S16.E14: Once Upon a Tim

[thewhiteowl]

McGee's computer password he used as a teen is linked to the murder of a defense contractor.

[Katy M]

I was so happy that they had a Tim-centric episode and he did more than just stand around in the background, that I'm going to forgive a lot.

I'd forgotten how much of a jerk his father was, but at least there was that nice moment at the end.  

For government agents, nobody at NCIS can keep a secret, LOL.  

I'm a little confused about something, though.  Kasie plugged the computer into the internet and it started "doing something" so she ran it down to the morgue so McGee could see before it finished.  Did she upgrade it to WIFI, how did it stay plugged into electricity, much less the internet as she brought it downstairs.  Why not call everybody up instead?  Better yet, why not unplug it since it's running a virus, which she seemed to know.

I also find it a little hard to believe that a virus could be running and siphoning off money for 25 years with nobody noticing.  I mean think of how many operating systems and program changes they must have gone through in all that time.  

But, again, so happy to have a McGee episode that I will let all that pass.

Edited February 20, 2019 by Katy M

[MrWhyt]

24 minutes ago, Katy M said:

I also find it a little hard to believe that a virus could be running and siphoning off money for 25 years with nobody noticing.  I mean think of how many operating systems and program changes they must have gone through in all that time.

I don't really find that hard to believe, government moves slowly on upgrading tech and the bigger the department (the US DoD is huge) the slower it goes.

[secnarf]

I was also highly confused about the technical aspects of this case - the mobile ancient computer with apparent wifi capabilities, for one, as well as the IP address - why would Chloe's work IP address match her high school one? Aren't these things computer/location-specific? They don't follow a person around their whole life. I have a very limited understanding of computer-related things but an IP address isn't a driver's license.

[Dr.OO7]

I'm glad we got the Call Back to Tim's apartment being broken into.

[Katy M]

28 minutes ago, secnarf said:

why would Chloe's work IP address match her high school one? Aren't these things computer/location-specific?

She uploaded the virus from school at that IP address.  And that IP address was encoded into the virus, I guess.  And so the DOD/tax guy, or whatever he actually was went to the school to ask the computer teacher who sat at that desk in 1995.  Like he would actually know that.  But, apparently he did. So, then he tracked her down.  Nothing had actually happened with that virus, minus the funds getting transferred to some bank account.  She just uploaded it and forgot it.  But, since she did it from a school computer, not sure why it was trying to talk to McGee's.

35 minutes ago, MrWhyt said:

I don't really find that hard to believe, government moves slowly on upgrading tech and the bigger the department (the US DoD is huge) the slower it goes.

S, the DOD is still using DOS and dial up and, I don't even remember what else from way back then? Computers are so different now then they were in 1994.

[mommalib]

Finally a Mcgee episode. Nice to see my favorite character front and center for a change.

[laredhead]

I enjoyed this episode a lot.  I always like to see flashbacks involving the main characters.  I highly doubt that a computer virus concocted 25 years ago could still be viable now, but I was happy to go along with the premise because the story was about Tim's early years.  Good episode after a few recent not so good ones.  

[enoughcats]

1) I liked Chloe.  I liked that character a lot, a lot more than certain other female characters who are cluttering up the scripts nowadays.  Can we keep her, please?

2) I still like Delilah.  I like Delilah a whole lot.  Can we keep her, please?

Which, of course, means we might get rid of some other female characters and maybe a male character or two.  Right now, I'd be happy to spin a wheel and let the magic roulette ball decide who to kill off.  Even several ball-made decisions. 

[scorpio1031]

A DOD employee auditing the team while a big case is going on involving computers?  Wonder who the guilty party is.  For those of us who saw Kill Screen in Season 8, this is familiar.

[Packerbrewerbadger]

Glad to see a Tim centric episode, but yet more dumb agent moves:

 Instead of waiting for backup, Tim runs out if his apartment, leaving the door open 😱! (Reminiscent of when he opens his apt door when the convict is in a cage in his apt)

And then he shoots blindly in the dark- did the intruder even have a gun? What if Delilah was near by?

Edited February 20, 2019 by Packerbrewerbadger

[kazza]

Overall, enjoyed the episode.

Really enjoyed:

- Tying together all the callbacks to McGee's life - his Navy dad, tap dancing, talent for computers, writing. It does make me wonder if they're trying to give him a sendoff. (Like the headhunting thread a few episodes back.)

