‘NCIS’ season 12, episode 7 review: Tony’s fish; Bishop’s mission; Kate, Ziva mentions
We have been a little hard on “NCIS” so far during season 12, mostly because it felt for a while like the show was in cruise control. It was nice to see some returning guest stars, but in the end, we had this unshakable feeling that the series was in cruise control. We knew that they could do better, and at times tonight with “The Searchers,” they did do better.
The biggest thing you have to remember here is that this is a show about the military first and foremost, and with a holiday like Veteran’s Day, the biggest thing that you can hope for is that they would honor the men and women who served the country. For the most part, the show really did that in taking down charity fraud, and helping some who certainly needed it. Bishop was front and center for most of this, and her mission became so much more than just a probie trying to mass some exams.
We were somewhat surprised at how much the show paid attention to its past tonight; how many mentions of Kate and Ziva had we had over the past two episodes? It feels like more than we had in every other episode prior to the first two episodes of season 11.
It was through these two characters that we had an explanation on Gibbs’ treatment of Bishop, and the end of the episode produced a big moment between the two as he realized that the entire time has been babying her a little too much with some of her quirks. This was him getting his power back as a teacher, and her hopefully learning something more in the process.
“The Searchers” was not classic “NCIS” by any means, but it was mostly a step in the right direction. We’ll just have to see if the momentum lasts. Grade: B-.
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Beverly
November 13, 2014 @ 5:47 pm
The Bishop effect distracted me from following the story and I had to watch it again later. This never used to happen before Season 11. I used to be glued to the set for the whole hour. One thing about NCIS fans is that they can quote things that characters said and scenes in episodes that aired years ago and even describe the whole episode. I find it hard to remember anything memorable that the characters have said since Season 11 and could count on one hand the number of episodes that I remember from S11 to the present. The story lines just don’t resonate like they used to and the chemistry is off. I can watch a whole hour now and not laugh once (maybe a little smile here and there) but there is no excitement or fun. The most normal part of the episode other than the excellent story of the missing Vet was Tim, Palmer and Abby working together in the lab. That was like old times. That’s what I miss.
liz laughlin
November 12, 2014 @ 7:23 am
I agree, correcting the problem of Bishop getting away with things that no one else could was something that annoyed me. In season 11 when Gibbs ordered her to not enter Parsa’s cell and she disobeyed orders and two marines died, I thought that she would get chewed out but no. She got a welcome to the team. I thought, what the heck just happened? I’m glad that the old Gibbs is back. To have a lower standard for one member, endangered the whole team. I’m glad they decided to take a new direction on this. Glasberg and the writers get my applause on this.
Kati
November 12, 2014 @ 9:47 am
I sadly don’t remember the name of the episode right now but what about Ziva hitting/abusing a suspect because he was talking too much and annoyed her? It was never mentioned again. That suspect died. And that was just one of the many mistakes Ziva did. Why should everyone forget and forgive her, a professional who should be able to handle such a situation, but not a newbie who has never done work like that before?
marysue
November 12, 2014 @ 3:32 pm
Hopefully something about this will be revealed in the future. I haven’t watched the latest ep yet. I’m planning on doing that tonight or tomorrow. The team realized early on that Ziva had the ability to handle herself in the field even if she made mistakes – usually it was shoot first, ask questions later. Gibbs realized it was the way she was trained at Mossad. Bishop has little field experience and so far hasn’t realized that her analyzing abilities don’t cut it in situations where you have to think fast and move fast on your feet. I hope that we will see her grow into her position better in future episodes. She has a bit of an attitude adjustment to make. Ziva knew how to act in the field to cover people’s backs and handle the bad guys. Bishop doesn’t have this yet and that is why Gibbs get upset with her because she often doesn’t listen and he is afraid that she will put herself and/or the team in jeopardy.
liz laughlin
November 12, 2014 @ 7:05 pm
The final opinion of Ducky was that he had a congenital aneurysm. He had a weakened wall of an artery since birth. He was a “walking time bomb.” Anything like a fall or playing a contact sport could have killed him. Ducky was surprised that he lived as long as he did.
Ziva was very good at what she did and she did not use excessive force. Ziva was small in stature only 5’6″ and less than 125 lbs. She had a lot of ways to subdue a full grown man. This was one of them. She knew that the amount of force she applied would not have killed or seriously injured a healthy young man. which he appeared to be. She still felt guilty and tried to turn in her badge to Gibbs. He refused it. They investigated and found she was not negligent. If she was, Gibbs would have asked for her badge and turned her over for trial. We could argue that she should not have used any force at all but we were not there. We didn’t see what happened.
