Amazingly, as we learned on NCIS Season 12 Episode 20, Zoe's in this for the long haul. And the same can be said for Tony Senior.

Below, TV Fanatic panelists David Taylor, Christine Orlando, Tanya Moat and Douglas Wolfe have lots to say about these two developments... and plenty more.

Are you ready to jump in to the NCIS Round Table with your thoughts? Let's get at it then!

In a few words, how would you describe this episode?

David: Make Room for Daddy.

Christine: Daddy’s Home…Again.

Tanya: Daddy Issues.

Doug: Papa was a rolling stone.

What’s your take on Tony Senior this time around?

David: He seems more sincere this time around. I also found it interesting that while Bishop seems to find him charming, Zoe seems a bit creeped out by him.  I suppose the difference is because both women occupy different places in Tony's circle.

Christine:  He’s older, lonelier. I really do think he’s reaching out and really trying. That doesn’t mean he won’t slip back into old patterns once he gets comfortable.

Tanya: I was really surprised that he popped up so quickly again. He definitely came across as more sincere and less of caricature than he has at times in the past.

Doug: I keep getting mixed feelings about him. On the one hand he seems entirely inconsiderate of anyone other than himself....but then he gets called on it, and he looks so stricken. Bottom line: I think he's more trouble than he's worth.

How do you see Tony and Zoe’s relationship moving forward?

David: I'm having a hard time visualizing because they did all of their "communicating" off screen. I realize that it would have been a distraction from the case, but it's hard to see a  relationship develop when all we see is arguing....or the beginnings of an argument.

Christine: I agree with David. I wish we got to see a little more of them but I liked these two in this episode more than I have before. They feel very real to me. I think they both love one another and want to see this work long term. My one fear is that as soon as they make a serious commitment and Tony is happy, Ziva may pop back up again.

Tanya: I agree with both David and Christine: I would have liked to see some of this "communicating" onscreen, rather than off screen. This does seem like the most mature relationship that Tony has been in, which is great to see and about time.

Doug: I agree that theirs is a mature relationship - possibly the most mature one Tony's had with anyone. For that reason the lack of on screen communicating didn't bother me. We know she's got a firm temper and can pull her weight when she needs to. The fact that she doesn't make that choice with Tony - even when he clearly deserves it - speaks volumes about her and her regard for him. It's the little things, you know? Even when she busted him for his lie, she didn't take him to the wall as she could have. I think they're good together.

What are your thoughts on the case of the week?

David: Didn't blow me away.  Kind of felt like a plot device to get Zoe and Senior together.

Christine: Agreed. It felt like a convenient excuse to bring Zoe back into the fold and for that reason I wish we’d gotten to see more of her.

Tanya: It started out intriguing but lost momentum over the course of the hour. I would have liked to get a better sense of Zoe and her relationship with Tony before bringing Senior into the mix. Whenever he is involved, it becomes about him.

Doug: I'll admit: I become slightly disinterested in the case because the "B" stories involving Tony, his father and Zoe were much more compelling.

Do you have a favorite scene or quote?

David: I liked Palmer's view of the world as seen through the eyes of a new father. 

Christine: I enjoyed how Zoe handled herself throughout the episode. She had plenty of reason to be upset with Tony but she never lost her temper. She made sure the actually talked about it, even if it was all off screen. It gives me hope for their future.

Tanya: I agree with Christine, Zoe handled herself very well and I am interested in seeing more of her. She didn't give Tony a pass but also didn't freak out over Senior or Tony's continued commitment issues. She actually talked to him and he apparently listened, rather than bailed.

Doug: I enjoyed watching Zoe squirm while Senior waxed eloquent in his yo-yo speech about commitment. Although all during that scene I was muttering "man, just shut up. Stop digging."

Was there anything that didn’t work?

David: Zoe has a key to your apt and you STILL have a twin-sized bed, Tony? Also, "Caffey has a history with the shooter and didn't tell us" is a temporal error: Caffey didn't know Rivers was the shooter the first time they talked with him.

Christine: Yes! I keep wondering if Tony has finally upgraded his bed. The twin bed thing always did seem really silly.

Tanya: The twin bed - I definitely hope he has upgraded, even if just for himself! The one thing that made me roll my eyes was Senior thinking getting an apartment in Tony's building was a good idea. Whether he considers himself to be more entrepreneur than con man, I can't imagine Senior really wants Tony to see everything he does in his life, ya know?

Doug: I cringed hard at Senior's greeting to Bishop. That scene should have been lighter, but his comment about being 30 years younger was full of unwelcome innuendo. Ugh.

Douglas Wolfe was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He retired in 2016. Follow him on Twitter

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