there was too much chitchat going on, so they put in cubicles to increase productivity.

[eel2178]

6 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

So I am confused. Did this double life happen suddenly and for only three days? Or has it been going on since Melissa and Kerry accidentally killed Mr. Griffin, I mean Mr. whatever his name was?

I feel asleep and woke up in the middle of the confession. Who was Mr. Paul, and why did they try to kill him?

Also, did they find her diary? The last thing I remember clearly was her father saying he read the first ten pages of her diary.

Edited January 10, 2018 by eel2178

[GHScorpiosRule]

6 minutes ago, eel2178 said:

I feel asleep and woke up in the middle of the confession. Who was Mr. Paul, and why did they try to kill him?

Also, did they find her diary? The last thing I remember clearly was her father saying he read the first ten pages of her diary.

Mr. Paul was their teacher who was abusing his female students; they kidnapped him and tried to force a confession, but he had a heart attack and died; so they buried him, thinking NO ONE would ever find him. I think he may have abused Kerry and Melissa.

Yes. Her fiance found the diary and gave it to Gibbs, and that's how they found out about Mr. Paul and the abuse.

[eel2178]

1 minute ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Mr. Paul was their teacher who was abusing his female students; they kidnapped him and tried to force a confession, but he had a heart attack and died; so they buried him, thinking NO ONE would ever find him. I think he may have abused Kerry and Melissa.

Yes. Her fiance found the diary and gave it to Gibbs, and that's how they found out about Mr. Paul and the abuse.

Thankx. That fills in a lot of holes made by my power nap.

[UncleChuck]

Quote

What did they do to my JAG headquarters??? Cheapass show. They couldn't cut and splice or I'm sorry, edit in stock footage from JAG to show the headquarters? And now JAG has all these cubicles? I have to go back and watch, but is Bud the JAG now? And if so, why doesn't he have his own office?

When JAG (the show) was on, most of the characters such as Harm, Mac, and Admiral Chegwidden were some of the higher ranking lawyers in the JAG office.  Commanders and Majors likely got their own office.  What we rarely saw was where the dozens of lower ranking officers (lawyers) were working.  It seems likely that the younger lieutenants would not have offices, but cubicles.

There was no mention that Bud was now THE Judge Advocate General.  He was not an admiral, but a captain, one rank below admiral.  He could be commanding a specialized division of the JAG office with his own staff but still working for some admiral (Harm???) who is now THE JAG.

[betsyboo]

@GHScorpiosRule I am going to post something over in the media thread about this ep and this season in general that is going to frost your ass. Be duly warned. ?

[GHScorpiosRule]

8 hours ago, betsyboo said:

@GHScorpiosRule I am going to post something over in the media thread about this ep and this season in general that is going to frost your ass. Be duly warned. ?

That link was just a recap of this episode, so I’m not sure why you thought I’d get upset-and there was nothing there.?

[Clanstarling]

On 1/10/2018 at 7:56 AM, enoughcats said:

And two problems: one tied to the 8pm eastern viewing zone:  Content of SM for the family viewing time?  Really.  And that at 7 central?  The bondage presentation just was over the top.

Also the dead woman and her best friend were not stupid, not even when they were in high school.  When their trap misfired and pervdude died of a heart attack, why did they bury him?  Had they left him out in the woods, he would have been found.  But there wouldn't have been a story that needed newest person in the cast. 

And a worry:  the time that was spent with Abby and Jimmy talking about mental health.  My gut tells me that's foreshadowing something that happens later this season.  Something not good. 

Mileage varies, I thought the bondage stuff was pretty tame. Not that much more than what you'd see in a Halloween shop. As for the high school girls, they probably were so shocked they couldn't think straight and made things worse. 

I thought that it was just one of the many subtle-ish PSAs they put into the show, so the suicide discussion didn't set off any alarms for me.

On 1/10/2018 at 9:04 AM, Ohmo said:

I thought it was an interesting episode because, as Gibbs said, it was a death investigation, not a murder case.  That has to be something that NCIS does IRL, so it was interesting to see that part of the agency's work.