- McGee's snarky "Did I get here before you?" response to Delilah asking about a script running on his high school computer. It's the same line Tony said to McGee at least once when they both arrived at a crime scene together. 

- McGee on his own when having to explain the crime scene history of their apartment. 

Could do without:

- Ellie's snide remark about honesty or something like that, upon seeing a picture of Tony. If she's referring to last week's episode, where it was implied that Ziva is alive, just get over it. Neither ZIva nor Tony owe her anything. 

[threebluestars]

I really liked this episode.

"You think it's a good idea to let McGee run this interview."

"Yeah. It's the best idea I ever had."

LOL. There were some really funny lines. It felt like an old episode of NCIS. Finally.

And let's keep Delilah, please. I love her. I still think McGee, Delilah, Gibbs and Fornell are my secret NCIS Dream Team.

[Starscream]

2 hours ago, Packerbrewerbadger said:

And then he shoots blindly in the dark- did the intruder even have a gun? What if Delilah was near by?

My first thought when that happened was how would he not know that it was Delilah?  Then I thought, "duh, she can't walk."

I thought this episode -- with Delilah finding out what a real house of horrors that apartment is -- would serve as the impetus for them to finally move into a house.

I'm not sure if I've ever seen anything nerdier than somebody drawing a heart with a cupid's arrow around an IP address.

[llewis823]

Loved this episode. The kid that was supposed to be McGee as a teen - that was some great casting, wasn't it? He even had the flushed red cheeks like McGee often does.

[transitfan]

43 minutes ago, llewis823 said:

Loved this episode. The kid that was supposed to be McGee as a teen - that was some great casting, wasn't it? He even had the flushed red cheeks like McGee often does.

Yeah, it was uncanny.  I don't recall if Sean Murray has a son, but if he does, he (the son) is not nearly old enough to play a teen-age McGee, a la Sean Harmon playing young Gibbs.  Excellent casting!

[Kelda Feegle]

Yes I thought young Tim was well cast.

Shame Delilah didn't get much to do other than scream and later giggle with Tim's ex.

[Chaos Theory]

Not sure how true it is but I once heard that the computers that control some of our nukes use floppy disks.   

[Trey]

So Chloe gets a pass for diverting all that money for all this time?  Of course, the money isn't really gone but that does sound like a crime to me.

Loved seeing Delilah again.  Aren't there still more bodies that she didn't hear about?

I really enjoyed this episode.  It's been a long time since the focus has been on Tim.  I agree with others, the casting for Young Tim was very good.

[Katy M]

6 minutes ago, Trey said:

So Chloe gets a pass for diverting all that money for all this time?  Of course, the money isn't really gone but that does sound like a crime to me.

Statute of limitations?  She didn't do anything, including ever touching the money, since 1994.  Plus, I think she said she didn't even know what the virus did, so without knowing what she was doing or ever touching the money, they would probably have trouble actually proving anything.  And since McGee created the virus, he'd probably be equally as guilty of whatever she was guilty of.

[Twilight Man]

Great episode, but I can do without that one moment where:

McGee:  I've done nothing with my life.

Bishop:   You wrote a best-seller.

McGee:  Two, actually, but that was "ten years ago."

ARRGGH!!    Another TV character who claims that their life is so mundane, where

in reality (because they are, after all, TV characters), their life is so exciting,

I wish that my life was only a fraction as interesting as theirs.

I remember Homer Simpson (of all people) spending part of an episode

(I believe what happened was Marge won a contest involving the local TV news and got a free T-shirt)

claiming the same thing.   The Simpson family then spent a few moments pointing out

only a small portion of all the incredible things that he has accomplished.

The nerds on "The Big Bang Theory" also spent an episode doing that,

and I was like "Didn't that one guy travel into outer space???"

[HurricaneVal]

Wow.  This episode was like a breath of fresh air.  I'm also going to ignore the glaring plot hole of the miracle of Tim's old computer--particularly since we saw in that episode long, long ago that Tim's mom had already packed up all of Tim's old computers and sent them to him.  Did she forget this one? 

Other than that, I absolutely loved all the callbacks.  I was literally squeeing when the gory history of their apartment kept getting revealed incident by incident to Delilah as Tim's panic elevated and elevated.  Tim's dad being a jerk, Tim's internal conflict but inner strength about the Navy expectations was nice, and wow, was that inspired casting and coaching of that actor playing young Tim--he looked like Tim, but he also had the mannerisms down pat.  Gibbs being so certain Tim was the best for interrogation, Jack's skepticism then wide-eyed admiration was pretty cool, but in retrospect kind of pisses me off.  Tim is a seasoned special agent.  He has experience, expertise, and instincts and has proven over and over that he's extremely good at his job.  Jack shouldn't be acting like he's a n00b. 

