NCIS Review: Sturgeon Season (Season 18 Episode 1)

CBS’s top-rated drama, NCIS, has taken a different approach to tackle the coronavirus in its fictional world. The long-running procedural will spend its first handful of episodes jumping back a year and continuing a story from last season.

Beginning with NCIS Season 18 Episode 1, “Sturgeon Season,” the show will follow Gibbs and Fornell as they track down the head of the drug-dealing operation who sold counterfeit opioids to Fornell’s daughter Emily, nearly killing her.

We love it when the duo goes on one of their hilarious “Butch and Sundance” style adventures. They’ve even decided Fornell is Sundance and Gibbs is Butch.

It’s always a pleasure to see Gibbs and Fornell together, as their long history makes them so fun to watch. There’s an endearing “Grumpy Old Men” quality to Mark Harmon and Joe Spano’s chemistry that never gets old.

We are immediately back in the action with McGee chasing a plane down the tarmac. When he approaches the plane, he’s shot several times, with the sniper revealed as Gibbs!

Then we’re thrust back to November 2019 on NCIS Season 17 Episode 8, “Musical Chairs,” where Gibbs received a message and left McGee in charge of the case. Apparently, this is what he was up to during that time.

While Gibbs is busy with Fornell, the rest of the team is trying to find the missing body of Marine Corporal Darby. Nothing about this seems too urgent until Jimmy’s car explodes.

Veronica Tyler, the night shift agent on the case, is the widow of Vance’s godson, so he considers her family. Though Gibbs already put agents on their families, Vance wants extra protection for Tyler.

Turns out Tyler took the body because someone kidnapped her daughter Jasmine. She feels horrible, but everyone seems to understand she was just trying to save her daughter.

During a foot chase, the suspect is hit by a truck Final Destination style, so the team still doesn’t know where Tyler’s daughter is.

Listen, can we be done with this particular “shocking” moment? No one is ever surprised when a foot chase ends in someone being hit by a truck or bus. We can all see it coming.

Guest star Victoria Platt fits right in as Special Agent Tyler. With her close connection to Vance, and Gibbs telling him to put her on days, it feels like we might be seeing her again at some point.

And fun fact: This appearance completes the NCIS trifecta for Platt, as she’s previously guest-starred on NCIS: LA and NCIS: New Orleans.

Back on the case, it all boils down to a simple robbery. Darby’s neighbor shot him while trying to steal his stash of $106,000. He used his military background to kidnap Jasmine and blow up Jimmy’s car.

Of course, the team finds Jasmine and she’s okay. Since we’re 18 seasons in, we never for one second suspected things would end any other way.

Meanwhile, Fornell, who is understandably emotional about this case, has gotten himself into the kind of trouble Gibbs was worried about.

He tracks down the errand boy who would have gotten the info on the drug operation, but the target is dead. Fornell may or may not have been involved. He tells Gibbs he needs two weeks, then it will all make sense.

This story arc is supposed to last five episodes, so it’s clear this is going to be a slow burn. As long as we keep getting great Gibbs/Fornell scenes and it doesn’t overstay its welcome, I’m okay with that.

At this point in our relationship with NCIS, there are very few surprises left. We’re basically an old married couple who eats at our favorite restaurant every week and knows exactly what to expect from the menu.

And honestly, that’s what we need right now — TV comfort food.

What did you think of this episode of NCIS? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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NCIS airs Tuesdays at 8/9c on CBS.

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