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IGNITION

2nd March 2010

Written by Jesse Stern, "Ignition" is one of the most fun episodes of NCIS this current season. It's hard not to like an episode with jet packs, evil lawyers (especially one who has my first name), and an autopsy performed on a squirrel. To refresh your memories, a body is found in the burnt out area of a forest. The body is half burned and surrounded by pieces of wreckage. Who is he and how did he get there? The NCIS team set out to find out.

This episode has a lot of highlights. Ziva's rant about Twitter is gorgeous. Having been on twitter now for a month myself I certainly found the rant funnier than I did when I first watched this episode on the internet. *coughs*

McGee's jet pack obsession and the glazed eyed response of his fellow team members. Gibbs going so far as to head smack McGee to get him back on an even keel. The looks Gibbs was giving McGee was they watched the "Thom E. Gemcity Production" about jet packs was hilarious. As was Tony and Ziva coming in, seeing what was happening, and trying to sneak away without Gibbs seeing them.

The introduction of Margaret Allison Hart aka Mallison aka She Who Bares My Name was a good one. Right from the word go she got under Gibbs' skin. I thought it was interesting that it was Tony that Gibbs set the task of compiling a file on Margaret, not the more computer competent McGee.

The stand out scene, however, would have to be Palmer's first solo autopsy. Palmer's rambling story, Ducky's amusement and Gibbs irritated bewilderment, raised this scene to the status of a classic.

There were a couple of lovely little jokes. As the test pilots walk towards the camera from their planes, their pose is a recreation of the promo photo from "Top Gun". Then there is Margaret Hart's law firm: Wolfram & Hart & Donowicz. Wolfram & Hart was the evil law firm in the television series "Angel". A series which script writer Jesse Stern worked on.

Like all Jesse Stern penned scripts, "Ignition" had some wonderful lines.

Gibbs: You have a long drive up here, Palmer?
Palmer: He wouldn't let me drive. I begged and begged.

Gibbs: Jet packs. It's going to be a weird one.

Margaret: I believe you're holding my client.
Tony: I'd be happy to hold anything you need.
Margaret: Charming, Mr DiNozzo.

McGee: You didn't discover if he was poisoned to death or just to a level of discomfort.

Gibbs: She acts like she hates me, but she talks like she likes me.
Ducky: Ever been married to her?

Victor Tillman: At least she likes sex.
Vanessa Tillman: I like sex. I just don't like sex with you!

McGee: Where's Gibbs?
Gibbs (at other end of the telephone): Right here, Elf Lord.


LAST UPDATE
ON 3rd March 2010, 6.32Am AEDT
SUBMITTED BY MargyW


SCRIPTS OF GIL GRANT

1st March 2010

During his time with NCIS, Gil Grant mostly acted as co-executive producer and as a consulting producer, but he did write four very good scripts for the show.

  • One Shot, One Kill. This episode from season 1 is one of my all time favorite episodes. A sniper is killing Marine recruiters. Gibbs and Kate go undercover to draw him out.
  • The Good Wives Club. McGee being sensitive; Tony being a sexist pig. That about sums up "The Good Wives Club". A good episode with not your run of the mill serial killer.'
  • Caught on Tape. A Marine dies falling off a cliff. It's murder, but who did it? This is the episode that gave us the cute little dog Toni, whom Kate adopted, but was never seen again. Also has the memorable scene with McGee with poison ivy in autopsy with Ducky.
  • Switch. Gil Grant's last script for NCIS. Ziva is trying to settle into her role, but is still having difficulty sorting out the correct chain of command. McGee goes undercover in an appalling Hawaiian shirt.
Gil Grant has sort of returned to the NCIS fold. He is now writing and acting as consultant producer on NCIS Los Angeles.



LAST UPDATE
ON 2nd March 2010, 6.24AM AEDT
SUBMITTED BY MargyW



HUNG OUT TO DRY

28th February 2010

Written by Don M. McGill, "Hung Out to Dry" is the second episode of season 2. A marine is killed during a night training jump. Is it an accident or is it murder?

Fairly early in there is something that is contradicted a few episodes later in "Left for Dead". Tony comes to get Gibbs as Gibbs isn't answering his phones. It is clear he has never been in Gibbs' house before and is totally bewildered by Gibbs building a boat in his basement. Which is totally contradicted by "Left for Dead" where we discover that Tony had previously stayed with Gibbs.

"Hung Out to Dry" has a good plot and some excellent lines. None of the scenes however, are really stand outs. Nothing to pin you to your seat and make you go "Wow!" Though the scene in the plane when Gibbs and Tony go after Cpl Dafelmair does have moment. When Tony is pushed out of the aircraft. You see the worry on Gibbs' face until Tony's shute opens. Also the scene at the end where Gibbs is working on young Billy Fuentes tree house.

