NCIS Review: 1mm (Season 18 Episode 6)

With the team still recovering from the last episode’s explosion and shooting, Bishop and Torres find themselves trapped in abandoned jail cells on NCIS Season 18 Episode 6, “1mm.”

My first thought with this episode is that the forced proximity would lead Bishop and Torres to finally confront their feelings. Here’s the thing, it’s so obvious that they care for one another that the reasons for keeping them apart seem made up.

NCIS has already put fans through this for seasons with Tony and Ziva. When they finally became a couple, it all happened off-camera, after the actors left the show.

As much as we want to see Bishop and Torres together, we’re in no rush to go through that again.

Ellie’s attempt to escape triggers the pressure plate for a bomb, forcing the pair to finally discuss how Bishop’s close call affected them. Well, I say forced but Bishop stops short of saying she was fighting to get back to him, and Torres almost confesses that he can’t handle seeing her hurt.

While Ellie has had some tragic endings in her past relationships, we’ve never gotten a concrete reason for what’s holding Nick back. Perhaps if we were given real explanations, other than they work together, we wouldn’t feel like the show is keeping our emotions on a roller coaster.

When Emily Wickersham and Wilmer Valderrama are allowed to stop arguing for five minutes, they have captivating chemistry. By constantly putting up these nonexistent roadblocks in front of them, the show is wasting it.

After 18 seasons, the series needs to find new storytelling avenues, and having a couple on the team would certainly provide new plots for the show to explore.

Despite the urgency of tracking down Bishop and Torres, Gibbs and McGee make time to avoid talking about the shot that was 1mm away from killing Tim. They both acknowledge that Gibbs did what he had to do, but it’s weighing on them.

As the last of the original team, it’s nice to see the show recognize the deeper connection between Gibbs and McGee.

Given how Gibbs confides in McGee on NCIS Season 17 Episode 20, “The Arizona,” it’s fascinating to see where their new understanding begins.

This episode is all about the team dealing with the recent close calls they’ve been through, and honestly, I would like to see more of that.

Procedurals spend so much time jumping from case to case, we don’t always have time to stop and examine the impact the constant action has on the investigators.

When a long-running series like NCIS has an episode that deals with the emotions behind the danger the agents constantly find themselves in, it gives newer shows in the genre permission to tell stories about more than just shootouts.

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

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NCIS airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on CBS.

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