‘NCIS’ season 14, episode 3 review: Gibbs’ team solves staged suicide, Agent Fornell recovers
NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs definitely had his team working double time on the new “NCIS” episode on Tuesday night. Faced with a case that appeared to be a suicide at first glance, the team took a closer look after Doctor Grace Confalone suggested that Marine Sergeant Erin Hill’s tragic fall from a building wasn’t a jump, but she might have been pushed.
Unable to help the team until the marine sergeant died, the doctor reveals that she knew about a cover-up of a murder. As clues were being put together, the team started to notice that the tapes offered from the building superintendent were altered and a previous tenant’s death had strange circumstances. What finally pulled all the pieces together was Abby’s work in the lab when she realized that the marine sergeant’s murder information wasn’t about her time in Afghanistan, but about her sister’s involvement in the murder of a tenant. Knowing that she might go to the cops, the building super killed her by pushing her off the building where there were no cameras.
The biggest problem the team had was proving who was the killer. After breaking down the marine sergeant’s sister, Gibbs finds out the deaths are all about gold. The tenant killed had a stash of gold bullion and coins as he didn’t believe in banks. Not cautious enough, he was targeted for his wealth. Erin Hill was killed because she knew about the murder cover-up.
While Agent Gibbs definitely wanted a little quiet time at home, he still has a house guest. Senior FBI Agent T.C. Fornell continued his couch-surfing after being shot last season at Gibbs’ home. Fornell is bored out of this mind, but still healing. Looking to interject in to the case, he helps himself to the case file, pumps the field agents for info, and tries to be part of the action. Even though he is annoying, Gibbs doesn’t mind helping his pal during his recovery.
This season has really challenged the viewers as the twists and turns of the episodes offer unique angles of the crime. We once again really enjoyed the interaction of the new agents, NCIS Special Agent Nicholas “Nick” Torres and NCIS Special Agent Alexandra “Alex” Quinn, as they fit well into the team and offer interesting perspectives on the cases and seamlessly fit into the interaction of team’s work.
We would be remiss not to share how wonderful it was for the cast and crew to honor the late showrunner Gary Glasberg with his photo and a few words at the end of the episode. He surely will be missed. Episode grade: A-.