It is mostly small smile inducing moments that make this show watchable on a repeat basis. The smirk on Gibbs' face as Tony limps away, his undercarriage severely chaffed from the parachute jump. Tony waffling on about Gibbs' last ex-wife to increasingly evil looks from Gibbs.

Then there is the in jokes. Two of the characters have the names of NCIS production team members. The dead man, Sgt Larry Fuentes, is named after the show's special effects coordinator. The killer, Cpl Paul Dafelmair has the name of show's costume supervisor. If you don't believe me, check on imdb. Both men are still with the show. At one point a baseball game is playing on a television screen behind Tony. I may be wrong, but one of the teams looked like the LA Dodgers, which is the baseball team that Mark Harmon follows.

"Hung Out to Dry" has some pretty memorable lines.

Tony: You use hand tools.
Gibbs: I use my hands.

Gibbs: Can't work a field in high heels.
Tony: Depends what field you're working in.
Kate: Tony, your mind runs the gamut from X to triple X.

Ducky: In case you haven't noticed, Gibbs is a man of more questions than answers.

Abby: Semper Fi. You rat, you fry.

Tony: Do you ever jump?
Gibbs: Only when I get an electric shock.
Tony: Explains the lack of power tools.

Gibbs: You know some of these guys freeze on their first jump. Have to be kicked in the ass to get them out.
Tony: Not me.
Gibbs: No. You fall into the category of wanting to be kicked in the ass on the ground.

Gibbs: Never work the system when you can work the people.

Tony: I'm going to shut up now.
Gibbs: Now?

Kate: How did you get into NCIS?
Tony: I smiled.

USMC Captain: Hell, why not? Hate to pass up the opportunity to toss a couple of NCIS agents off a plane.

Tony: We ever going to make the 11 O'Clock news?
Gibbs: Could have happened tonight if you'd broken your neck.



LAST UPDATE
ON 1st March 2010, 6.31Am AEDT
SUBMITTED BY MargyW



SEAN MURRAY AS TIMOTHY MCGEE

27th February 2010

Sean Murray joined the cast of NCIS in a guest role in season 1, returning as a regular in season 2. I admit to having a soft spot for Sean Murray. I love to see anyone with a connection to Australia do well. Sean is a half-Aussie like myself, and has dual American/Australian citizenship.

I hadn't heard of Sean before NCIS. I never watched JAG. Just wasn't my cup of tea. We never saw "Harts of the West" down here and I was long past going to kids movies when "Hocus Pocus" came out. So Sean Murray was an unknown quantity to me. I had no idea just what he was capable of as an actor.

Sean's character Timothy McGee has added a lot to NCIS. The character is honest, loyal and very innocent in many ways. He is the character to whom the world is a constant surprise. McGee is probably one of the hardest characters to play. Think about it. How often are we surprised by the world these days?

Sean Murray has grown the character way beyond token geek into a stalwart of the show. A competent field agent who is capable of making hard decisions. Contrast McGee in "Caged" with his original appearance in "Sub Rosa". It's one heck of a character growth spurt!

I have noticed that with the changes in the character, attitudes towards Sean Murray are changing in many female fans. At the beginning the description used was often "cute" or "sweet". Now I'm seeing comments like "babe" and "hot" and many others I simply cannot repeat in this blog. Of course, Sean Murray's slimming down and buffing up have increased his "RAWR" factor exponentially.

Given Sean Murray's talents, I would very much like to see a season finale that was based around McGee's character. McGee has had good stand alone stories, but the character now needs a full season story arc based around him.



LAST UPDATE
ON 28th February 2010
SUBMITTED BY
MargyW




MargyW
MargyW
Latest page update: made by MargyW , Mar 2 2010, 2:45 PM EST (about this update About This Update MargyW Edited by MargyW


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MargyW Sean Murray as Timothy McGee (page: 1 2 3) 51 Nov 13 2011, 7:51 AM EST by Sorgiña
Thread started: Feb 27 2010, 7:30 PM EST  Watch
My blog entry for today:

http://cbsncis.wetpaint.com/page/NCIS+MODERATORS%27+BLOG+80

Any feedback/discussion would be great.
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MargyW Hung Out To Dry - Blog Entry 13 Mar 18 2010, 8:39 PM EDT by le_bibliothecaire
Thread started: Feb 28 2010, 2:34 PM EST  Watch
My blog today is on this season 1 episode:

http://cbsncis.wetpaint.com/page/NCIS+MODERATORS%27+BLOG+80

As always, any feedback/discussion would be great.
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MargyW Ignition - Blog Entry 2 Mar 6 2010, 6:09 PM EST by bagpuss2
Thread started: Mar 2 2010, 2:41 PM EST  Watch
My blog entry for today:

http://cbsncis.wetpaint.com/page/NCIS+MODERATORS%27+BLOG+80

Any feedback/discussion would be great.
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