And why doesn't Tim write anymore?  I know there was that case where the stalker was reenacting the scenes from his second novel, and that spooked him, but did he drop writing altogether after that?  That all significantly pre-dated his involvement with Delilah, so it wasn't like his budding relationship interfered with his writing.  Bring back Thom E. Gemcity!

Edited February 20, 2019 by HurricaneVal
Proper grammar be important

[Lisa418722]

After last week's episode I was ready to give up on NCIS, but I'm glad I didn't.  I liked this episode including learning more about Tim as teenager and being reminded how much of a jerk his father could be.  Delilah needs to be on more often. I did have to laugh at her finding out about the prior dead bodies in their apartment.  Agree with everyone else about the casting of young Tim.  The casting director did a fantastic job on that one. 

Edited February 20, 2019 by Lisa418722

[scorpio1031]

44 minutes ago, HurricaneVal said:

And why doesn't Tim write anymore?  I know there was that case where the stalker was reenacting the scenes from his second novel, and that spooked him, but did he drop writing altogether after that?  That all significantly pre-dated his involvement with Delilah, so it wasn't like his budding relationship interfered with his writing.  Bring back Thom E. Gemcity!

I really didn't like the ep Friends and Lovers, but I loved the part where McGee gets into the club cause he is Thom E. Gemcity and the bouncer is a fan.  And Tony is jealous.

But yes, if Gibbs can be a part time carpenter when he isn't working, then McGee should still be writing.  

[Katy M]

6 minutes ago, scorpio1031 said:

I really didn't like the ep Friends and Lovers, but I loved the part where McGee gets into the club cause he is Thom E. Gemcity and the bouncer is a fan.  And Tony is jealous.

But yes, if Gibbs can be a part time carpenter when he isn't working, then McGee should still be writing.  

Gibbs doesn't have a wife and baby twins. I already question how much (little) time McGee spends with his family.

[LuvMyShows]

The casting was great for young Tim, but awful for Tim's father.  He was played more like a marine than a high-ranking (even at the time) naval officer.  The previous actor was much better at playing what we have understood to be someone from a significantly upper class background (Tim's rich grandma IIRC).

Also, in the government, expense reports require multiple layers of approval.  No way on earth would protein powder have been approved once, let alone enough times that Torres would have been surprised to find out that you can't expense that.  And depending on what expense report system is used, there may not even been any itemizing at all for trips/assignments, and just a per diem rate where you don't have to list what you spent it on, thus no declining of Bishop's stake-out triple vente mocha latte, or whatever.

Thinking back to the opening...given how the plot unfolded, how would the guy that was discovered dead (Kane) have gotten McGee's childhood password?

5 hours ago, Katy M said:

Statute of limitations?  She didn't do anything, including ever touching the money, since 1994.  Plus, I think she said she didn't even know what the virus did, so without knowing what she was doing or ever touching the money, they would probably have trouble actually proving anything.  And since McGee created the virus, he'd probably be equally as guilty of whatever she was guilty of.

Although McGee created it initially, she said that she changed it and put in the money rounding thing.  She said she didn't think it would work, and she didn't know it had been working, but she did know what she was doing when she altered what he had originally done.

[enoughcats]

Re Tim's authorship:

IIRC Tim's characters were easily identified as his co-workers who were upset at their descriptions.  Don't do this again, said Gibbs.

BUT, and this is overlooked, the Dramatis Personae is all but totally changed now.  No Ziva, No Tony, No Abby, No Ducky.  Those were major characters in his novels.  Gibbs is still there.  #2 in the Morgue is still there.  But the moving on of the great majority of characters, except Gibbs, should allow Tim to, at least, write a few outlines, for the future, because Gibbs is getting visably older this season and less active. (Cute work around last night when Gibbs stopped the guy from running away be being in the right place at the right time, and armed. But it wasn't a very physical part.)

[Starscream]

Thom can just write about the exploits of Agents Kellie Knight and Rick Towers.  Most importantly, he still has Pimmy Jalmer.

[transitfan]

18 hours ago, scorpio1031 said:

I really didn't like the ep Friends and Lovers, but I loved the part where McGee gets into the club cause he is Thom E. Gemcity and the bouncer is a fan.  And Tony is jealous.

