About NCIS 9x03 - The Penelope Papers
Again, no summary. Also - apparently, next week Canada switches the airing to Tuesdays, so depending on how early we get up I might not be able to post a detailed analysis after wennuhpen and I are back from Barcelona.
The good things ~
They managed to make this a Timmy-centric episode in the best possible way. After him being more or less of a stand-in for the better part of two seasons, this was finally a McGee that felt like a human being *and* was a McGee I liked because he was far from the snide bitch he has turned into at times.
The opening scene alone had me, quite unexpectedly, tearing up when he told his birthday story. And I love the way how Ziva reacted to that. Her tone of voice, so sympathetic!
Random side note: I like the facility's setup. Looks like a mighty nice place to work!
I like the Penny/McGee chemistry, and she works so much better than I could have imagined. She's one of the relatives I want to see back again and again! Nicely inserted that yes, they have been in contact, obviously - she sends him healthy food, he tells her about his co-workers. They do keep in contact, we just haven't heard of it before. Works for me.
McGee: "My grandmother."
Penny: "Bad word!"
I certainly like her attitude! ^^
Penny: "... and I do think I can handle this Gibbs person..."
Tony: "Ghengis Khan couldn't handle Gibbs."
I also quite like the way Tony is fascinated with her, for being such a flirt and open about... things. ;)
My theory about that is - he likes how this is a woman who enjoys life to the fullest, but still shows a lot of style about it... unlike his father, who has turned into an old lecher over the years. I think this is how Tony wants to be when he "grows up".
Love how Tony plays all strong and silent partner for McGee when Tim tells him Penny is hiding things. No mockery for once, just being there and really listening and actually giving good advice. Our boy has really grown up! ♥
Best line of the episode is, without a question, Penny to Gibbs: "Your inflated sense of authority doesn't impress me." ♥
Best emotional moment: McGee's shuddering breath in interrogation, before he starts to question Penny. Gah. That, and her look in response - that really killed me. And the way that scene ends, with his little speech... *sobs* I swear, I've never felt this emotional about McGee before. Sean really hit it out of the park with this one.
Best display of strength and family and support:
Strongest scene of this ep was, for me, the end scene. It left me giggling at first, with Ziva and Tony hanging onto Penny's every word about little Timmy and her red pumps. And then Penny talks about McGee's father and how he loves his son but has no idea how to show it, and I almost bawled my eyes out when Sean said in this incredibly small, insecure voice "Does he?" God, I wanted to hug him so, so bad right there. And then Penny rides off with Ducky, and frankly, this is a match that feels so incredibly right, it left me feeling all warm and fuzzy. Way to end an episode! :)
The few meh things ~
Can we stop using Palmer as the comic relief slash village idiot? I do realize we're trying to no longer do it to Tony and so we need someone else to "pick on", but by now it's starting to seriously annoy me. And I want a slightly more competent Palmer now, please, not just one who rambles off like he has the worst kind of ADD and is told to "clean pipettes". He *does* a good job, and there's a reason Ducky has worked with him for almost nine years, dear CBS. Please show us a little more of that reason.
I suppose it was a solid plot, and I didn't detect too many plot holes - well, except for the killer not stopping until he gets what he wants, namely the files and Penny dead. So why again is he just driving past her in the garage, when she wants to meet up with the reporter...? (Maybe he's related to the P2P, who knows...)
Anyway - mostly solid plot, yes, but unfortunately it still left me unfocused and my attention kept wandering all over the place. I didn't care about it at all, and I went out of it feeling much the same like back in season seven with "Double Identity", which was also solid, but boring as heck.
But there was no Tiva! ~
I've heard some people complain about that. About how there weren't even any looks this time, let alone a moment. And I'm tempted to ask "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?"
Because, seriously, guys:
AND LOOK HOW SHE GLOWS AT HIM!!!
Throughout the whole episode they were glued to each other's hips! Yes, there wasn't a single scene where they openly teased each other, but there was so much intimacy and closeness between them it boggles my mind. Especially the last scene, with them standing there like a couple while listening to Penny's story, leaning into each other, and then leaving together...
Guys, a lot of us have been asking for subtle things between them, to imply a possible relationship, but keep it below the radar for those viewers who don't want to see it. And now that we're actually getting the first traces of just that, it's suddenly not enough? *looks stern* *rolls up sleeves and prepares to deliber Gibbs-slaps*
There'll be a lot more moments to come between these two, but for this episode, which simply didn't allow to draw the focus away from McGee, I am more than happy with what they've given us. Also, it works nicely with the story series I have in my head right now. If I ever find the time, I might end up doing another experiment of the "Blood" variant - stringing them along the episodes and seein where I end up at...