My understanding, from talking to my local cops (I work with them) is that there's always a death investigation before they determine whether it's murder or suicide. Something about manner of death, I think. But my memory is vague on that point.

[Linderhill]

as a current employee of the federal government, I can say that yes, you do need to update you official photo for your credentials.  I will say that my agency has pretty guidelines on those photos like no smiles or teeth showing.  The PIV cards are even worse and everyone looks like a serial killers.  There are those that come back over and over to get new photos taken but that doesn't mean that their official credential will be changed.  With us its only when the director changes.  In other words, Nick's storyline was stupid.  

It was great seeing Bud but those offices reminded me of the Jag offices in "A Few Good Men."

Still don't care about Jack.  the other new characters I can stand but the manufactured drama of Jack grates.

[mythoughtis]

I’m going to guess that the Abby/Palmer exchange is meant to show us that Abby is thinking of a career change.  Somewhere she can aid the living rather than the deceased. 

There’s too many personnel changes   happening on this show.  Once Abby leaves I am only going to care about McGee, Palmer and Jethro. 

Edited January 12, 2018 by mythoughtis

[scorpio1031]

On ‎1‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 6:08 AM, GHScorpiosRule said:

What did they do to my JAG headquarters??? Cheapass show. They couldn't cut and splice or I'm sorry, edit in stock footage from JAG to show the headquarters? And now JAG has all these cubicles? I have to go back and watch, but is Bud the JAG now? And if so, why doesn't he have his own office? And I am still waiting, waiting, waiting for a throwaway line about how Harm is doing (he's totes an Admiral now, right? riiiiiiight?) as well as Mac. And if they have any wee Harms or Macs running about.

Ahem.

So I am confused. Did this double life happen suddenly and for only three days? Or has it been going on since Melissa and Kerry accidentally killed Mr. Griffin, I mean Mr. whatever his name was?

I'm glad that the hinky feeling I was getting about Kerry turned out to be wrong and that she didn't kill Melissa.

Hey! It's George Hazard!* Er, I mean James Read. And Gina Hecht playing the mom, and when she was on JAG, killed Jordan!!!

Mark Harmon's smiles and laughs are the only things that continue to keep me watching.

*1986's North and South

I loved North and South.  And Gina Hecht was on Mork and Mindy with Mark Harmon's wife, Pam Dawber.  And they say you can't learn anything watching 6-8 hours of television a day:)

[kassygreene]

We don't know that that is JAG headquarters.  The exterior was a different building.  For filming purposes, the JAG bullpen with exterior windows works better than a cube farm retro-fitted into a narrow room or wide corridor in an older building, but both sets of offices are realistic (I have worked in both kinds).  And Bud isn't necessarily working out of JAG HQ - there is lots of military in the DC area, even if NCIS Show and JAG Show both kept sending their people all over.

[GHScorpiosRule]

6 hours ago, kassygreene said:

We don't know that that is JAG headquarters.  The exterior was a different building.  For filming purposes, the JAG bullpen with exterior windows works better than a cube farm retro-fitted into a narrow room or wide corridor in an older building, but both sets of offices are realistic (I have worked in both kinds).  And Bud isn't necessarily working out of JAG HQ - there is lots of military in the DC area, even if NCIS Show and JAG Show both kept sending their people all over.

I don't know. Death investigation of a JAG officer...Gibbs goes to see Bud, who's at JAG...in my head, it was logical to assume that fugly building (it is fugly compared to the purty one from JAG) was JAG Headquarters.

Or to put it simply, I miss JAG.

8 hours ago, scorpio1031 said:

And Gina Hecht was on Mork and Mindy with Mark Harmon's wife, Pam Dawber.

D'OH! Right! It's a small world, after all!

It's a small world, after all!

It's a small world, after all! It's a small, small world!

Now Pammy better show up as the woman Gibbs has been having a sekrit, smoldering love affair with.

What?

