NCIS 808

Another week and another good episode of NCIS. Continuing with the theme of the paternal interference in Gibbs' team, this week's episode centered around Ziva and her estranged father, Director of the Israeli Mossad, Eli David. Eli is coming stateside for a meeting with top US intelligence brass and has to contend with a clandestine Palestinian hit squad hunting him. Despite Eli's preference to keep his security arrangements within the elite unit of Israeli agents sent in advance of his arrival, Gibbs is tasked with his protection.

 Ziva is forced to confront the man who she feels abandoned her and always coldly put country above kin. In a brief but loaded encounter, Eli explains that he believes Ziva abandoned him, that he has always been open to and hoping for a reconciliation, and that he is the greatest victim of his heavy national responsibilities. Ziva responds with a suppressed tear and continues about her mission. Like father like daughter indeed. The episode ends on a cliffhanger  with Director David AWOL and presumably in great peril.

I think what I liked most about this episode was the evenhanded portrayal of the two sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel was not portrayed as a war-torn desert battlefield but a modern, first world  country. The Israeli's are portrayed as jaded, prickly, and consumed by self-preservationism, but not cruel. An inspired speech on the national struggles and oppression of the Palestinian people is delivered by one of the apprehended Palestinian agents to round out the perspective presented. Both sides were human, both bore both noble and cynical motives, and the situation at large was seen as complex. All told, another fun and engaging NCIS experience.

Episode Rating:
6 (Above average quality TV)

Episode's Best Line:
"No. Of course we are sleeping together. Its just nothing serious." - Mossad agent Malachi Ben-Gidon

NCIS 807

This show does a really great job mixing things up. For starters, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, the leader of the NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) team that the show follows, is one of the coolest characters on TV. And they have fun with their superhuman portrayal of him. Who doesn't like a show that has fun with its own idiosyncrasies? Abby and Dr. Mallard (Ducky) are two fantastically quirky supporting characters,  DiNozzo's movie shtick is fun, and McGee being a successful novelist in his spare time is hilarious. Ziva is kinda the lame duck of the group. In any case, there are enough well-developed (but not over-developed) characters that any given episode can revolve around any one of them without seeming overdone or tiresome. Add to this the fact that most episodes consist of well-written, stand-alone mini plots and its easy to see how NCIS manages to keep its writing fresh and its fan-base excited.

This week's episode centered around DiNozzo and his ostentatious and dodgy father. I think the show does an excellent job of communicating to its audience in subtleties. For example, the mere fact that DiNozzo's dad - Anthony DiNozzo senior - named his son after himself tells something of the way he views himself and the world. It tells slightly less, but still an alluring something, about how he relates to Tony. Par for the course I suppose. It was an all around standard NCIS episode. Standard NCIS is pretty good though.

Episode Rating:
6 (Above average quality TV)

Episode's Best Line:
"We're DiNozzos. We don't communicate well." - Anthony DiNozzo senior (To Anthony DiNozzo junior)