NCIS Review: Unseen Improvements (Season 18 Episode 14)

When NCIS is hacked, the team protects a young witness from a former case on NCIS Season 18 Episode 14, “Unseen Improvements.”

Finally, the real Gibbs is back!

We’re not sure who the body snatcher we’ve been watching for the last four episodes is but the return of his young friend Phineas prompts Gibbs to behave like himself, and the hour is much better for it.

“Unseen Improvements,” forgoes the non-stop action for a quieter story as the team protects Phineas from his criminal uncle. It is vintage NCIS, and we love every minute of it!

From Gibbs frantically searching for information, even though he has no credentials to the team’s quick investigative work, it’s like getting an old friend back after a long absence.

Jack Fisher more than holds his own with Mark Harmon, allowing all their scenes together to become a captivating two-hander between a couple of pros.

Since Gibbs still on suspension, McGee is the boss now. That means we finally get to see him take charge as the team tries to find Phineas’ uncle before he finds him at Gibbs’ house.

When a show is on for 18 seasons, you expect to see characters change and evolve, but we really don’t talk enough about McGee’s transition from nerdy computer guy to this badass agent.

It’s been so organic, we never stopped to question how far our favorite MIT genius has come.

As a husband and father, Sean Murray never lets us forget that McGee is in a more mature, stable place of his life than his colleagues. He just naturally feels like the boss.

We’re not sure what Harmon’s status is for Season 19 but we hope McGee gets to permanently be the boss, or take on more responsibility. The character has grown and is past taking orders from Gibbs.

Despite the seriousness of the case, Jimmy and Kasie still have time to gossip about Nick and Ellie’s relationship. They seem to be speaking for the audience as they keep suggesting that the pair needs to have “the talk.”

This plays right into the fan theory that the two are already in a secret relationship. Something the show is practically trolling viewers with at this point.

As their closeness becomes more intimate and personal, the comments about spending time together outside of the office and the episode ending with them starting “the talk” as the elevator doors close, make it clear there’s more than friendship going on.

If the show isn’t going to have Bishop and Torres be a couple, then it’s incredibly cruel for them to tease fans like this. At this point, there’s no logical reason for the show to keep wasting the chemistry between Emily Wickersham and Wilmer Valderrama.

When a duo so obviously belongs together and the show resists, it does nothing for the characters’ other romantic possibilities. We could never get invested in any of Tony and Ziva’s partners because we knew they wouldn’t be around long.

It’s the same for Nick and Ellie. They’re endgame, and the show needs to get on board.

When you’re 18 seasons deep into a show, it’s the familiarity that keeps you watching. For several episodes, NCIS has been unrecognizable.

Just when we were on the verge of losing hope, “Unseen Improvements” shows us that our crime-fighting favorite is still in there, and we shouldn’t give up just yet.

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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