‘NCIS’ season 14, episode 9 review: Agent Gibbs checks rats for clues in latest case, Mary Stuart Masterson guest stars
Fans of “NCIS” on Tuesday night got the chance to see Mary Stuart Masterson from “Fried Green Tomatoes” as she played a hardworking Congresswoman in jeopardy. The episode didn’t start out with a dead body as seen on most “NCIS” episodes; instead, fans got to see a dead rat which offered a warning and a serious threat.
The Congresswoman was dealing with threats against her previously, but nothing as serious as the rat situation. Knowing the threats were concerning enough to call the authorities, the Congresswoman’s assistant called NCIS to help figure out the escalating notes of bodily harm.
Unwilling to take a protection detail at first, the real danger is still lurking for the lawmaker as the clock is running. After some coaxing from Director Vance she agrees to have a few agents keep an eye on her safety. The threats turn into further violence and the assistant is murdered. Tracking down who is responsible for the killing means keeping an eye on the Congresswoman and looking for clues. Easier said than done!
It is Agent Gibbs’ team which must work quickly to decipher who is threatening the lawmaker and why. Few clues offer any leads until the team discovers that the Congresswoman was considering closing a military base. On closer look, it appears that a resident of the neighborhood has a close connection and a reason to kill. The only problem is that the Congresswoman confronts the killer first and almost botches the chance to finger the criminal.
The one-line zingers during Tuesday night’s episode were hilarious. Some of the comments were obvious observations. Others were completely shocking. All of them helped create chemistry between the agents and in the office. It’s a nice touch which has been missing since Tony and Ziva were working together.
It was interesting to watch the budding bro-mance between NCIS Special Agent Nicholas “Nick” Torres and MI6 Officer Clayton Reeves as the two men try to figure out their relationship. While they won’t admit to being anything short of perfect physical specimens, the guys aren’t friends (at least not yet). Always competing, the sportsmanship shown between the two characters offered up a personal look at the characters. Are they friends or enemies? At this point, it remains to be determined, but hopefully by the end of the season viewers will know for sure.
We were excited to see a different angle for solving a murder. Perhaps the clues a rat leaves aren’t the most exciting thing to see laying on Ducky’s autopsy table, but it was shocking (and completely different). It shared how every element in a crime can be a clue to recreate what happened and catch a criminal. Episode Grade: A-. (Photo: CBS.)
This review was written by Jodi Jill. Be sure to follow her on Facebook and Twitter!