A shootout between some thieves and a pair of Navy petty officers results in a reunion between Tony and Jeanne, on NCIS Season 13 Episode 16.
Below, TV Fanatic panelists Christine Orlando, David Taylor, Kathleen Wiedel and Douglas Wolfe had lots to say about that, and also about Gibbs and Taft.
Join in and let us know your take on all of it, in the comments below..
How would you describe this episode in a few words or a sentence?
Christine: If the World Were Perfect, It Wouldn’t Be.
David: The romance that was... and the case that wasn't.
Kathleen: Communication is a wonderful thing.
Doug: Pulling At Old Threads.
What are your thoughts on Tony and Jeanne? What’s going on with them?
Christine: I think they were really in love but it was so tied up in lies (specifically about his undercover assignment and her terrorist father) that they never really got any closure. Tony seemed really happy when he was with Jeanne but maybe that’s because he knew it had to end.
At this point, I’m not sure why the show keeps bringing her back because I thought they already wrapped up that loose end a few episodes back.
David: I hate to sound cynical, but it's a sweeps month and Weatherly's leaving. Resurrecting this story arc feels like "ratings bait."
He lied, she's pissed off AND married to someone else. What chance do they have?
Kathleen: I agree with David; bringing back Jeanne at this point felt tacky and designed simply to make Tony suffer. There is absolutely no logical way that they could form any sort of healthy relationship at that point, so why make any teases in that direction?
Doug: I'm of the "never say never" camp. I don't want Tony and Jeanne to get together because neither of them seem to be people who would have an affair while she's married. I also think she's toxic and should be avoided.
That said, I feel about 60% certain that's the direction they're going. They obviously have strong feelings for each other, or none of that heat would be there. If there was nothing between them, they would be indifferent to each other, or maybe even friendly - like Tony and Bishop.
We only saw Dr. Grace Confalone for a few minutes at the end. What’s your impression of her? Will she break through Gibbs’ walls?
Christine: Those walls are fairly solid after all these years but the one thing in Grace’s favor is that I think Gibbs has come to a point where he may want them to come down, he’s just not sure how to get it done.
David: In the guise of Laura San Giacomo, those walls are destined for a good hammering. Here's hoping we see her again... and again.
Kathleen: It seemed pretty obvious who she was the moment she started badgering Gibbs for help with the crossword. Hopefully, she'll be good for him -- he did, after all, stick around instead of blowing her off entirely, so that's a good sign.
Doug: Even before I recognized the actor playing her, I liked Grace immediately. She's witty and very quick. Gibbs doesn't suffer fools gladly, and she is the opposite of that. I think there's optimism that he'll open up to her.
Share your favorite moment or quote.
Christine: I liked when Gibbs’ met Taft’s wife. Despite having never met before, it felt like they had a connection between them, whether that’s their relationship with Taft or having experienced great loss, or both, I’m not sure. But I loved when Gibbs’ admitted, “Bad start.” and she retorted with, “It’s all in how you finish.”
David: Final scene in the diner. Gibbs helping Dr. Grace with "brightwood" and "renewal" was some in-your-face foreshadowing, but I loved the energy between them, and her repartee.
The only thing that detracted from this scene was Taft's entrance; I would have thought that's he engineered that meeting, but when he saw them interacting, he looked dejected, like his best friend found a new playmate.
Kathleen: I enjoyed Gibbs inviting Agent Kitt in for a middle-of-the-night interrogation. Served Kitt right for playing coy with the fact that they were in the middle of an operation when they ran into him the first time!
Doug: I enjoyed seeing Gibbs get egg on his face after flying off the handle at Taft's wife.
There's not a lot more enjoyable than watching a blowhard get the wind knocked out of his sails.
What are your thoughts on the case of the week?
Christine: I never thought of myself as a Jon Cryer fan but I’m loving him in this role. I loved that this case allowed Taft to come in and play with the team, especially Ducky. I wish we could have more scenes between those two on a regular basis.
David: Christine's and I in sync again. However, I was a bit disappointed that it was a non-case. Considering the twists and uncovering of new evidence, it had a lot of potential that went unfulfilled.
Kathleen: I was very happy to see Michael Cram appear as ATF Special Agent Kitt, and I do hope that he works with the team again.
To his credit, he did help them once the operation came to light. Why didn't Kitt just tell the team what was going on with those weapons in the first place? (I know, I know: the episode would've been really short!)
Doug: The case was just a tool to get Tony and Jeanne together. As such, I wasn't all that impressed nor disappointed with it. It provided some needed filler.
I'm with Christine too though: I wasn't a fan of Cryer before. I hated his character on Two And A Half Men and wasn't excited when finding out he'd be on this one.
Although Taft seems to be slightly neurotic like Alan, he's a lot sharper and puts up with less nonsense – which means he serves as a decent foil for Gibbs. This is a character I can appreciate!