Kati
November 12, 2014 @ 4:28 am
I can only hope that with this episode the Ziva chapter is going to be closed. They did it with Kate already, the bring her up from time to time but never mention Jenny again. I wish they’d follow that line with the Ziva character. Jenny and Kate are dead, Ziva wanted to leave everything behind to start a new life. Let her do it. I hope the writers are going to focus on the Team and what is present on the show, not the past. We had 8 years of Ziva and her issues, that’s enough. Most Viewers want to move on and not to be stuck with the Ziva character forever. I want NCIS, not the Ziva show.
The episode itself was great. I loved Season 11 more than any other since Season 5 and Season 12 started very good as well but it seems we’re back to the “Let’s make it all about Ziva” again and I really don’t want that.
Ian Brandt
November 12, 2014 @ 4:40 am
YES
marysue
November 12, 2014 @ 5:11 am
I don’t want to tick you off in any way but the fact that Ari Haswari was mentioned in the premiere and in connection with the Russian baddie reopened up the rumour mill and the possibility of a Ziva return. I don’t know how many posts you’ve read but folks have been talking circles on this topic for months about Cote’s departure, the reasons behind it, and whether she will return or not and whether it will be full/part-time, guest role or just for a final episode to give what many fans want (including me) a more final ending to the “TIVA” so that Tony can move on. The one thing that I have loved about NCIS over the years is how they keep us guessing. I’ve been amazed at how strong the fan reaction was to Cote leaving. That being said, fans are mixed about how a Ziva return will affect the show. I would like to see her back on a part-time basis. I would hope that a part-time role would be the answer for everyone and not have Ziva storylines dominate. Some fans want her back full time, you as some others have indicated don’t want her back at all. The door is open for Cote to come back. Weatherly and Glasberg have both mentioned it with a wait and see kind of dialogue in other posts so whether the wait and see is due to them working out a deal with Cote or with the writers to see what kind of storyline they will come up with, or whether Cote actually even wants to come back. She did hint in her parting interview that a return was possible since Ziva wasn’t killed off. So that tells me that anything is possible. She has just finished filming “The Dovekeepers” so time will tell whether she will come back or not. Whether people agree or not, I have often wondered if her return if it happens would be the cliff hanger at the end of this season or will be tied into the wrap up of NCIS dealing with the Russian baddie. At any rate, this issue has to be concluded in some way so that fans get an ending to all this.
liz laughlin
November 12, 2014 @ 7:55 am
I am hoping that she returns full time but even part time would make me happy. I don’t hate Bishop but I’ve never felt that she was a good replacement for Ziva. Cote, in my opinion, is such a good actress that it’s hard to not miss her. I miss the interactions between Gibbs and Ziva. They had a special relationship. They understood each other in ways that the other team members could not. Both of them had the job of killing enemies of their country. It was funny when Ziva said that she had slept with people to get information. There was a pause and then Gibbs said something like “so have I.” Ziva shot Ari to save Gibbs’ life and Gibbs shot the terrorist to save Ziva’s life. They had each other’s backs. Two very complex and interesting characters. I will always miss that.” I’ve never understood the Ziva haters. They won, she’s gone and probably not coming back but they still keep ranting. Where does that come from? Most people who win are happy..
liz laughlin
November 12, 2014 @ 7:55 am
I am hoping that she returns full time but even part time would make me happy. I don’t hate Bishop but I’ve never felt that she was a good replacement for Ziva. Cote, in my opinion, is such a good actress that it’s hard to not miss her. I miss the interactions between Gibbs and Ziva. They had a special relationship. They understood each other in ways that the other team members could not. Both of them had the job of killing enemies of their country. It was funny when Ziva said that she had slept with people to get information. There was a pause and then Gibbs said something like “so have I.” Ziva shot Ari to save Gibbs’ life and Gibbs shot the terrorist to save Ziva’s life. They had each other’s backs. Two very complex and interesting characters. I will always miss that.” I’ve never understood the Ziva haters. They won, she’s gone and probably not coming back but they still keep ranting. Where does that come from? Most people who win are happy..
marysue
November 12, 2014 @ 3:21 pm
I think the reason we’ve had so much discussion about NCIS is because of the complex relationships the characters all have with each other. Gibbs and Ziva definitely had each other’s backs and understood what it was like to do what they had to do to get the job done. They had an equal understanding and a fellowship because of this and yet almost a father/daughter relationship on the side at times. The TIVA that everyone has talked circles about for months is another. It was probably one of the most complex ever written. All the relationship stories on NCIS episodes have provoked strong reaction from viewers because this show has been on so long and people have gotten attached to the characters. It is our different personalities and understanding of things that give each one of us the ability to see from a different perspective. I for one, enjoy reading all the posts. Whether I agree with another person’s viewpoint or not doesn’t matter.
