NCIS Review: Watchdog (Season 18 Episode 10)

As the team continues to reel from recent losses, a case involving a dogfighting ring sends Gibbs past his breaking point on NCIS Season 18 Episode 10, “Watchdog.”

Let’s not mince words, this is not a likeable episode. It’s frustrating, not well executed, and borderline offensive.

Between Jack leaving and Emily’s death, Gibbs isn’t in the best place emotionally. We all know he’s not about to take time off and deal with his issues, which, unfortunately, leads to some extremely bad choices.

While confronting a man suspected of drowning several dogs, Gibbs loses control and badly beats him. We’ve seen him cross the line before, but the difference this time is he gets caught.

NCIS has always been one of those shows where the agents bend and occasionally break the rules without any consequences. Since the criminals are always abusers, killers, and terrorists, it’s not something that gets questioned. We’re usually just happy they catch the bad guys.

However, this episode finally puts Gibbs’ methods under a microscope as he’s arrested by the Inspector General and the team, including Director Vance, do everything they can to protect him.

In fact, his arrest is made out to be such a big moment. It’s a very “look at us doing the right thing” scene but anything NCIS is trying to prove is undercut by everything that comes next.

The show seems to think that just because the suspect is a truly awful person, who runs a dogfighting ring, and kills and abuses dogs, we won’t be offended or upset by the way the agents simply refuse to care about the law.

Obviously, we want him to pay for his crimes but we’ve seen how good Gibbs and his team are. We know they can do their jobs while not breaking the law.

We’re told that McGee is the first one to lie, and the others have to follow his lead to protect him.

Okay, I don’t like it but it does sort of make sense. Except later, when body cam footage is discovered, Bishop and Torres are all too eager to delete the video to cover themselves.

It is maddening to watch agents we’re so familiar with act out of character. The idea that this guy was such a garbage human that it’s okay for them to cover up a federal agent assaulting him without cause.

In one hour, the series breaks a trust it spent 18 seasons building.

Every step of the way, everyone acts so stupid and blatantly against type. Vance knows Gibbs is hurting, but he doesn’t force him to take a break. McGee can see the case is triggering Gibbs, but he also just lets him keep going.

In the end, even the Inspector lets Gibbs off easily because he has rescue dogs, and wants the bad guy arrested. When Gibbs shows no remorse for his actions, Vance is forced to suspend him indefinitely.

Just so it’s clear, we don’t care about this dog killer. What we care about is NCIS treating police brutality like it’s no big deal.

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests, there have been a lot of questions about how cops are portrayed on television.

Whether we liked the end product or not, shows like Law & Order: SVU, NCIS: New Orleans, and Blue Bloods have tackled the issue head-on.

Considering how well NCIS has done with other sensitive topics, and that it’s a long-running series, we expect it to handle situations like this with more tact — and definitely with more smarts.

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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