NCIS: Sydney Season 1 Episode 4 Review: Ghosted
NCIS: Sydney Season 1 Episode 4, “Ghosted,” is the strongest episode yet.
Written by Tamara Asmar and directed by Kriv Stenders, this midseason outing carries the same intense yet grounded tone expected of an NCISverse show, resulting in the most emotionally moving and propulsive episode this season.
“Ghosted” features the character exploration that NCIS: Sydney has yearned for during every episode until now. Casual and gradual hints at characterization, specifically Mackey’s, come under the spotlight for intimate introspection.
Gone (for now) are the cases that stem from snakes and sharks.
“Ghosted” finds its hook in a scary story turned harsh reality when a veteran’s life is upended again by someone who wishes to exploit his trauma for financial gain.
The ghost hunt for the truth threatens to go off the rails with details like grass stains on the bottom of Edward Baker’s feet and a drunk tour guide, but NCIS: Sydney keeps the episode on track through it all.
The former becomes an emotional sore spot that the script mends as best it can. The latter gives the quite heavy “Ghosted” an appropriately used comedic slant.
As those leads take the team across Sydney, the episode finds its most intriguing scenic angle in its broader representation of NCIS: Sydney’s headquarters. “Ghosted” breaks the show’s pattern and prominently features the set.
The characters’ interactions between their desks and the coffee machine liven up the set.
If NCIS: Sydney gets to go on for as many seasons as any of its successors, this set will evolve alongside the characters. It will become a catch-all for everything from catch-ups to breakthroughs, so it’s essential that “Ghosted” intentionally lets the ensemble exist in that space more.
The more casual exchanges speak to the characters’ evolving relationships, like something as small as Mackey sitting on Dempsey’s desk.
One of the best developments to come out of that common area is that DeShawn briefly attended law school. Piecing that with the bit about accents that reveals he grew up in South LA begs whether he’s ever crossed paths with anyone on NCIS: Los Angeles.
More importantly, it exemplifies NCIS: Sydney‘s intentions to get to know these characters over time rather than all at once in some forced exposition. Hopefully, that bodes well for the show’s plans for sharing more about Evie Cooper.
Regardless, the standout performances during “Ghosted” come from Olivia Swann as Michelle Mackey and Linal Haft as Frank Doherty. Those two actors bind this episode together while, for the most part, their characters go toe-to-toe.
The constant tension between Mackey and Doherty is palpable.
Todd Lasance’s performance acknowledges that conflict and energy, and NCIS: Sydney‘s script realizes Dempsey’s place in it — on the other side of the glass.
Beyond the case, there is so much packed into Dempsey saying, “Come on, Maca. You’ve got this,” when Mackey can’t hear him and Mackey cutting the sound before she dives deeper into one of her most traumatic experiences.
Of course, that vulnerability encourages the same from Doherty, inspiring a turn in the investigation, and it leaves the NCIS: Sydney characters in an interesting place after they solve it.
Procedural dramas are at their best when the case of the week isn’t always inconsequential. This show finds that success, most notably, with “Ghosted.”
The case is personal for Mackey from Act I, making it very impactful when she opens up to Doherty — after episodes of not doing so to anyone — and he to her.
Both scenes are engaging and emotional, but the latter is utterly devastating. Because of Haft’s fantastic performance, a detail as previously inconceivably small as grass stains on the bottom of bare feet becomes tear-inducing.
“Ghosted” also hits an emotional chord with Doherty and May’s romance with lines like “She brought me back, like oxygen” and grand gestures like their small-scale wedding. It’s impossible not to feel during this NCIS: Sydney episode.
That final salute from Doherty to Mackey is incredibly touching.
Ultimately, “Ghosted” is engaging from start to finish. What begins as a real-life nightmare ends as a new chance at life, leading with love. It’s optimistic to its core, which appears to be a sentiment NCIS: Sydney plans to utilize often.
Guarded pessimism and hopeful optimism find their most fitting personifications in Mackey and Dempsey. Doc and Blue aren’t quite close enough to determine where they stand, and Cooper and Jackson are more similar than they realize.
But that final scene between Mackey and Dempsey puts those qualities to the test most respectfully. Once again, like on NCIS: Sydney Season 1 Episode 2, “Snakes in the Grass,” Dempsey gives Mackey the floor to open up but doesn’t push her when she decides she isn’t ready. There’s space to grow.
That exchange is representative of NCIS: Sydney Season 1 so far, too. It is taking time to open up, but every time it does, it has only strengthened the show.
—
What did you think of this episode of NCIS: Sydney? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Critic Rating:
User Rating:
NCIS: Sydney airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on [network].
Follow us on Twitter and on 
Instagram!
Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!
Shelby Elpers
Shelby is a TV enthusiast and pop culture writer. She's an avid podcast listener, green tea drinker, and soccer fan. Her brand can be summarized in rom-coms, superheroes, teen dramas, and workplace comedies.
One thought on “NCIS: Sydney Season 1 Episode 4 Review: Ghosted”
Hi – great review! Just a quick comment that we know from the first episode that D and Mackey met when she was court martialed and he was in JAG. As a JAG, D would have had to have gone to law school.
Comments are closed.