SEASON NINE EPISODE TEN

SINS OF THE FATHER

Ah, the obligatory 'DiNozzo Senior turns up episode'. I like DiNozzo Snr, but why does he have to appear every season now? It's that darn habit NCIS has, someone appears once and they have to go on appearing every season from then on. Plus, the reason for his reappearing this time was 'same old, same old', so I was ambivalent about this episode before I watched it.

However, I really enjoyed it. It was lightweight, chock full of humour, it had some great interaction between Tony and his dad, some great team moments, fun banter, an NCIS agent that was a real character and not just a fill-in. Overall a pretty much nondescript case insofar as you knew from the off that DiNozzo Snr. couldn't possibly be guilty, the odd bit of misdirection, but overall a very good, amusing, fun episode.

Massey didn't deserve to be killed, but he really was a ruthless bastard - I wouldn't have wanted to have stayed married to a man who turned into that. It was actually nice to see a non-acrimonious break-up, one that had no hatred, one that simply happened because they grew apart.

I didn't trust Lt. Dennis from the moment he opened his mouth and said 'totally'. Okay, so he wasn't involved in Massey's death, but he was guilty of being an idiot and in effect killing his colleague by hot-dogging. Silly man.

As soon as DiNozzo Snr. said he could normally hold his liquor I knew he'd been drugged and that was fully confirmed when the barman said the same thing.

I thought Vance was excellent in this episode, very much the Director, but also prepared to be lenient for a short time because the NCIS family was involved. I liked him a lot in this. And I enjoyed the bit when he asked what Gibbs was going to do about Tony ignoring direct orders from both Vance and Gibbs and Gibbs said 'ignore it' and Vance said 'I thought as much'.

I loved how clear it was from the opening scene that of course it mattered to Tony that his dad had 'stood him up' the evening before and he hadn't seen him. We didn't need his confession to Gibbs and so wonderfully to his dad that he loved him; that's been clear all along. All the scenes between Tony and his dad were good ones.

I liked Tony a lot in this episode and really liked how he kept trying to find out what the team had found out. And I loved how firstly Tim and then Abby did their best to avoid him finding out. It was a fun guy scuffle between Tim and Tony.

I wasn't sure about Gibbs actually taking DiNozzo Snr. with him the law firm, but hey, I can hand wave that.

For me the final scene was utterly fanficcy - but I was glad Tony finally admitted he loved his dad and his dad over-heard.

So yes, an overall very enjoyable episode, nice and lightweight and great fun.

Favourite Scenes:
- The opening squad room scene.
- Ducky, Abby and Gibbs in Autopsy.
- Tony bribing Dorneget so he could get in to the Interrogation room to see his dad.
- Senior greeting Ziva and telling Tony it was about time he swept her off her feet - a father knows.
- Abby and Tim in the Rolls.
- Tim and Tony's scuffle.
- Abby and Tony in her lab when he was trying to bribe her with a Caf-Pow!
- Tony, his dad and Derneget in the break-room.
- The little scene between Vance and Gibbs about Tony ignoring director orders.

We learnt/had confirmation of some things too:
- So Tony was born in 1968, which ties in with 'In The Zone'.
- Tony does love his dad.
- Gibbs does sleep on the sofa all the time. It's been hinted at, but not confirmed until now. But I have to say I don't buy it.
- Tony and his dad both have half-decaf, half-regular coffee.

Minor Irks:
- Too little Ducky (so what's new?)
- No Jimmy
- Gibbs claiming he sleeps on the sofa all the time. It just seems so far fetched to me. Plus, if he does, how come he made his dad sleep there in 'Faith'? How come Gibbs suddenly decided to sleep in a real bed and let his poor elderly father sleep there? The fact he did that annoyed me at the time, it's a zillion times worse with this bit of information :-(
- Gibbs and Snr's conversation in the middle of the night (personally I found it cringe-worthy and again so fanficcy).

Pairing of the week:
Tony and his father

Character of the week:
Anthony DiNozzo Snr.

Actor of the week:
Robert Wagner

Storyline: 8.25

Enjoyment: 9.25

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