NCIS

TV's top-rated show will ring in the holidays with a guest star-filled episode on December 15.

Ralph Waite will return on that date as Gibbs's father, while TV Guide Magazine reports a pair of other semi-big names have signed on for roles on the NCIS installment titled "Faith."

Corey Reynolds (The Closer's Sgt. David Gabriel, pictured) will play a naval chaplain that assists the team with its investigation.

Meanwhile, Joe Regalbuto (best known as Frank Fontana on Murphy Brown) will play a reverend whose son turns up dead.

On other casting news, Robert Wagner will show up as Tony's father on NCIS' 150th episode.

TV Fanatic's review of "Power Down" touched on just how good last night's NCIS was because of the blackout, whereas so many other shows would have fallen short.

Below, our staff members break down the latest episode of TV's #1 show in further detail in an NCIS Round Table discussion. Here's what our panel had to say ...

1. What was your favorite NCIS quote from the episode?

The Barnacle: Tough call! Either Abby's "joke" that she admitted was only funny if you have a PhD in chemistry, or Gibbs' nonchalant "Book 'em, Da-Nozzo" after Tony had been annoying everyone with outdated TV show reference all night.

Dr. Shepherd: I'm going to go with all the NCIS quotes Gibbs does not produce even when he's directly spoken to. This must have happened 5-6 times last night. Gibbs is a man who does not utter a word unless he deems it directly necessary for survival.

M.L. House: Ducky saying he "let the staff use 107." Gibbs' reaction said it all.

2. The blackout as a plot device: gimmick or genius?

M.L. House: Genius. I loved Mark Harmon and David McCallum unflinchingly carrying about their business as their older characters would, and watching the younger kids all scramble.

Dr. Shepherd: Great stuff. Fitting that creator Donald Bellisario (of Magnum P.I. fame) would re-integrate the old school element (and humor) to today's most bad-ass crime fighters.

The Barnacle: A little gimmicky. How realistic is it that it would stay out that long? I know I'm being a little nit-picky and it did lead to some great exchanges, but it felt a little forced.

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NCIS tried something in last night's episode, "Power Down," that might sound hokey if you're just reading it here, or have never seen the show. But the entertaining characters, sharp dialogue and lightning-quick plot development somehow make it work.

A city-wide blackout.

It was a new wrinkle that made the episode from beginning to end, and instead of coming off like a lame stunt because the writers ran out of ideas, the power outage was the opposite, seamlessly integrated into the case and the agents trying to crack it.

After D.C. was plunged into darkness for a matter of days, Gibbs and his crew attempted to investigate an apparent cyber-attack-turned-murder without the usual bells and whistles.

Older viewers, especially those with law enforcement backgrounds, may remember these days well. But for a younger audience, it begged the question: How do forensic experts, medical examiners and investigators do their jobs in this situation?

Literally working in the dark, the gang scrambled to cope with their lack of technology. Except for Gibbs, a man of few words, and certainly one unmoved by his agents' plight. There's nothing he can't handle, old school style, as he later proved.

McGee was a fish out of water without his computer - but he came through.

McGee, the ultimate computer geek, suffered paper cuts (and obligatory ribbing from Tony) sifting through files by hand. Tony made references to old cop shows. Abby proved her resourcefulness (despite a lack of Caf-Pow) and Ducky ... well, Ducky had power.

The basement had generators. Bodies, after all. Could get ugly.

One of the funnier moments of the night came when he revealed he let the staff "use 107" as a fridge with the power out upstairs. Gibbs, in typical fashion, stared in disbelief.

As they investigated the breakin at a local Internet provider, Gibbs (Polaroid in hand) figured out one of the servers had been switched out, and the case was not as it seemed.

A Naval officer who was killed on site at first seemed to be complicit in the breakin and the subsequent security breach. But it turned out she was working undercover throughout.

She made sure her death would be investigated and the true perpetrators outed. While the final 15 minutes unfolded almost too quickly, it was a terrific hour of television.

Even makes us wish they'd keep the power out one more week.

Forget MTV Unplugged?

As the promo below states, viewers should prepared for NCIS unplugged.

On next week's episode, "Unplugged," an attempted robbery leaves a Lieutenant dead. It also leaves the city without power, forcing the team to go "old school," as the official CBS preview says and depicts:

While not revealing any major NCIS spoilers, we've also included a handful of photos from the episode.

Click on each to enlarge and remember to check out TV Fanatic's weekly NCIS recaps, reviews and Round Table discussions...

A future episode of NCIS promises a pair of exciting guest stars:

1. Actor Chris Bruno, pictured, best known for his role as Sheriff Bannerman on The Dead Zone and a former recurring All My Children character;
2. Jet pack technology.

As fans of the highest-rated show on TV know, McGee has an obsession with this type of technology. Look for it resurface in an upcoming episode when, according to Entertainment Weekly, he tackles a murder case involving it.

Last night's NCIS episode, "Endgame," centered around Vance and his family like we'd never seen them before. McGee and his new love interest also played a big role.

