NCIS could very well have been one of those shows that could have incessantly teased an underlying daddy story for six years, only to deliver an unsatisfactory end product. Donald P. Bellisario is much too good for that route, preferring to introduce the Gibbs family story when he was damn good and ready. Trust me when I say it was well worth the wait.

Spoilers are like small-town politics… just enjoy from afar.

Three military punks get thrown out the back of a bar. One goes back in for his misplaced ID, but the other two get beaten senseless by a couple of thugs. The next morning Ziva, McGee and DiNozzo are on the case when Ducky arrives in full penguin getup from the opera. Blunt force trauma is the name of the game for the dead soldier while the other, a Corporal Ethan LaCombe, is rushed to the hospital. Gibbs interviews the last man standing, a Marine who confesses to not really know anything about the Corporal because he’s hiding something.

Abby’s cleaning her station when DiNozzo and McGee arrive with evidence. Most of it is mundane, except for when a class ring is presented; DiNozzo notices the Stillwater inscription… the very same Pennsylvania hometown of Gibbs! McGee and Abby’s curiosity meters are now on overload.

Ducky tells Gibbs that LaCombe the Corporal is alive, but in a coma. As for the dead guy, it was blunt force trauma that indeed killed him, but only because the strike zone was a previously injured rib, which then hit a ventricle and led to his bleeding to death. Ducky hypothesizes that LaCombe was the actual target of the attack since he got the worst beating of all.

DiNozzo is absolutely losing his mind that Gibbs has an actual, factual past when he shows up for a status report. The only directly surviving relative of LaCombe lives in the very same Stillwater, and when Gibbs makes a move for the door, the little children eagerly follow… except Gibbs has DiNozzo stay behind to do more legwork, much to the delight of Ziva and McGee. In the elevator, Gibbs reveals that he hasn’t been back since the good ol’ bicentennial of 1976, which leads to a brief, but somewhat violent flashback.

As the gang arrives in town, the sheriff pulls up, hassling Gibbs for being quite the wayward youth. If I had to deal with that guy, I’d probably join the service as well. McGee and Ziva are just beside themselves, not knowing what’s next. They arrive at the aunt’s house, only to find that she believed the good Corporal died four years earlier. She rushes to the hospital, but tells them that Ethan had a wild mother and an unknown father.

Ziva’s trying to call DiNozzo but isn’t getting any cell service, and won’t if the older gentlemen walking up behind her is to be believed. Quite the charmer, he has Ziva bend down to pick up a dropped $20 bill, only to have her back story told to her. Gibbs and McGee walk up to discover this isn’t any ordinary senior citizen… it’s Jackson Gibbs!

In his store, Jackson spins tales of yore to the gang. The younger Gibbs arrives to find Jackson actually shared a beer with the Corporal. Seems Ethan had a fling with Emily, the mine owner’s daughter, before he ran off for the service. Leroy runs off… and into a flashback where’s he’s storming out of the same store over 30 years earlier. Young Leroy stomps down the street, slowing in front of a store with a girl taking care of a window display. Back in the here and now, Jackson offers to help Leroy approach mine owner Chuck Winslow the right way with a little bourbon. McGee and Ziva stay behind to watch the store, leaving Leroy in his own personal hell.

Abby’s analyzing blood from LaCombe when McGee and Ziva videoconference in to share the wonderful daddy news. They also find an online video featuring Ethan in footage from his Iraq tour.

The family Gibbs shows up at the Winslow house. Chuck is actually happy to see Leroy. They sit, and Leroy shares the news that Ethan isn’t quite dead yet, which startles Emily. Chuck gets all “My Emily fell into the wrong crowd, but she came to her senses” on Leroy, which makes everyone uncomfortable. When pressed for info about the class ring, the mood becomes even more chilling. Leroy takes the silence as all the evidence he needs and beats a hasty retreat. McGee introduces the Iraq video to Leroy, also telling him that someone from inside the Winslow home viewed said video.

The next day at the store, the father/son duo share a quiet moment. Ziva and McGee arrive to tell them that LaCombe has no memory of the attack. Jackson busts Leroy for making it personal instead of finding more evidence, which leads to dumpster diving for the rest of the gang and a chance encounter with Nick, Emily’s man after Ethan.

