I am pulling a Single White Female on Aryeh, even though he isn’t female (or single), as he experiences technical difficulties. While it’s possible he broke through the neo-luddite compound holding him hostage to forage a laptop and watch last night’s episode, in case he didn’t, below find my review.
This week’s episode, featuring a bomb tech killing a midnight intruder, with a side plot, surrounding NCIS’ new DiNozzo poster boy, proved anti-climactic. The bomb scare, Dempsey’s initial gung ho death wish, McGee/Ziva warning Tony to exclude the photographer from the bomb scene, and the bomb tech’s information-focused FBI seduction didn’t really go anywhere. The funniest things already previewed in the commercials from the cardboard Tony headslap to the Fornell-Gibbs Odd Couple reconstruction. Although the bomb tech’s faux torture scenario proved the best end reveal, I still can’t give this week an A- (despite its usage of the iPad). Then again, I never watched Body Heat.
Compared with the premiere episode incorporating energy, cast cohesion, Gibbs’ father, and the director in full-on toothpick mode, this episode seemed lacking. Abby’s lab lacked music and caffeine while Abby initially seemed behind. Without Gibbs actively directing the chaos, the typical exchanges didn’t occur. Save a casually erotic Tony-Ziva interrogation room bonding experience and Tony mocking McGee as “McEnvy,” the cast really didn’t interact. Plus, Tony interviewing the case victim without backup seemed odd (and also anti-climactic). However, an Abby-Palmer team-up replete with high fives and Abby’s “back to the duck pond” dismissal, offered a fun, new match-up.
While I love strong female characters and like that Dempsey didn’t play to the nymphet type, her monotone voice didn’t really draw me in. Then again, none of this week’s episode did. All the same, Dempsey’s story seemingly paralleled Gibbs: an officer seeking the gangster that hurt her family. Yet, unlike Gibbs, Dempsey never planned on killing her mark.
Outside of the ending, the best things occurred wordlessly: Gibbs recycling, the Gibbs-Fornell domestic hour (Gibbs ironing while Fornell fetches dinner), and Gibbs’ fabulous facial expressions. Just like Alex O’Loughlin‘s, I could watch Mark Harmon’s facial movements all day. Plus, even though I never watched Body Heat, the actress’ whisky voice, muscular jaw, and ability to play a believably strong character, without the ‘me-too’ mentality I attribute to contemporary actresses, played tribute to Kathleen Turner.
I don’t know what next week will hold. After the premiere, I expected a lot of awesomeness. I don’t know if the Body Heat parallel slowed down the show, but, outside the Turner references, Tony’s pop culture beat seemed weak. Plus, everyone save my 2-year-old neighbor, probably guessed Tony’s poster-boy status would nosedive. Although I assumed the director would take DiNozzo’s place, Gibbs served as a nice replacement (although he doesn’t strike me as the type to tour campuses spreading NCIS love). On a minor note I love how Fornell has gone from c-blocking Gibbs during the early seasons to assisting him with illegally copied files and an AED’s name (against the AED’s wishes).
What did you guys think about this episode? Was it Kathleen Turner-hot or not?
Quotes
McGee: “There will be no living with him now.”
Ziva: “Now?”
Gibbs (to Fornell): “We both agreed we hate that place.”
Tolin’s wife (the FBI AED) to Gibbs and Fornell: “Are either of you married? … Divorced, huh?”
Tony: “She Kathleen-Turnered on the Body Heat.”
Fornell (on making dinner): “I’m trying to curry favor.”
Clacked by An Nicholson 
on Oct 06, 2010 @ 09:00 EST5EDT