But yes, if Gibbs can be a part time carpenter when he isn't working, then McGee should still be writing.  

Is that the one where he strolled in with Abby, Ziva and (I think) Michelle Lee on his arms?  Great scene, the ladies were stunning!

[ForReal]

15 hours ago, enoughcats said:

Cute work around last night when Gibbs stopped the guy from running away be being in the right place at the right time, and armed. But it wasn't a very physical part.

Yeah, it kinda bugged me when Bishop said, "Nice take down," or something like that. Me, I was flashing back to the episode where Gibbs was locked in an office fighting with some guy and you almost think he's going to lose until you see the door open to Tony and Gibbs had (obviously) won. Now, that was a nice take down.

[JessDVD]

That episode was superb. I don't know what it is about the "Young ____" episodes, but those almost always are the best by far, like they can only afford the good writer once or twice a year and he/she chooses to come out only when they do a "Young _____" episode. That actor got young McGee perfect and I loved the actress playing the girlfriend. Didn't as much care for the actress playing the girlfriend as an adult but I can let it slide.

Delilah! The whole scene in their apartment! I have to confess though, that the whole Delilah-in-wheelchair thing, I don't know, something about it bugs, and I think it may be since the actress herself is not a paraplegic, she doesn't carry it off as well as Daryl Mitchell/Patton (who actually is a paraplegic) on NCIS NOLA? Not totally sure. But I don't love it. I never cared for the Delilah paralysis plotline originally, as I felt like it added nothing to the plot, and I still don't care for it now.

The other part I really, really didn't buy was that the Admiral apparently aspired to be a tap dancer also? Right. I also would have found it more realistic if they hadn't had the nice moment with the Admiral at the end - I felt like the rest of his appearances prior in the series led to a "Well, I'm highly disappointed in you" rather than a "You have to choose your path" end.

[Katy M]

2 minutes ago, JessDVD said:

he other part I really, really didn't buy was that the Admiral apparently aspired to be a tap dancer also? Right. I also would have found it more realistic if they hadn't had the nice moment with the Admiral at the end - I felt like the rest of his appearances prior in the series led to a "Well, I'm highly disappointed in you" rather than a "You have to choose your path" end.

I didn't like that last scene either.  If that had happened when McGee was 16, why did it take all the way to his dad's death for them to find even a little bit of common ground?  They would have already had it.  And, that scene made it seem like he was at least somewhat OK with McGee not joining the Navy. It's like a pod person took him over for 5 minutes or something.

[torqy]

Writers mixing their stolen storylines in this ep. Virus that nibbles a bit from each paycheck was done in Office Space. "Geek Girl" named Chloe was right out of 24. Still a good episode, though. 

[Linderhill]

the computer program stealing fractions of pennies from paychecks was part of the plot of Superman III way back in 1983.  Richard Pryor's character came up with a program that did this and he ended up with a multimillion dollar check and getting recruited by the criminal mastermind of that movie.  It was the first thing I thought of when they made the reveal with the high school friend.  

One thing I wondered when they first showed the excellently cast young McGee was if the girl with him was the long forgotten younger McGee sister.  Alas, it was only a new character and the sister is still forgotten.

[Tdoc72]

On 2/19/2019 at 11:22 PM, Packerbrewerbadger said:

Glad to see a Tim centric episode, but yet more dumb agent moves:

 Instead of waiting for backup, Tim runs out if his apartment, leaving the door open 😱! (Reminiscent of when he opens his apt door when the convict is in a cage in his apt)

And then he shoots blindly in the dark- did the intruder even have a gun? What if Delilah was near by?

I didn’t like that he had his gun safe right out in the open near the door and within a  toddler’s grasp. I think it was biometric or at least had a code but still. 

[Katy M]

4 hours ago, Tdoc72 said:

I didn’t like that he had his gun safe right out in the open near the door and within a  toddler’s grasp. I think it was biometric or at least had a code but still. 

If your toddler is smart enough to crack a safe then he's probably also smart enough not to use the gun.  But, I doubt a toddler is smart enough for either, so that's why the safe is there and it doesn't much matter where it is.

[mythoughtis]

6 hours ago, Tdoc72 said:

I didn’t like that he had his gun safe right out in the open near the door and within a  toddler’s grasp. I think it was biometric or at least had a code but still. 

Near the door allows him to put his gun in it when he enters and retrieve it as he leaves. Safer than carrying it thru the house. 

[Cj2221]

I'd like to know how someone said the robber came in through the guest room window... isnt this apartment a 1 bed?