Back at the store, Jackson wonders why Leroy hasn’t been in touch since the funeral of his wife and kid. As it turns out, Leroy is still sore that Jackson brought his lady friend to the funeral and getting on with his life. Chuck and Ed the Sheriff arrive, miffed that the gang’s been sniffing around the mine for evidence. Chuck proposes a death match to settle the score, but Leroy knows what happens with that scenario… a flashback sees Leroy getting his ass handed to him by both Chuck and Ed, with only Jackson’s intervention (and his Winchester) stopping the carnage.

McGee and Ziva are now going through the Winslow trash when she senses Emily is watching them. Seems it was Emily who watched the video, not wanting to believe Ethan was dead. McGee goes back to the store and Leroy with all this info, only to find him in a sweeping frenzy. He dishes all he knows, but is interrupted by their car exploding outside the store. After all are accounted for, Jackson’s ready to throw down and get dirty.

DiNozzo and Abby arrive later that day. He walks in to give the court order to Leroy but can’t take his eyes off Daddy Gibbs. Jackson joins the fight by taking the Winchester down off the wall. I like Jackson’s style and it’s not hard to see where Leroy gets his charming personality. They go to find a restored Dodge Charger waiting for the duo to take off. This produces quite the goofy grin from Leroy.

At the mine, Nick emerges to find the gang demanding his blood and that of the others. Chuck is at home when Leroy arrives with the court order. Jackson stands guard outside when Ed the sheriff pulls up. It’s like the Duke boys going after Boss Hogg, except I don’t like their Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane.

Later, everyone convenes at the store. Time cards from the mine show two of Nick’s friends were working on the day in question, but both cards were signed by Nick. Abby narrows down the blood results with Jackson keeping a keen eye on her. The blood is a match to a relative of LaCombe.

Leroy and the gang go to deliver the results to the family Winslow. The two boys from the mine are your suspects in the beatings. Nick is indeed the baby daddy of Emily’s kid, but Ethan, to this writer’s surprise, is actually Chuck’s kid! Chuck didn’t like the thought of Emily and Ethan together (who would?!), but he didn’t have it in for Ethan… Nick did. Seems he never truly believed the kid was his, and it was his trust issues that ultimately did him in.

Our favorite investigators are getting ready to leave. Abby hugs Jackson, much to his delight. DiNozzo has so many questions for him, but leaves with a sweet sweater as a consolation prize. Leroy gets the Charger. He leaves town with a better appreciation from where he came… as he flashes back once more when he was preparing to leave town at the train station. That just happens to be where he met his wife Shannon and the basis for his rules for life.

Maybe we’ll see a somewhat more relaxed Gibbs from here on out?

Next time on NCIS, it’s one murder and two agencies on the case… who will survive the FBI/NCIS showdown?

How cool do you think it is that John Walton Sr. of all people is Gibbs’ father? Will DiNozzo ever get the opportunity to ask Jackson more about Leroy’s youth? Can we expect more guest appearances from both Jackson and Leroy’s new Dodge Charger?

Comments

Donald P. screwed JAG and its' stars over so I wouldn't have faith that in the end he won't do the same to NCIS - if Donald P. stays with the show. Wasn't he thrown off the show a year or so back? If not - just wait - JAG had 8 superior quality years and then Donald P. became the 500 lb gorilla in the room.

A Jag Fan | Oct 15, 2008 6:27:14 AM | #

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A Jag Fan you are right although Donald P still has a producers credit he step down as show runner. Rumor was that he was driving everyone crazy because he was controlling and extremely demanding. It got so bad that Mark Harmon threaten to leave so he decided to step down “for the good of the show”

tvgeek | Oct 15, 2008 7:20:52 AM | #

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What is it with the recent theme of unknown siblings hooking up? It was one of the main story lines of Private Practice last week as well.

