NCIS Review: Gut Punch (Season 18 Episode 11)

The team continues to deal with the fallout of Gibbs’ suspension on NCIS Season 18 Episode 11, “Gut Punch.”

Usually, we would wish for more personal time with the agents and less time with the investigation. This episode sends us in the opposite direction. We want less of the team moping about how everyone hates them and more of the assassination plot against the Secretary of Defense.

This episode is a continuation of everything we found offensive and not worthy of NCIS in the last outing. The only thing that saves it from being a total mess is the fascinating case the team stumbles into.

As punishment for lying to protect Gibbs — which everyone knows about — McGee, Torres, and Bishop are assigned to be Covid-19 officers for a peace summit at the Secretary of Defense’s house.

While preparing for the event, they find a connection to a recent murder. Naturally, they start investigating the murder instead of doing the jobs they were told to do. To make matters even worse, they don’t loop in Agent Tyler on their findings.

I’m not sure what’s going on with the agents on this show but all of a sudden they are acting completely out of character, and it’s dragging the quality of NCIS down.

As the other agents repeatedly remind them, everyone in the agency is part of a team, something they’ve clearly forgotten. McGee is the senior agent and the level-headed one, so it’s astounding that he keeps breaking the rules like this.

It’s nearly unwatchable to see them consistently disrespect the rules as if they don’t apply to Gibbs’ team. Wherever this story is leading, we hope the finish is worth the disastrous journey we’re being forced to take.

For his part, Gibbs is not only uninterested in keeping quiet about his actions and the investigation but he tells the whole story to reporter Marcie Warren, played by Mark Harmon’s real-life wife and ‘80s TV star Pam Dawber.

Gibbs has always been a tough nut to crack, but longtime viewers know he considers his team family.

It doesn’t make sense that he’s shutting everyone out, and actively damaging the agency he’s devoted his life to.

In all honesty, I am expecting some sort of swerve where it turns out this is all a plan to set up a classified op. If this turns out to be the story, we’re going to be even more upset that the show emotionally manipulated us in this manner.

At least by the end of the episode, Bishop, Torres, and McGee seem to learn their lesson about respecting the agency and their fellow agents.

A while back I asked for Rocky Carroll to get more to do as Vance. This episode introduces William Allen Young as his old friend Moses McClaine, the new Secretary of Defense. So there’s hope that this character will signify an actual story for Vance.

Carroll is way too good to be wasted on yelling at Gibbs or getting updated on a case. In the past, he’s been more involved in the action. With Gibbs still suspended, it would be great to see Vance interact with the team more.

Gibbs’ tell-all to Marcie means this isn’t the last we’ve seen of this story. However, we’re going to need to move on from this before we trade in NCIS for a more modern procedural.

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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