‘NCIS’ season 11, episode 16 review: 250th episode works best as Michael Weatherly showcase
Should the 250th episode of any show be something worth celebrating? We definitely understand if that is something that you ask yourself when it comes to #250 of “NCIS” tonight. It did not necessarily pull out all of the stops that you sometimes get with a milestone episode, but it did bring back someone who we are always thrilled to see: Robert Wagner.
We almost don’t really want to focus on too much else beyond the DiNozzo family this time, largely because it feels like Tony hasn’t had a lot to do really ever since the midway portion of the fall until tonight. Tony’s father was great all the way through here as he was tasked with two very different responsibilities: Serving as a proper witness, and then also admitting to his son that he was getting married again … and to Tony Jr.’s godmother, who happened to be his late mom’s good friend.
Michael Weatherly had some great moments as he wrestled with this idea, and the way that Gibbs was utilized here was pretty spot-on. He continued to remain that father figure of sorts for Tony, but at the same time, he was almost a confidante to the elder Dinozzo, with the latter feeling like he was never as good of a dad to him over the course of his life as Mark Harmon’s character had been.
Powerful, emotional stuff in here all around, and it remains us just how badly we want to see this sort of great stuff on “NCIS” every week when it comes to the characters. The show has struggled as of late when it comes to balance and giving us a number of different stories, and who knows? Maybe they can build on this when coming up with what lies ahead the rest of the way. Grade: B+.
What was your take on this “NCIS” episode overall? Be sure to share some of your thoughts below, and head over here if you want to get some more scoop on the next new episode, which is airing in two weeks.
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Photo: CBS
JumboJimbo
March 8, 2014 @ 8:35 am
I dont know if its me but NCIS Season 11 has to be one of the worst seasons I have ever watched out of the whole lot. The writers seem to have gone off the boil, the stories have no structure, and as for bishop, well I think a season with just the 3 of them instead of rushing into a replacement would have been the better option.
I think the way NCIS are going is the path to getting axed unless they sort themselves out quickly and get the storylines back in order and most importantly of all sort the bishop character out as personally its just not working for me.
Lizvh
March 11, 2014 @ 3:20 pm
Well, they did have to do some serious last minute rewriting of the season. It is off kilter, I agree. Here’s hoping it gets back on track soon.
m
March 6, 2014 @ 5:50 pm
very cool demo for 250th…sad but…
Lizvh
March 6, 2014 @ 1:54 pm
In my opinion, the only reason the show is floundering this year is because the plans they had for the entire season had to be scraped because of Cote’s last minute decision to leave the show 1 or 2 weeks before the start of filming. We do not know what caused her to choose to leave, we don’t know what is going on behind the scenes that led up to it. She has given no reason and no one else is saying. CBS said they offered her lots of money. I think something happened that caused her to leave and it wasn’t money. But, until she or someone else says the real reason, we won’t know. So, really, this isn’t the character of Bishop’s fault at all. I do wish they had turned to another established character to step up like Cassie or Dornegat but they didn’t. The whole show got turned upside down due to Cote’s decision to leave. I do think the writers are trying to hard, though. And the constant repeats by CBS during the season does help at all as it ruins the continuity of the storylines and view watching. I find that the most annoying of all.
Lisa Bannister
March 7, 2014 @ 3:43 am
Perfectly said. I would love to one day find out how the season was supposed to have been written. I still love the show but have a feeling the original ideas for season 11 would have been much better and I am willing to give the writers a pass for this season since they were forced to scramble at the last minute and change everything that was planned. The DiNozzo centric finale will save the season for me, he is the main reason I watch the show. MW is a fantastic actor.
Margarete
March 5, 2014 @ 6:44 pm
I decided to watch because it was supposed to be Tony centric and Michael Weatherly and Sean Murray didn’t disappoint!
But Bishop ruined it once again! That actress is only capable of one single facial expression! The way Bishop told her husband she loved him…
Not even less Bishop is watchable!
Great celebration of 250 episodes and for watching most of them the audience gets this annoying probie!
Thank you NCIS for so many fantastic episodes and no thanks to further Bishop episodes!