DF | Oct 15, 2008 7:50:06 AM | #

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Well it was an interesting show lots of insights into Gibbs's past. Loved the way Harmon would kinda grit his teeth when anybody called him 'Leroy', most call him Gibbs and friends have always called him 'Jethro'. Also what was that throw away line about Gibbs being named for some old parter of Jackson's, they threw the line out, but never explained it or went back to it.

jbw | Oct 15, 2008 8:51:04 AM | #

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I agree with Old Fogy. Brandon Millman needs to edit this story.

Sam | Oct 15, 2008 8:55:16 AM | #

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Best episode ever. Did you see the 18 year old Gibbs when he drove the Charger for the first time. His smile was like he was a kid in a candy store. A lot of Gibbs background to process.

Doane | Oct 15, 2008 9:31:00 AM | #

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I'm not an old fogy, but I agree with his observations.

Who let potty mouth in?

Dean Speir | Oct 15, 2008 9:52:44 AM | #

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My dad was a trucker. I know more "4 letter" words than I care to remember, and I would be extremely happy to never hear one repeated. I cringe every time my wife watches a rerun of "Everybody Loves Raymond" because of the language. It is so unnecessary to the story and how can you enjoy a show with your grand children and they have to listen to that. We usually turn it off. And we did learn to love the characters! Please don't do that to NCIS.

JamDow | Oct 15, 2008 10:19:18 AM | #

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jbw, at one point Jackson showed a picture of two people: Jackson and his original partner in opening the store ... and the partner was named L.J. -- for Leroy Jethro.

I especially appreciated the background on how he and Shannon met. A really great episode.

mag | Oct 15, 2008 10:29:08 AM | #

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That was a great episode and I hope they bring back his father for another episode.

scott | Oct 15, 2008 10:59:47 AM | #

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I LOL when McGee and Ziva were like kids on the video link to Abby and DiNozzo and told them "Gibbs has a Dad!!" and A&D responded in unison, like kids, "He does?! Tell me everything!!"

The choice of Ralph Waite as Jack Gibbs was dead-on ideal. He's a great counterbalance to Jethro.

Samuel | Oct 15, 2008 11:10:16 AM | #

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Now if they would just reveal that Abby is Jethro's daughter.

Curtis | Oct 15, 2008 11:37:08 AM | #

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Seeing the younger version of Shannon just about tore me up. I've never lost a loved one to violence, but when I care about certain characters (sometimes too much, I'll admit), certain things just yank at my emotions. I'd love to know the name of the actress who played the younger version of Shannon, because the casting was near-perfect, as she looked an awful lot like an older version of the actress who plays Kelly (who unfortunately is now nearly a teenager and probably won't ever be shown in flashbacks again). Absolutely beautiful young woman, whoever she is.

And, yeah, seeing the word "shit" a couple times in a published article is a bit like sitting on a park bench only to find that somebody left a dirty diaper thereupon and didn't bother cleaning it up. Freedom of speech is all well and good, but unfortunately, it allows stupid people the right to write drivel. Zap2It should have better policies for what accounts to formal writing (which is what even online sites such as this should aspire to). Brandon, not sure what your background is (don't really care, to tell the truth), but if you can't write beyond the level of a World of Warcraft denizen with less than a fifth grade education, you might want to consider another line of work. Like flipping burgers at McDonald's. They take anybody, so I've heard.

Revenant | Oct 15, 2008 12:42:09 PM | #

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I found the "potty mouth" in the review rather juvenile. Such writing does not prove that you are a now a mature writer.

Popcorn | Oct 15, 2008 12:51:42 PM | #

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Anybody find it a bit hypocritical that Gibbs was mad at his gather for moving on with his life while he himself had a sting of ex-wives?

Mich | Oct 15, 2008 4:49:28 PM | #

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Yeah, Mich, it was, but at least his father's wife apparently died of natural causes, whereas Shannon and Kelly were murdered. So I think of the two, Gibbs playing the field is a little more understandable, if not any more kosher than what his father did.

And remember: hypocrisy is what it's called when the "wrong" side wins the argument (thanks, Dad). :P

Revenant | Oct 15, 2008 6:09:46 PM | #

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NCIS is the best show on TV now and has been for the last couple of years. If the powers that be at CBS are really thinking about cancelling NCIS, they need to have their heads examined! Why cancel a high calibre show like NCIS and keep those idiotic shows like Survivor and other similar shows like Big Brother (or whatever its name is). NCIS is entertaining with a mixture of drama and humor. If CBS does cancel NCIS, they will loose a large number of viewers and that is a fact.

