NCIS does these plots periodically where certain cases are not their jurisdiction but they investigate anyway. So this isn't new.
Once you get past that, this episode is really about how Gibbs tries to control a situation (which is symbolized by pets, the most vulnerable of victims) that he quickly loses control of.
When he beats up the dogfighting ringleader, who's presented so monstrous to the point that he has drowned dogs who've displeased him, the character regains some semble of control that he lost over several episodes (and probably months within the series). In the past few shows, he losts Jacqs, a strong emotional center and potential romantic interest, as well as shouldering the grief of Fornell losing his daughter to a drug overdose. (We could also add in Jimmy losing his wife to COVID.) This is a character defined by his losses, as if it were a score sheet.
It's not surprising that Gibbs gets off scott-free - he's the lead after all. Obviously, NCIS won't end this season even if Vance "firing" him presents a tantalizing endgame for the future, provided that's the direction they're going.
By the end of the episode, that final solitary image of Gibbs and Carla, the newly adopted dog, - two survivors - sitting alone on the couch in the living room, as the camera dollies back is as potent of am image NCIS has crafted in sometime. It has me oddly curious how much they intend to bring this veteran character from the edge, if at all.
And I've not had that feeling watching this show in awhile.
Once you get past that, this episode is really about how Gibbs tries to control a situation (which is symbolized by pets, the most vulnerable of victims) that he quickly loses control of.
When he beats up the dogfighting ringleader, who's presented so monstrous to the point that he has drowned dogs who've displeased him, the character regains some semble of control that he lost over several episodes (and probably months within the series). In the past few shows, he losts Jacqs, a strong emotional center and potential romantic interest, as well as shouldering the grief of Fornell losing his daughter to a drug overdose. (We could also add in Jimmy losing his wife to COVID.) This is a character defined by his losses, as if it were a score sheet.
It's not surprising that Gibbs gets off scott-free - he's the lead after all. Obviously, NCIS won't end this season even if Vance "firing" him presents a tantalizing endgame for the future, provided that's the direction they're going.
By the end of the episode, that final solitary image of Gibbs and Carla, the newly adopted dog, - two survivors - sitting alone on the couch in the living room, as the camera dollies back is as potent of am image NCIS has crafted in sometime. It has me oddly curious how much they intend to bring this veteran character from the edge, if at all.
And I've not had that feeling watching this show in awhile.