Last night's cleverly-titled and well-directed episode of NCIS featured the return of Mike Franks, Gibbs' former mentor and a borderline outlaw with problems with his in-laws.

We also saw the return of Gibbs' boat, upon which two dead ex-military men were found, gunned down by Franks on the beach he lives on down in Mexico. Or so he claimed.

At first, the agents assumed the men were hunting Franks, but it turns out they were paid by a prominent Iraqi family and sought his daughter-in-law and granddaughter.

How did they find him, and what lengths did Franks go to lying to protect them and why? For all the details, check out TV Fanatic's episode recap of "Outlaws and In-Laws."

Some of the highlights from this installment of NCIS:

• Abby wondering how Gibbs got the boat out of his basement, then nostalgically fretting over taking it apart to search for evidence when Gibbs himself didn't care.
• Gibbs being tagged with the show's familiar "probie" nickname by his one-time boss Mike Franks, a complete loose cannon played to perfection by Muse Watson.
• Abby and Ducky holding an "intervention" for Gibbs, who they felt was being played by Franks, but who was one step ahead (as usual) even as he played along.
• The surprise twist regarding who shot the men and Gibbs' discussion with Franks about how he figured it out were great - well-timed and wonderfully revealed.
• Ziva and Franks' daughter-in-law bonding over missing their homelands.
• DiNozzo's ribbing of Ziva, who was studying for her citizenship test.

Gibbs' boat makes a surprise reappearance in D.C.

Some NCIS quotes from last night's episode ...

Ziva: We have come to sit on the baby. | permalink

Ziva: And what do you know about the American Dream?
Tony: I'm a white male between the ages of 18 and 49 with a gun. I AM the American Dream. | permalink

McGee: Are you studying to be a naturalized U.S. citizen?
Ziva: I have to. To become an agent.
Tony: Who says we want you? | permalink

Steve Marsi is the Managing Editor of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Google+ or email him here.