Random yumminess... ~
... as a public service. ;)
Gaah. I'm having bad Stingray flashbacks here...
The good things ~
They managed to make this a Timmy-centric episode in the best possible way. After him being more or less of a stand-in for the better part of two seasons, this was finally a McGee that felt like a human being *and* was a McGee I liked because he was far from the snide bitch he has turned into at times.
The opening scene alone had me, quite unexpectedly, tearing up when he told his birthday story. And I love the way how Ziva reacted to that. Her tone of voice, so sympathetic!
Random side note: I like the facility's setup. Looks like a mighty nice place to work!
I like the Penny/McGee chemistry, and she works so much better than I could have imagined. She's one of the relatives I want to see back again and again! Nicely inserted that yes, they have been in contact, obviously - she sends him healthy food, he tells her about his co-workers. They do keep in contact, we just haven't heard of it before. Works for me.
McGee: "My grandmother."
Penny: "Bad word!"
I certainly like her attitude! ^^
Penny: "... and I do think I can handle this Gibbs person..."
Tony: "Ghengis Khan couldn't handle Gibbs."
I also quite like the way Tony is fascinated with her, for being such a flirt and open about... things. ;)
My theory about that is - he likes how this is a woman who enjoys life to the fullest, but still shows a lot of style about it... unlike his father, who has turned into an old lecher over the years. I think this is how Tony wants to be when he "grows up".
Love how Tony plays all strong and silent partner for McGee when Tim tells him Penny is hiding things. No mockery for once, just being there and really listening and actually giving good advice. Our boy has really grown up! ♥
Best line of the episode is, without a question, Penny to Gibbs: "Your inflated sense of authority doesn't impress me." ♥
Best emotional moment: McGee's shuddering breath in interrogation, before he starts to question Penny. Gah. That, and her look in response - that really killed me. And the way that scene ends, with his little speech... *sobs* I swear, I've never felt this emotional about McGee before. Sean really hit it out of the park with this one.
Best display of strength and family and support:
Strongest scene of this ep was, for me, the end scene. It left me giggling at first, with Ziva and Tony hanging onto Penny's every word about little Timmy and her red pumps. And then Penny talks about McGee's father and how he loves his son but has no idea how to show it, and I almost bawled my eyes out when Sean said in this incredibly small, insecure voice "Does he?" God, I wanted to hug him so, so bad right there. And then Penny rides off with Ducky, and frankly, this is a match that feels so incredibly right, it left me feeling all warm and fuzzy. Way to end an episode! :)
The few meh things ~
Can we stop using Palmer as the comic relief slash village idiot? I do realize we're trying to no longer do it to Tony and so we need someone else to "pick on", but by now it's starting to seriously annoy me. And I want a slightly more competent Palmer now, please, not just one who rambles off like he has the worst kind of ADD and is told to "clean pipettes". He *does* a good job, and there's a reason Ducky has worked with him for almost nine years, dear CBS. Please show us a little more of that reason.
I suppose it was a solid plot, and I didn't detect too many plot holes - well, except for the killer not stopping until he gets what he wants, namely the files and Penny dead. So why again is he just driving past her in the garage, when she wants to meet up with the reporter...? (Maybe he's related to the P2P, who knows...)
Anyway - mostly solid plot, yes, but unfortunately it still left me unfocused and my attention kept wandering all over the place. I didn't care about it at all, and I went out of it feeling much the same like back in season seven with "Double Identity", which was also solid, but boring as heck.
But there was no Tiva! ~
I've heard some people complain about that. About how there weren't even any looks this time, let alone a moment. And I'm tempted to ask "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?"
Because, seriously, guys:
AND LOOK HOW SHE GLOWS AT HIM!!!
Throughout the whole episode they were glued to each other's hips! Yes, there wasn't a single scene where they openly teased each other, but there was so much intimacy and closeness between them it boggles my mind. Especially the last scene, with them standing there like a couple while listening to Penny's story, leaning into each other, and then leaving together...
Guys, a lot of us have been asking for subtle things between them, to imply a possible relationship, but keep it below the radar for those viewers who don't want to see it. And now that we're actually getting the first traces of just that, it's suddenly not enough? *looks stern* *rolls up sleeves and prepares to deliber Gibbs-slaps*
There'll be a lot more moments to come between these two, but for this episode, which simply didn't allow to draw the focus away from McGee, I am more than happy with what they've given us. Also, it works nicely with the story series I have in my head right now. If I ever find the time, I might end up doing another experiment of the "Blood" variant - stringing them along the episodes and seein where I end up at...
Random yumminess... ~
... as a public service. ;)
Gaah. I'm having bad Stingray flashbacks here...