SEASON NINE EPISODE FIVE
SAFE HARBOR
I wasn't looking forward to this episode at all as I am not a
fan of Abigail Borin. I said after we met her for the first time I hoped we'd
never see her again (which is a sure way to ensure we will see a character) and
I didn't enjoy the second episode in which she appeared. Her character does
annoys me, or rather the way she is written with all the things she and Gibbs
does the same. Once or twice is fun, after that it gets old - something NCIS
writers fail to realise.
However, I was pleasantly surprised, not only did the episode rock, I didn't
dislike Borin anywhere near as much as I normally do - in fact I quite liked
her. The writers have toned her character down just a smidgen and thus she was
far, far better. We only had one overt parallel moment with her and Gibbs and a
few times when the kids compared Gibbs and Borin. So yes, I thought she was good
this time.
Dare I say it? The run of good episodes with a real navy base and the emphasises
on the case is continuing - again we had old school NCIS. We had an interesting
and relevant to today case with twists in it and red herrings and it was very
moving and poignant in parts. We had excellent team interaction and banter with
no bitchiness whatsoever, some great humour and a good family feel to it. It was
interesting to see the SecNav again and I'm with Vance and Gibbs, I do think
he's in a tad over his head, which could explain why he went in so hard and fast
at the beginning. I liked the way Vance suddenly addressed him as a
long-standing friend and not the SecNav. At least Mr. Secretary knows now if he
does need help, Vance will be there for him.
I had heard about Tony and Tim trying to find a woman for Gibbs and I didn't
think that would pan out well and I thought it would be too contrived and
annoying, but actually I think it worked really, really well. I actually liked
that all four of Gibbs's kids were involved (even if Abby was really keeping out
of it) as well as Borin. As a sub-plot, it actually worked. And I thought it was
hilarious at the end when they thought they'd found the perfect woman only to
discover that Gibbs had actually dated her and the problem was she was perfect.
So good. And I'm certain Gibbs knew what they were up to, but just chose to let
them have their fun as it wasn't interfering in any way with the case. And there
is no way Borin and Gibbs would work together, not just because they are so
similar, but they just wouldn't - plus, I don't see either of them has any
interest in the other outside of the professional aspect. Now Tony and Borin . .
. I definitely got a zing this time for those two.
I did guess who the 'bad' guy was, but not totally. When Mariam said she'd shot
the Petty Officer, I knew full well she hadn't (a very hackneyed plot device, so
it was pretty clear she didn't do it). I said to J it was the younger son she
was protecting, because he was the quiet one, the intelligent one, the 'baby',
unlike his brasher brother. At the time I just thought he'd in effect
accidentally shot the man, shot to scare, not to kill - so the truth of it was
very good. And when the full story was revealed and we had Ziva and Mariam shut
in and then we had the phone call from Abby about the bomb, I knew then it did
have to be him, because he was the smart one.
I admit I had a lump in my throat when Mariam was talking to her son and trying
to persuade him not to kill anyone else and not to leave her, because she'd
already lost a child and didn't want to lose another one. And I felt for him
too, very much so. He didn't seem like a bad kid, he didn't seem like a hardened
killer, he'd just believed in what his father had drilled into him; he believed
he had to kill, to get revenge. I'm not sure he really wanted to, not when it
came down to it.
The family theme continued with Mariam and Ziva talking about families and
turning a blind eye, etc. And even more tellingly at the end when Gibbs and Ziva
are talking about Ziva's mother and the reason she never told Ziva what her
father was and then Ziva asking Gibbs if he was lonely. His reply said so much
and really did show he thinks of the younger members as his kids. His 'never
alone when you have kids' and then kissing her cheek and calling her 'kid' was
very moving.
So from an episode I really wasn't looking forward to, I was more than
pleasantly surprised and actually rate it highly. I liked Borin (which I never
thought I'd say); I liked the SecNav; I thoroughly enjoyed the case; I loved the
team (all of them); I loved the 'find Gibbs a woman sub-plot; I liked pretty
much everything about it from start to finish. Long may it continue!
Favourite Scenes:
- The opening squad room scene when the Tim and Ziva were trying to track down
the take-away Gibbs had dumped somewhere and we discover he'd rung all three of
them several times over the weekend. I love Gibbs, but honestly his eating
habits are pretty disgusting and pain me - the fact he'd left cold whatever it
was in his desk drawer to stink the squad room out overnight and then ate it.
Yuck!
- The kids asking Ducky what he thought about Gibbs and Borin and Ducky's reply
with their similar work ethic it could either be the shortest courtship (such a
Ducky word) in history or indeed the longest.
- Born rubbing Tony's butt and Vance watching them and his comment.
- The scene with Mariam was talking her son out of detonating the bomb.
- The final squad room scene right from them thinking they'd found the perfect
woman to Gibbs kissing Ziva's cheek and calling her 'kdi'.
We learnt some interesting things too:
- Gibbs doesn't like perfect women (not that there is such a thing)
Minor Irks:
- I'd have liked a bit more Ducky, but then for the most part I'd always like a
bit more Ducky.
- No Jimmy :-(
- Gibbs's eating habits!
Pairing of the week:
Ziva and Mariam
Character of the week:
Ziva
Actor of the week:
Shohreh Aghdashloo (Mariam Bawali)
Storyline: 9.75
Enjoyment: 9.75
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