Tonyfan Ncis
March 5, 2014 @ 3:52 pm
I honestly could hardly understand the plot, and it was bland at best. There was too much going on, and I too wish they had streamlined it to allow more time for tony/senior interaction.
But my main gripe is, why has no one yet to mention ziva? this episode would have been perfect. Tony is upset at what is happening with his dad, so it would h been a good time to have him say ” I wish ziva were here.” Or have Gibbs say, why don’t you call ziva? Would that be asking too much, to mention the name of one of thee main characters on the show for 8 years? I cannot understand cbs’ stubborn refusal to allow the ziva fans some happiness, when that is all it would take.
Cas
March 5, 2014 @ 3:28 pm
Does anyone know if CBS actually banned the show from saying Ziva’s name or if it is just that Glasberg actually believes his own reasoning of “It needs to be organic” as the explanation for not mentioning her? It just seems like too much at this point not to have mentioned her.
Tonyfan Ncis
March 5, 2014 @ 3:45 pm
Good question! I have been wondering that myself. Last nights ep had the perfect backdrop to mention zivas name in context of Tonys situation with his dad and in the scene of the family dinner at the end. Or Gibbs explaining to sr how much tony had been hurting because if ziva being gone. I just don’t get it.
Johnathan Webb
March 5, 2014 @ 4:21 pm
The whole “don’t mention Ziva’s name” just simply annoys me and makes the rest of the cast, writers and showrunner look like the jackasses and backstabbers they obviously are.
I am more than done with NCIS.
250 Episodes – a large part contributed by Cote dePablo and not even have Senior ask about her ? Ridiculous. Oh I know, we should use our imaginations and imagine they already discussed her. Pathetic !!
I hope the Bishop character takes down this show – she already has for me.
Greg
March 5, 2014 @ 10:32 pm
Then WHY are you still watching? Please quit watching so we don’t have to hear you whine over Ziva!
Lisa Liscoumb
March 11, 2014 @ 3:34 pm
So just because your favourite character is gone, you hope the show fails. Way to be supportive of the seven amazing actors that have stuck with the show and suffered the abuse from “fans” like you.
Cas
March 5, 2014 @ 8:19 pm
I did not watch it but I do read the comments and it seems that they have not talked since Christmas 2012 since Senior slept with Tony’s neighbor and since I doubt he was dating his godmother at the time I assume they have not talked since then so why was it that he also had amnesia? Every single recurring character has also suffered from amnesia as well so it is not just Senior but it is definitely not “organic”.
Another question I have is if EW already had a parking and trailer since her first day in September because she was going to be a regular why did they wait until November to announce her as a regular? Does it usually happen that way? I tend to believe they tend to announce these decisions right after they are made and do not wait months for the announcement. This situation also seems weird and fishy to me.
agentscully514
March 6, 2014 @ 1:54 pm
In this episode it was clear they HAD talked, because Tony had already told Senior about Bishop.
Sylvia Wissmann
March 5, 2014 @ 3:23 pm
Tony is my favorite but apart from the Tony scenes that showed Michael Weatherly once more as a brilliant actor it wasn’t a great episode!
This whole DiNozzo soap opera thing was far-fetched. Why should Tony apologize to his father when he treated his son with complete disinterest for years and even forgot him when he was a kid?
The writers need to watch old episodes before they plan on showing family background stories because fans do have memories!
And no mention of Ziva as expected in a Tony centric episode about love and soulmates! Yes, the showrunner still wants to sell viewers that TIVA never existed!
And Bishop, I couldn’t care less about every scene she is in! The show would be way better without her or with her as a minor background character!
Lizvh
March 5, 2014 @ 2:34 pm
I think this should have been a two part show. That way everything wouldn’t have been so rushed. I thought Tony and Sr. were great — their relationship moving forward. Sr. realizing how danderous his son’s job really is and that his son could be killed at anytime. The look on Tony’s face when Sr. told him he was getting remarried, so many emotions. And I think it took alot for Tony to push his feelings down and be happy for his father. Maybe Sr. is finally growing up. Afterall life can be short especailly in Tony’s line of work. At the end, Tony looked like a little boy especially when he wore the same type of hat that Sr. wears and when his father hugged him and said he loved him several times. Tony didn’t say it back to him. That will take some time. Right now, Tony just wants to be loved by his Dad. They are a work in progress. Hope there is more to come and we get to meet his new stepmother. And with this marriage, he now has a family.
