If you plan to see the finale on your own, read no further. Spoilers ahead:
NCIS wrapped up its third season with terrific studies in character. To help jog Jethro's memory, Director Shepard calls on Gibbs's mentor Mike Franks, who quit NCIS when his early warnings about Osama bin Laden were largely ignored. We get a quick recap of Gibbs's NIS orientation, including the origin of the back-of-the-head slap. Franks has the unenviable task of recounting for Gibbs the events of 9/11.
Gibbs remains unable to recall his time leading a team at NCIS until Ziva forces him to remember Ari's assassination of Kate Todd, and Ari's death at Ziva's hand.
Gibbs's last-ditch effort to stop the Abu Sayyaf terrorist aboard the munitions vessel Cape Fear meets with interagency interference, resulting in the bombing of the Cape Fear and a Navy frigate sent to intercept. In the wake of this, Gibbs gains a new understanding of Franks's frustration and resigns from NCIS himself, passing leadership to longtime whipping-boy DiNozzo with a simple "You'll do."
According to Pauley Perrette's show blog, Don Bellisario had leaked word someone would be "leaving NCIS" at the end of the season, but kept even the cast members in suspense until the last minute. Bravo Zulu.
6 comments:
I'm hoping Harmon's departure is just a plot twist that will be ironed out next season. I don't think the other characters--as much as I like them--will be able to carry the series without Gibbs.
Yeah, they're probably doing the same thing they did with Rabb on JAG half a dozen times (leaves for a while, comes back, everything is ok).
Just what I was going to say, WellesFan.
By the way, do you have a web site or blog? I'd be happy to add it to my blogroll.
Patrick, I'll add your blog shortly.
Gibbs is who made the show. Well that and Abs.( God she is hot.) I just cant believe they would take him off the show. Its just not right
Once the show shifted from intelligent characterisation & fast-paced action (1st series), to the dumbed-down 'I don't know quite what we are' cardboard characterisations of the 2nd and 3rd seasons, with storylines and complexities erased, dubious comedy and mass lobotomies inserted - the only reason to tune in was Gibbs... he survived more or less intact, whilst the other characters fatally succumbed to the new 'improved' format.
A Gibb's exit at the end of the first season might just have worked; Tony was an intelligent bloke in series 1, and might possibly, as a character, have believably pulled off the move to centre screen. But now? A sleazeball bully taking the fore?
Without Gibbs, you've got zilch.
I don't see the shift Anonymous #2 is talking about. The first season of any series is too early to judge the characters. We just haven't seen enough of them.
Over time, each character's personality has proven distinct from the others and yet each complements the others when they interact. As far as feel, workplace banter has always been a part of NCIS.
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