Below, our staff members break down some of the burning questions from TV's #1 show in our NCIS Round Table discussion. Here's what our panel had to say ...

1. What was your favorite NCIS quote from the episode?

The Barnacle: Mere seconds after being shot at with a high-powered rifle, Tony asking the slain doctor's nurse, "Who do you think you are, Sarah Palin?"

Dr. Shepherd: Had to be Tony's wise-crack use of "Kai-jacked," followed by "I regret that already" right as Ziva called him out on his inappropriateness.

M.L. House: I love the subtle closeness of Abby and Gibbs, so I'm going with her telling him "you're an enabler" after his gift of Caf-(and de-Caf)-Pow.

2. Did you think something was a little off with Amanda?

M.L. House: At first, no. But like McGee himelf, I sensed something had to be wrong when she showed up at NCIS. Even I knew he wouldn't have permitted that as a federal agent, at least so quickly. Kudos to him for staying sharp, too.

Dr. Shepherd: I admit, I was so rooting for that to be real, and was completely caught off guard. That little romance definitely could have worked as just a cute sub-plot, and even though it was cleverly written, I felt bad for poor Tim.

The Barnacle: Yes. Come on, it's McGee. He's great and all, but nothing comes that easily to Probie. I had her pegged from the get-go as someone with an agenda. Okay, maybe not a mercenary South African assassin, but someone with an agenda.

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For a quote-unquote procedural military crime drama, NCIS has some pretty awesome characters. This was our lasting impression from last night's terrific episode, "Endgame."

Case in point: Leon Vance.

The NCIS director may not strike you as particularly interesting at first glance, but the back story and family components we were introduced to last night left us wanting more.

Vance and his weird connection to North Korean sniper Kai, who killed his partner in 1992, fueled the episode, which ended with the two facing off, guns drawn, at his house.

Despite dreaming of taking her out for 17 years, he couldn't do it following Gibbs' revelation that Kai was merely out to punish the North Koreans who made her what she is.

Kai was basically on a suicide mission, and after killing two men in the U.S. responsible for her assassin training (thus sparking the NCIS investigation), she came to Vance.

She needed closure based on their connection, and Vance's effort to avenge his partner. But it was his wife Jackie who unexpectedly iced her during the dramatic standoff.

Jackie was awesome, and not just because of that shot. The way she refused to back down from the threat posed by Kai throughout the episode told us a lot about Vance.

Rocky Carroll was terrific last night as NCIS director Leon Vance.

Sean Murray also shined last night as "Probie" Tim McGee, whose burgeoning romance with coffee shop girl Amanda served as both a sweet sub plot, and later, a surprising twist.

There couldn't have been a viewer out there who wasn't happy for cute-but-awkward Tim for getting this adorable redhead, and if you saw her as a spy coming, we're impressed.

Everyone was happy for McGee, especially Abby (who even managed to sneak in her own feelings for an NCIS: Los Angeles guy, plugging the upcoming Pauley Perrette crossover).

Even Tony and Ziva were thrilled for Tim ... or as thrilled as Tony can be without sounding jealous, annoying and condescending. But that's just Tony being Tony, and we love him.

But despite being smitten, Tim was sharp enough to pick up on something suspicious. Amanda visited him at work at night to say hi. But he never actually said he worked at NCIS.

McGee was getting played. When he brought this up, Amanda revealed herself to be a South African assassin working to hunt down Kai on behalf of the North Korean government.

Of course, Kai gunned her down, and spared a shocked McGee, as soon as you could say "What the ..." Poor Probie. Things were going so well for him. Great setup by the writers.

One last highlight: Tony and Ziva in the bathroom, Take II. Smart-aleck DiNozzo was in rare form last night, even for him, and his restroom razzing of her was the coup de gras.

NCIS fans are excited over the announcement that Meredith Eaton will guest star on a future episode of the show.

Now, they can also start buzzing about this unique casting tidbit:

Ray Maybus, The United States Secretary of the Navy, will make an appearance on the November 24 episode of the show, titled "Child's Play." He'll play an NCIS agent.

In the episode, Gibbs and company must place their Thanksgiving plans on hold when the investigation of a dead Marine leads them into the life of a 12-year-old prodigy, who might be the killer's next target.

Lisa Sheridan and Francis Capra will also guest star.

The NCIS team must act quickly on next week's new episode of the show.

That's what happens when a North Korean assassin - billed as the best in the world below - from Vance's past resurfaces in town, ready to kill again.

Check out the official CBS preview for "Endgame," as well as a few images from the hour. Remember: TV Fanatic recaps and reviews each NCIS episode soon after it airs...

NCIS is not short on great guest stars. Most recently, the drama announced that Robert Wagner would appear as Tony's father on the show's 150th episode.

Now, it's been revealed that a well-known, vertically-challenged actress is also coming on board the top-rated show on TV.

Meredith Eaton - who has appeared on CSI and House; and who enjoyed an extended run on Boston Legal - will portray Abby's former college friend and fellow lab tech on an upcoming installment. She'll visit Abby for advice.

Pauley Perrette (Abby) and Eaton are close friends in real life.