[Clanstarling]

10 hours ago, Linderhill said:

as a current employee of the federal government, I can say that yes, you do need to update you official photo for your credentials.  I will say that my agency has pretty guidelines on those photos like no smiles or teeth showing.  The PIV cards are even worse and everyone looks like a serial killers.  There are those that come back over and over to get new photos taken but that doesn't mean that their official credential will be changed.  With us its only when the director changes.  In other words, Nick's storyline was stupid.  

I work for municipal government, and just had to update mine. Like Nick, I hated my new picture, but c'est la vie. (they, fortunately, don't makes use our resting faces, but still..mileage shows)

[ForReal]

I'm feeling a little unsettled about the show. I don't understand why Abby and Gibbs aren't in scenes together -- whether they want us to get used to the idea of Abby being gone or because she has an issue with his dog in real life, it doesn't matter. It just leaves me feeling concerned about the show. I also got an intuitive flash at the end when Gibbs says his gut is telling him that Jack is keeping secrets that perhaps this is leading to a relationship that sees them riding off into the sunset together. Apparently, she's been through trauma and doesn't like to talk about it; ditto for Gibbs. He will manage to get her to talk and she will manage to get him to talk and after they bare their souls (amongst other things), they will be a couple and everyone who knows them and loves them will be happy. This is not what I signed up for! I"m not opposed to it per se, but it feels like the show that I've known is ending on so many levels.

[transitfan]

On 1/14/2018 at 3:38 PM, ForReal said:

I'm feeling a little unsettled about the show. I don't understand why Abby and Gibbs aren't in scenes together -- whether they want us to get used to the idea of Abby being gone or because she has an issue with his dog in real life, it doesn't matter. It just leaves me feeling concerned about the show. I also got an intuitive flash at the end when Gibbs says his gut is telling him that Jack is keeping secrets that perhaps this is leading to a relationship that sees them riding off into the sunset together. Apparently, she's been through trauma and doesn't like to talk about it; ditto for Gibbs. He will manage to get her to talk and she will manage to get him to talk and after they bare their souls (amongst other things), they will be a couple and everyone who knows them and loves them will be happy. This is not what I signed up for! I"m not opposed to it per se, but it feels like the show that I've known is ending on so many levels.

Great.  So since TIVA didn't work out, maybe we'll be subjected to JIBBS?  (Sounded better than the alternative, GACK) . :D

[webruce]

It is nice to see Bud from "Jag". We have seen the retired Chegwidden on Los Angeles. He helps Hetty at times.

I worried that Alan Newhall knew more about Melissa's life, or he did something bad to her growing up. Then I thought  her friend Carrie Lyons was more involved in her "life", or death. Also they throw in about bf Barry Goode about being rough. I am glad they believed he was celibate, and they were going to wait. it is hard to believe Michelle Newhall  would have such extreme lives.

Was surprised that Gibbs didn't do something to Jimmy when he called him Jethro, and quoted Ducky. But maybe he also misses him when he isn't at work.

I know the girls must have been pretty scared about teacher Emit Paul dying of a heart attack, but am surprised they could dig such a hole to hide him for all those years. Must be the camcorder recording, and the tying up and all made "Rita" take up the same live? Sloane tried to explain it. I did seem a bit much for 8pm viewing, but they didn't show much graphics. But my wife wouldn't watch it.

[MelinaBallerina]

On 1/14/2018 at 2:38 PM, ForReal said:

or because she has an issue with his dog in real life, 

Pauley Perrette has an issue with Mark Harmon's dog?  What's this about?

[GHScorpiosRule]

1 minute ago, MelinaBallerina said:

Pauley Perrette has an issue with Mark Harmon's dog?  What's this about?

As far as I'm concerned, a whole lotta nothing. But it's been discussed over in the media thread.

[ForReal]

I agree, it sounds far-fetched and bogus to me, the dog drama, but I wish there was some explanation for why they aren't sharing scenes much this season. I kinda hate to see it end this way between them and/or their characters.