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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Bob Newhart on NCIS 8.12

A fine NCIS 8.12 tonight, with Bob Newhart putting in an appearance as Ducky's predecessor, Dr. Walter Magnus.  He has a great story - he's losing his memories and comes to NCIS to see if he can get at least some of them back, for a little while.  Ducky figures out a way to make that happen.  A sad, rewarding story.  And it even managed to fit in a vintage Newhart routine about the perils of ordering Chinese food to take out on the telephone.

The central crime story was rewarding, too.  A young naval recruiter is murdered.  Unraveling the solution brings Gibbs and the team face to face with intolerance towards gays which still resides in this country - in civilians, too - and despite the overdue repeal of don't ask, don't tell.   The story gives Gibbs a chance to once again demonstrate the decency which is always there beneath that gruff exterior.

And the continuing story - which usually carries clues as to where the season will conclude - brought us Vance back on the job, but troubled.   He feels responsible for the deaths and the almost-deaths that happened in the Ziva father double-episode.  He's not physically 100% yet, either.  But he needs to get back to work, to take on the pile of paperwork, representing important cases, which has built-up on his desk, and which Gibbs (of course) didn't have time to take a single real look at.   Gibbs advises Vance to take more time off.   Vance says no, Gibbs says it's your decision ...

Vance has been my favorite in the Director's seat.  I'd like to see him stay.


See also NCIS Back in Season 8 Action ... NCIS 8.2: Interns! ... NCIS 8.3: Tiff! ... NCIS 8.4: Gary Cooper not John Wayne ... NCIS 8.5: Dead DJ, DiNozzo Hoarse, and Baseball ... NCIS 8.6: The Written Woman ... NCIS 8.7: "James Bond Movie Directed by Fellini" ... NCIS 8.8: Ziva's Father 
... NCIS 8.9: Leon's Story ... NCIS 8.10: DiNozzo In and Out ... NCIS 8.11: "The Sister Went Viral"

And see also NCIS  ... NCIS 7.16: Gibbs' Mother-in-Law Dilemma ... NCIS 7.17: Ducky's Ties ... NCIS 7.18: Bogus Treasure and Real Locker ... NCIS 7.21: NCIS Meets Laura ... NCIS Season 7 Finale: Retribution




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