Kati
November 12, 2014 @ 9:43 am
There is no issue. Not on the show. The issue was created by the Ziva fans who cannot accept that Cote made a decision. She wanted to leave the show and still wants to keep the reasons for that private. She can. But the way she acted since her departure and how she was/is watching her fanbase hating on the show that made her who she is now, is low. It’s a huge fail. Her fans were screaming the Characters are out of character and what not. Sadly, the writers are back to listening to the Ziva fans instead of those who want to enjoy the show NCIS, not the Ziva-show. NCIS is a crime drama show, not a romantic Soap opera. If you or anyone wants couples then watch romantic Soap operas but stop trying to make NCIS one. Tiva was the worst thing that could have happened to the show. I used to like the Ziva character but the day someone decided to give her huge and heave storylines that the actress couldn’t carry was a bad day in the history of the show. All of the other actors and Characters had to suffer from the Ziva-show and Tony was only good enough to be the fool for her. Sorry but not sorry, I don’t want her back at this point. And although I don’t like neither the character nor the actress anymore, I’m still NOT a hater. I simply just think that the show has got better without Ziva and her dramas, including Tiva.
marysue
November 12, 2014 @ 3:09 pm
I will admit I do like some romance but agree that NCIS is a crime drama not a soap. Any relationships in a show like NCIS should be in the background threading through the episode(s) with very short references/scenes. It is a character driven show as many are now. Giving glimpses into a character’s personal life and issues helps keep it real but it is a tricky balance with shows like NCIS that are dramas. For comparison with another show; I watch Hawaii Five 0 which is also character driven and compared it to the old Hawaii Five 0 with Jack Lord. While both shows are good and the original was good for that time period I found it flat because it dealt only with the crimes and if their was any character background it was mostly only about McGarrett. TV shows go through evolutions and revolutions. As for the characters of certain shows there will always be people that are for or against a particular character. We, as viewers take our shows seriously so that is what leads to such discussions as this.
marysue
November 12, 2014 @ 2:57 pm
They have mentioned Jenny briefly a couple of times but I can’t remember which episodes. An occasional mention of a past character isn’t necessarily a bad thing as long as it ties to the current storyline and dialogue. If it drags a character back into the past ie. in this case still tying Tony to Ziva then that isn’t good. I haven’t watched the last episode yet as I was busy last night. I intend to watch tonight to see if I can decipher anything that gives clues to the future. Whether the Ziva hints are leading up to Cote returning or a final write out of Ziva, only time will tell. Either way fans have been left in limbo. If Ziva had had a more definite write out ie her taking a new job elsewhere (like Marg Hellenberg in CSI)instead of just “sorting out her life” which was kind of vague it would have given everyone more closure and yes the door would have still been open if Ziva was to be written back in at some point. Stronger dialogue between Tony and Ziva about her reason for leaving would have helped. If there had been more explanation from Ziva to Tony as to why a relationship wasn’t going to work between the two of them (at least at that point) then fans would have been able to let the TIVA thing go. Since that didn’t happen it left a lot of fans including me very dissatisfied with how the two characters parted ways. They didn’t mention Ziva by name at all after the 4th/5th episode last season. If they had had some dialogue in there early last season to deal with letting go and moving on then it wouldn’t have been necessary to deal with it now. In the third episode last year there was an attempt to talk about Ziva but Gibbs shuts it down with “She wanted to move on, so let’s move on” and that was it. As I said, I think we have to have some patience and see how this all plays out.
liz laughlin
November 12, 2014 @ 7:51 pm
We only saw part of what transpired between Ziva and Tony in Israel. What we do know is that Ziva was deeply troubled by the life she had led as a spy and an assassin. I suspect that any good person (not a sociopath) who has to kill someone either to defend their life or the life of another is going to be deeply troubled. For Ziva, she had killed many people in defense of her country. She even killed her half brother to save Gibbs. It’s easy to sit in front of my computer and say, “So big deal, what’s the problem?” From every thing I’ve seen or read, it is a very big problem. Ziva had to finally face all of the murder and heartache that she had caused. The idea that it’s the enemy, so it really doesn’t matter is simplistic. It is not the nature of human beings to run around killing each other. We even have laws against it. We have psych evaluations for cops who have had to use deadly force in the line of duty.
Ziva wanted to say good bye to the gun and badge forever. I wish she would have let Tony help her work through it but she did not see that as an option. She was afraid he would draw her back into everything she was trying to escape. The one who could help her was Gibbs. He had already worked through all the killing and had some degree of peace with it.. It gave me hope when she finally called him on the phone. I’m hoping that Gibbs helped her come to peace and someday, we will see her again. And thank you Tony for telling her to call Gibbs. I think that Tony knew if anyone could help Ziva, it would be Gibbs.