NCIS season 14 episode 22 review: Agent Gibbs team uncovers bush meat ring, solves Marine murder

On Tuesday night NCIS viewers watched as the team focused their attention at a national park for the latest crime spree on American soil. The episode kicked off with a Marine Sergeant murdered in the national park. While finding the body was upsetting, the skulls of animals only yards away had the team focusing on more than one crime. Apparently, someone was killing animals illegally and selling the meat in America.

The first step of the case was for the NCIS team to deciphering if the Marine was a good guy or bad guy. Unsure what his part was in the crime, the team worked backwards as they uncovered his whereabouts only 48 hours prior to his death. Scratching the surface of another crime, Agent Gibbs and his team learned someone was selling bush meat in the area. Stopping the crime spree was critical, especially given that the meat could be toxic and deadly.

Working with the Mounted Park Police the case actually evolved further as another incident involved on the trails ended up locating some of the smugglers. While NCIS didn’t have the faces of the criminals, it was determined that finding the meat would make the case. Going to a local street fair and asking around, the smugglers were finally discovered and captured.

This episode has some banter between the characters and the focus of the Mounted Park Police was intriguing. However, the photos shown during the broadcast of the dead animal carcasses drying for meat were rather graphic (and definitely not for the weak of heart). Several times we found ourselves looking away from the screen as poachers, and the images which represented the results, were difficult to see.

Illegal trade of bush meat

The episode focused on the illegal trade of bush meat in the United States. In the end the Marine was a good guy and was looking to stop the harvesting of meat. Unfortunately, he was killed by the bad guys. Before the credits rolled on Tuesday night the fans got a perfect Agent Gibbs moment. After a horse and his partner were hurt (and ultimately the human died), the horse stopped eating. Agent Gibbs got the horse to eat again by hanging out in the stall with the animal all night. Taking a liking to Gibbs (of course the horse has good taste), it appeared that he would be ready for patrol once again as he snapped out of being depressed. Offeringto ride the horse, Agent Gibbs jumped on back of the animal and rode off into the sunset….literally.

Overall, we enjoyed the episode on Tuesday night. It might be harsh for us to point out the animal remains bothered us so dramatically, but we are cool with seeing blood pouring out of a human in a fake shootout. Yet, the reason it bothers us (and other NCIS viewers) is because we care about animals. Poaching should never be allowed. If the episode tonight had a mission of giving us a jolting reminder to stand up and protect creatures who are harmed by morons, then so be it. Episode grade: A-.

For a preview for the next new NCIS episode, be sure to visit the link here.

This review was written by Jodi Jill and if you’re looking for more then be sure to head on over to the link here. Also, you can follow her on Facebook and Twitter! (Photo: CBS.)