Often, things aren't what they seem.

It appeared that a talented Navy pilot had killed her secret lover then perhaps herself on NCIS Season 17 Episode 12.

But that would have made for maybe 10 minutes of airtime, so of course, that wasn't how things shook out.

Unfortunately, any episode after the Ziva storyline wrapped was going to being something of a letdown. However, this case of the week was a valiant effort.

How could Weeks, who as her godfather said was "too smart," end up undertaking such a well-meaning but dumb crusade?

Better yet, how could she not know that her bunkmate was sleeping with the commander? After all, her bunkmate knew about her secret lover.

And those were some tight quarters on that aircraft carrier.

Still, this made for a case of the week full of twists and turns.

Weeks having her boyfriend dump her because she was too old for him couldn't have put her in the best frame of mind.

Of course, finding him dead in her bunk undoubtedly put her in a worse frame of mind and set her off on her ill-considered quest, making it up as she went along.

That's not the best way to conduct an investigation.

Still, she stayed one step ahead of Gibbs and company while "doing your job for you," as she put it.

Her ability to do so made Weeks an interesting fugitive.

Maybe she should apply to NCIS after her court-martial. After all, the series spun out of another series about a pilot turned lawyer, so it wouldn't be a major stretch.

Kudos to Kasie for determining that the reason they hadn't been able to locate Weeks is because she didn't want to be found, at least not yet.

Despite being stuck on an island, she managed to avoid capture until nearly the end of her mission to bring the commander's wife's killer to justice.

Too bad she was so totally wrong about who the killer was. But points for figuring out how the crime was committed, thanks to YouTube.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the Patrick Duffy sighting, sure to warm the nostalgic hearts of Dallas fans (both original and reboot/revival) everywhere.

Sadly, his was a brief visit, as he got so little airtime. But he did exhibit that Bobby Ewing scrappiness.

Weeks certainly utilized most types of transportation: ship to plane to motorcycle to plane to car and finally back to boat. She didn't have much opportunity to work in a bus or a train.

And how does someone sneak back onto an aircraft carrier as Weeks did, when everyone was told to watch for her?

The squad didn't piece together what was happening until Weeks broke radio silence and called NCIS, to get forwarded to Gibbs.

Her talk with Gibbs, along with all the clues she dropped at the junkyard, helped to convince NCIS that she was innocent of Patrick's murder, although Lord knows she was guilty of other crimes, starting with dropping a $70 million fighter jet in the ocean.

It's going to be hard coming back from that one.

Also accusing your commanding officer of murdering his wife is a dealbreaker, especially when you're wrong. 

It doesn't matter what his late wife said if he was innocent, at least of that crime. Still, a commander having an affair with a subordinate isn't going to enjoy any further career success.

An affair which resulted in two murders and three ruined military careers is criminal, no matter how you slice it.

It's hard to not feel sorry for Weeks, who, first and foremost, was guilty of doing the wrong thing for the right reason, getting justice for her murdered friends.

She deserves better than the court-martial with which she ended up and the commuter-airline position that awaits her as a result.

As for the episode's other storyline, what was McGee thinking?

Has he learned nothing from being there for 17 years? How many times has the now senior agent been the butt of jokes since he was a probie? Twice a month?

If you don't want your business spread all over the office, don't open your mouth.

This could have been a PSA about the benefits of vasectomies on a highly watched show. But instead, it was played for cheap laughs.

I mean, cut that out! (See?)

When McGee started by admitting his plans to Torres, you know this wasn't going to be a nuanced discussion. And Nick didn't disappoint.

And before long, everyone (except Kasie) got into the act of offering Tim advice while simultaneously causing him to squirm.

Palmer did the best job at managing to put McGee's mind at ease, at least for a few minutes.

This could have been an ideal teachable moment/reverie by Ducky, but alas it was not to be.

By the end, it's likely that Tim ended up doing the responsible thing. because that's the kind of guy he is.

Still, let's just call this storyline an opportunity missed, as any informative discussion got lost along the way.

To study McGee's past embarassments, watch NCIS online.

Did you think Weeks was guilty?

Should she have left the crime solving to the pros?

Did McGee overshare?

Comment below.

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