Marla
March 5, 2014 @ 2:06 pm
This 250th episode really didn’t live up to the hype, sadly. I loved seeing Tony and his dad last night…..didn’t like how the storyline played out but I can live with it. Was nice to not see so much of Bishop. I loved Tony in his ‘noir’ role….and Michael looked the most excited I’ve seen him in a long while doing this. The Tony/McGee interactions were great as usual, as well as the Palmer/Tony scene. I just hate that Tony ended up apologizing to his dad yet again. That’s getting to be kinda old by now. And where in the heck was Vance? One of his agents was under an IA investigation and he was nowhere to be found? At least Bishop wasn’t so in front this time, but my goodness, stop sitting on the floor, please. And wow, she caved pretty quick when Tony ‘threatened’ her. I just don’t get why she’s there at all.
agentscully514
March 5, 2014 @ 1:35 pm
OK Honestly, in the 250th episode there was NO VANCE? how? why? Why is he being push aside this season?
Loved the Tony/Senior stuff, at least the first half. The second half just seemed wrapped up too quickly and easily. Tony didn’t have much of a struggle after all.
I cringed when Gibbs referred to Bishop as “Special Agent” when she should never have been given the job and hasn’t qualified for it. At least she was slightly less in our faces. However, in her second episode as a probie, it is becoming more clear that her skills really do NOT add to the team. A few episodes ago she was ordering around Gibbs and Vance. Now she can’t even stand up to Tony. I just don’t get what she is doing there.
Tonyfan Ncis
March 5, 2014 @ 3:54 pm
I miss Vance. I think he is such a great foil to Gibbs’ character. I think it’s a shame that he is getting pushed aside in favor of the blonde with the weird faces. If anything, in this ep, she should have had less screen time so we could have seen Vance.
Terry Headley
March 5, 2014 @ 1:20 pm
Get rid of the Bishop character and there might be hope.
Lorraine64
March 5, 2014 @ 12:46 pm
There were some lovely moments in this episode, and maybe it was just me
but I have to say I was disappointed. I’m a big Tony DiNozzo/Michael
Weatherly fan and agree that he has been sidelined of late, in fact
pretty much since Bishop joined the team. I loved the start of the
episode, it was great seeing Tony again as the competent investigator
and I thought that Robert Wagner was terrific, and with an IA
investigation under way and Senior as the only witness I was looking
forward to a tense and potentially angsty episode. But then we got into
the quite complicated case, about which I had little interest and which
for me preceded to swamp the episode. In my opinion the writers tried
to pack too much in with three equally important plots vying for
attention: the case, the IA investigation and Senior’s secret, with the
result that the latter two suffered by being rushed. After being the
focal point at the start the IA investigation just seemed to fizzle out
and Tony’s acceptance of the fact that his godmother was marrying his
dad just felt too quick. Instead of the very brief Gibbs/DiNozzo scene
in the bullpen I would like to have seen Tony seek out Gibbs’ basement
(in the same way that Senior did) when perhaps Gibbs could have admitted
that he was less than sympathetic and didn’t listen to his dad when
Jackson brought a woman to Shannon’s funeral and they ended up estranged
for 30 plus years, adding that Senior’s an old man now and maybe Tony
should give the situation some serious thought before letting this come
between them. It also felt odd to me that Tony’s “Godmother” didn’t
make an appearance. Apparently she had known Tony all his life and
faced with the possibility of being responsible for coming between her
fiancé and his son why didn’t she try herself to convince Tony that she
had not had an affair with his father.
It was lovely to finally have a few decent scenes with Palmer, but where was Vance?! Very surprised that the 250th episode did not feature the entire team,
particularly when the plot called for him to be there, i.e. surely the
Director would have had something to say when one of his agents was
under an IA investigation.
However, aside from what I felt was a bit of a mishmash of a plot, I have to say that I thought Michael Weatherly and Robert Wagner were great together, I would just like to have seen more of them.
agentscully514
March 5, 2014 @ 1:31 pm
well stated! the main case distracted from what I really wanted – meatier interaction between Tony and Senior.