Williebuilt.

williebuilt | Oct 16, 2008 10:57:41 AM | #

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TV Season is still young, but in my oppinon John Walton is a candidat for an Emmy nom. He did such a wonderful job.
As did Sean Harmon as the young Gibbs.
Loved the scene at the station.

Dana | Oct 16, 2008 10:57:59 AM | #

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Uh, williebuilt, I don't know what parallel universe you've been inhabiting, but I think CBS plans to keep making NCIS for as long as Mark Harmon and his fellow cast members want to keep making it. A show that is in the top five in the weekly ratings doesn't get canceled to often, unless something bad happens like the star dying or something. No worries, eh? :)

Kara Mel Apples | Oct 16, 2008 2:14:36 PM | #

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I loved the episode. :)

About the discussion between Gibbs and his father about the funeral, I too first assumed they meant Shannon and Kelly's funeral. But as the conversation progressed, it started to sound to me more like they were referring to Gibbs' mother's funeral. If so, that would make more sense as to why Gibbs was annoyed about his father showing up with a date.

kd | Oct 16, 2008 3:35:15 PM | #

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Samuel - I was thinking the same thing about McGee & Ziva's comment - "Gibbs Has A Dad!" - I was kidding around to my son Joseph that it would make a great commercial or t-shirt idea - yes, I need a life.

Felicia | Oct 17, 2008 9:52:16 AM | #

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NCIS has so far resisted, with class and talent, the need to resort to the formulas of my past and lamented favorites:
all the way back to Barney Miller (became a soap opera of Barney's home life
Hill Street Blues (became the personal show of one actress to show off her alleged sexiness and acting talent - the new "soap" of the girlfriend of the boss
CSI Vegas - ditto as the Katherine show
CSI Miami - not as much but still irritating as we watch Horatio turn sideways yet again to give "the Look"
Criminal Intent - adding another team with the "actor" that repelled my interest,in spades, from Law and Order
So far (and this IS just my opinion but I'm not alone...with the intro of Zeta, it's inching in millimeters towards the line but hasn't yet crossed it. The attraction has always been to a credible TEAM with a hint of individual story, but like spices in food, too much of any one flavor spoils the dish.

Bev | Oct 18, 2008 6:50:10 AM | #

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I believe this is the first season for which NCIS has had a blog at ZAP2IT.COM. Maybe all the Sensy McSensertons who can't handle a 4-letter word would prefer that NCIS go back to not having one.

Beau | Oct 18, 2008 9:45:56 AM | #

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Not about being "sensitive" Beau. It's about people not liking somebody using swear words to seem hip when they're obviously just immature. Fourth graders could've written this post better. If Brandon's going to write for a website that caters to adults, he needs to write like one, not some snarky tenth grader with a better-than-usual grasp of semantics. Swearing is just common, and most of us who visit Zap2It expect better. Sorry you don't. Personally, if I want to read a bunch of swearing, I'll dig out one of my old Norman Mailer books. At least he could write.

Kara Mel Apples | Oct 18, 2008 11:42:18 AM | #

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Well....we got some answers, but I have more that weren't explained. Well, one in particular. I grew up in a small town...but I was at least familiar w/ the name of everybody in my class (200 graduated). How is it that they didn't even know each other? Or was she perhaps visiting relatives for the summer? Also, why was he Chuck and Ed's whipping boy. Bullies don't usually need much of an excuse, but there's usually some particular weakness that they prey on. They didn't give us much history, but they didn't appear to be poor...he didn't dress funny. And I have another question in general. How is that, in the premiere episode, "Yankee White", Tobias Fornell evidently doesn't even recognize Gibbs, but turns out to have been married to one of his ex-wives? Aaannnddd they knew each other before Tobias married her because Jethro warned him that she would clean out his bank account. Anybody got any theories about any of this?

Beverly | Oct 19, 2008 4:22:05 AM | #

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