Poor Pride just can't catch a break.

After being stuck on administrative leave for six weeks just for doing the right thing, he got kidnapped by a crazy lady on NCIS: New Orleans Season 4 Episode 2.

Yes, it was "Misery," Cajun style, with a cabin in the swamp rather than up in the mountains. At least Pride came out with his legs intact. 

Still Pride got tasered, injected, tied up and hit over the head in a very short time.

And all this by the woman who claimed to be his #1 fan.

He didn't remember their meeting from 15 years ago, but she had been tracking his career ever since.

When conspiracy nut Sebastian recognized Martha, that should have been a clue to Pride that she was going to be trouble.

But she was also right. A serial killer had been abducting young women from around the Gulf of Mexico. 

She just needed a better approach. Assaulting Pride then showing him her Big Board of Crazy just didn't put him in the right frame of mind.

He eventually came around, presented with the information she had (evidence was too strong a word) and what his team was texting to Martha posing as Pride.

It certainly would have been easy to chalk it up to "she's off her meds," but Pride was open-minded enough to see the big picture.

Hurricane Martha turned out to be a sympathetic character, once you got past the angry outbursts. She empathized with the women that Mr. Lonesome was kidnapping and killing, because, like her, they were alone.

And Pride's team was right to dismiss Martha initially. Her reputation, largely bad, certainly proceeded her.

Fortunately, the missing persons case that Gregorio and LaSalle were working on dovetailed nicely into Martha's bigger investigation. Everyone was on the same side, but Martha definitely had credibility issues. Kidnapping a federal agent is never a good first step.

Give Pride credit for realizing that Martha was actually onto something. He was also very forgiving, letting Martha off the hook for kidnapping a federal officer as long as she got the professional help which she needed.

Here's a vote for not making Martha a recurring character. One self-contained episode featuring her feels like plenty.

Next topic of discussion: How has Pride's experiences over the past few months changed him? Having the city you love turn on you to some degree has got to be a little disconcerting.

Perhaps this fishing trip was an attempt for Pride to achieve better balance in his life. That's got to be hard to do when you're living upstairs from your office.

Maybe a little psychotherapy might be in order, to deal with what must have been a stressful period. It seems to be working for Gibbs and McGee on NCIS, although, granted, they were prime candidates for PTSS after their extended stay in Paraguay..

Also, I prescribe more music. While NCIS is his work, music is Pride's passion. It's New Orleans, so more music, however it can be arranged.

What's going to make it difficult to track Pride's journey is that CBS is already shuffling episodes around, only two episodes into NCIS: New Orleans Season 4. I know continuity isn't as essential here as it is on some series, but episodes are written in a certain order for a reason. I mean, little hint of Pride's troubles came up.

Also, I've come around on Gregorio. It's like she had surgery over the hiatus to have that stick removed from her butt. She's almost light-hearted now, whoever she's working with in a particular scene.

And, yes, I know she's not Brody. But move on already. Zoe McLellan has, all the way to Designated Survivor.

There was no Percy again this episode. How are we ever going to get the Percy-LaSalle relationship straightened out if she's only there two-thirds of the time? No wonder LaSalle is always talking to his latest conquest on his cel.

The rest of the team, Loretta, Patton and Sebastian, contributed, whether it was sifting through evidence or providing backup, I guess when the guest star is chewing scenery, there's only so much other screen time to go around.

NCIS: New Orleans Photos from "Rogue Nation"

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Unless CBS shuffles the schedule again, NCIS: New Orleans Season 4 Episode 3 promises some familiar faces, as FBI Director Isler and Eva Azarova are set to return.

To catch up early in the season, watch NCIS: New Orleans online.

Which did you think of Martha? How has Pride changed? How did the team perform in his brief absence? Comment below.

Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.