It felt like forever waiting for NCIS: Origins to return.
And the hour didn’t waste any time diving right into the excitement, humor, and messiness after that thrilling midseason finale.
NCIS: Origins Season 2 Episode 9 was a well-crafted hour that celebrated some milestones and interrogated some of its characters and their decision-making.
The Greatest Hangover Sequence
Kudos to the director of this hour, because the first half of the episode, in particular, was top-tier.
I loved the filming of the hangover scene as Gibbs woke up totally wrecked on the floor of a Vegas hotel room, and Diane came stumbling in wearing her dress and his boots.
And even the filming of the crime scene for the others and the dizzying camera effects were great. It just added to all the intensity that you expect in the aftermath of a bombing.
As the hour went on, some of the more overt styles used to convey these feelings and scenes seemed to dissipate, but the first half remained standout work.
There is a reason the drunk Vegas wedding trope works so well, and NCIS: Origins pulls it off brilliantly, as it becomes the perfect fodder for the show’s usual humor while also revealing things about both Gibbs and Lala along the way.
But it also worked nicely as a crucial piece for Gibbs to nail his second attempt at interrogation after his disastrous turn before and nab Abe for an unexpected federal crime, bigamy.
Somewhere along the way, after deciding they would have a long-distance relationship, Gibbs and Diane got super drunk and super married.
But interestingly, it was Diane who first brought up annulments.
Gibbs Knowingly Makes the Easier Choice
Something told me then that Gibbs wasn’t as torn up about this decision to randomly get married in the first place, and interestingly, it’s Lala who clocks it for what it is. The others just immediately jumped to Gibbs getting drunk and making reckless choices.
He openly copped to the marriage even when he knew they’d bust his balls over it for the rest of the day. If it were ever a “wrong” choice for him, he wouldn’t have admitted it at all.
Kowalski, who was like some fairy godfather doling out sage advice he acquired through his own tragedies, was right in reminding Gibbs to center himself amid everything and listen to his gut.
And apparently, it was Gibbs’ gut that fueled his decision about Diane. He can’t take the complications, the messiness, that is his love for Lala. It’s too hard for him.
Diane is simple. He genuinely cares about her, and loving and being with her is simple and easy. After all of the things he’s endured, it makes sense that he’d gravitate to someone who feels safe, simple, and easy.
In that sense, his gut is being honest with him about what he wants versus leading him astray.
By now, it’s not that he doesn’t know how he feels about Lala; he knows those feelings are beyond the emotional bandwidth he has right now.
It’s genuinely fascinating when you think about that. Timing and all of that are everything, and their timing is just off.
Lala & Manny: Sexy But Doomed
Meanwhile, Lala choosing Manny is similar. He’s there right now, seems genuinely interested in her, and it hurts less. Manny is a temporary salve at a time when Lala needs it most.
It feels doomed and likely to lead to heartbreak. Manny already showed too much of his hand to Flaco when he defended Lala in front of him, and it was enough to have both Flaco and Gibbs piecing things together.
Now, they’ve hooked up instead of dancing around each other or making innuendos in church.
Nothing good can come from this in the long run, but I can’t even blame Lala for succumbing to what feels good and who makes her feel good at this stage in her life.
Manny has been the only person she’s had outside of her colleagues and family whom she feels she can fully be herself around right now.
And now that Gibbs made his choice, it feels like closing a door for now. He didn’t have to say anything directly to her for her to reach the same conclusion: she’s too “hard” for him, and he’s choosing simple.
My concern is that getting mixed up with a gangbanger is less than ideal here, and Manny just doesn’t feel like he’s long for this world.
I could even see him dying in some effort to protect her. It’s a stressful thought.
Mike’s Protective Streak Takes Over
It’s unsurprising that Mike was totally right about his gut instincts toward Stanley. We saw that during NCIS: Origins Season 2 Episode 8.
What’s interesting is that he didn’t fully anticipate the Abe angle. Stanley was creepy and easily susceptible to influence.
Abe, however, was a real piece of work, essentially turning his compound into a cult. Mike didn’t understand the concept at first, but he warmed to it, especially when he figured Mason could benefit from the environment.
But then all of this happened, and he spent most of the hour railing against the persnickety Swanson in an effort to keep his brother from facing blowback from all of this.
One thing that always fascinates me about watching crime and legal procedurals is that even our protagonists in the line of work are aware that the system doesn’t always work as it should and that other law enforcement can sink to lows to make a case.
Mike is like a dog with a bone when he’s investigating something, to the point ofhaving no regard for anyone. But the mere idea that Mason could fall victim to the same system Mike enables had him raving like a madman.
Swanson Provides a Gut Check
On paper, Mason easily could’ve been written off as some accomplice if he hadn’t had someone as thorough as Swanson following the lead to get to the truth.
But Mike couldn’t appreciate the perk in having her at the helm because he was too busy flipping his sh*t over trying to protect Mason.
Mike does not play well with others, and he and Swanson were like oil and water the entire time. Frankly, his first screw-up was assuming the man was Swanson, leading the case, and going to shake his hand over hers.
It went downhill from there.
Mike was an ass, as per usual, but Swanson and her “particular” quirks were an acquired taste, too. NCIS Fanatics, you’ll have to let me know, was this Swanson the same one from NCIS: Orleans, was it?
Nevertheless, they managed to wrap up the case despite all of these tensions.
Gibbs’ Interrogation Win is Well-Earned
And while Abe was a slippery guy, I’m glad Gibbs figured out how to trap him into something. It was adorable watching everyone watch him during the interrogation.
This time around, you did get to see the makings of Gibbs’ classic interrogation style coming to fruition. I’m thrilled Kowalski spoke to him and reminded him that, in the end, it’s HIS strength he has to bring to that table, no one and nothing else.
Gibbs commanded the room, didn’t say much, played his silence as strength, and then connected with him, talking about his hungover state and wedding, only to take what could’ve been a useless interview with Abe’s ex-wife to nail Abe.
It was glorious! And it was such a win that Gibbs needed.
Thoughts and Things:
- I love that we’re seeing Wheeler mourn Oakley’s absence. And he’s leaning on others and being more vulnerable, too. It wouldn’t surprise me if Kowalski also put things together.
- Not Gail coming through with a hangover cure and her own Vegas wedding stories was priceless.
- Gail telling everyone Gibbs was at the circus was too funny.
- I love the Franks brothers bonding through grunts and a few words.
- Randy, trying to use his intimidating voice over the fun, cracked me up.
- Kowalski is such a great character. I felt a lump in MY throat when he brought up Korea and being a POW for two years. NCIS: Origins continues to excel at allowing all of its characters, regardless of how major or minor truly sing. It’s characters done right.
Over to you, NCIS: Origins Fanatics. Let’s discuss this episode in full below!
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