TV Reaction: NCIS' 'Bounce'
Oooh, is it really a surprise fangirl and Mr. Wubbles is happy? I think not.
Character-focused episodes were never a true favorite for me because it usually means the rest of the team gets put behind the spotlight, often reduced to caricatures with questionable one-liners. They feel intended to gratify the fans' need for backstory, but 48 minutes of it is too much 'sugar to make the medicine go down'. (Thank you, Mary Poppins. LOL.)
Mind you, this Tuesday's episode 'Bounce' didn't really give us backstory as in the past. It did one better: it gave us a story.
We all recall in those dark days three years ago when Gibbs went to Mexico after he quit/retired/went on leave or as DiNozzo very laughably put it, "On a hiatus." which, by the way, was both a brilliant nod to that episode and so in-character for our walking trivia boob tube of all things film.
We never knew what happened during Gibbs' siesta and the people of NCIS very wisely fast forward to just give us a tantalizing glimpse of Tony in charge before we were happily returned back to status quo, sans mustache a few episodes later. (Thank God!)
But I digress. 'Bounce' harkens back to the four months and we see the case return in a twist that paralleled Gibbs two seasons back.
The man was innocent.
-insert Doh! here then dramatic music, cue angst-
So Tony's case before, Tony's case again and both the audience and Gibbs are treated to the all too rare glimpse of a competent and secretly astute Anthony DiNozzo.
I loved the passing of the guard by way of the tossing over the endlessly ringing cellphone. And Gibbs stepping back, becoming the more vocal voice of reasoning proves two things to us:
1. Gibbs is one hell of a leader, able to step back from being 'boss' without any ire or resentment
2. Taking over Tony's position tells us how he sees Tony is for him as his senior field agent.
Okay, the fangirl in me 'squee' in several locations and far be it I insult you by repeating what I know must be the same squeeable scenes but I'll say this much: Jimmy and Tony? Whoa? A brilliant way to show how Gibbs and Ducky was in the early years.
You see, it didn't just feel like backstory for Tony, we got backstory on Gibbs by way of Jimmy and Tony. And there was enough team to keep this an ensemble show. Granted I was miffed that David and McGee were a bit hard on Tony, but they slowly eased back into the 'Tony as Boss' routine with only a few miss ups. And Tony, thankfully didn't revert to 'Super Gibbs' but 'Gibbs Lite' while still maintaining the wit and persona we know so well.
Many things should give this a five cookie rating:
1. Gibbs pulling Tony aside in their own 'campfire' to tell Tony he was 'proud' and called him Anthony. Yes, the slashers out there going 'squee' and even I do as well, but more for the paternal confirmation that you gotta wonder if Tony ever got before.
2. Abby and her Trainee sticker: she chides him for not showing up predictably like Gibbs and it gives you an echo of what it must have been like for these two three years ago when Gibbs left. And Tony doesn't act completely 'Gibbs-like' and basically gives us an "Aw" moment when he produces an ankle brace for Abby's beloved nun because he heard her before in her previous rant and I bet you, most of you had tuned it out before, huh? Tony didn't tune it out. Hence the "Aw"
3. Tony in an overcoat: Careful! Superifical squee moment here, because I love, love, love him in the overcoat. Okay, squee over. LOL.
4. Jimmy and Tony: Okay, some might think it was weird and I must admit, it was a bit non-sequitur, but I liked how it gives us a subtle parallel to Duck and Gibbs. Remember, Ducky has mentioned Tony was a lot like Gibbs.
5. Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo: he's back, he solved the crime and yes, he screwed it up before but he took the blame as the team leader (he wasn't being a martyr, but a team leader responsible for the team's action) and then set out to make things right. Bravo. I hadn't seen this Tony since 'Agent Afloat'. Welcome back!
6. Airport: Okay, many of you might say "WTF? But he let the guy go?" but remember the end? When Tony tells Gibbs he gets it now about the boat? BAM. Our next parallel between Gibbs and Tony. It's just...ooooh, squee coming. LOL. We're getting confirmation of dynamics here, whether paternal or mentor, but a bridge of understanding the show suggests but never confirms. Gibbs waiting by the car with that knowing smirk, Tony saying he gets it about the boat, it sums up that well, there's a reason why they can work together despite the headslaps and hollering. These two get each other.
7. $20 bucks: The betting behind interrogation was cute as the team watch with almost fond exasperation at Tony's technique. It was a cute team moment, cuter when Gibbs won.
Why it can't get five cookies rating(besides the fact I ate one):
1. Abby and the Trainee sticker: Eeeeh, it's both love and hate. I loved what that scene paralleled but ut also highlighted the fact Abby really needs to cut back on the Caw-Pow. LOL. She's been too Abby these days. The writers are taking her too far, as they did with DiNozzo in the second and third season. I know, she's a quirk in the team, the little teehee that adds the needed humor sometimes, but like some spices, a little can really go a long way...
2. McGee and Ziva: he's boss, get over it. There are times to needle and times not to and in the beginning, they were becoming grating until they finally slipped back into role: investigators.
3. Gibbs or Not Gibbs: Okay, we get it. Tony's not Gibbs, but like a broken record, it's thrown back at Tony to the point you realize it could get belittling if it hadn't already.
4. Tony as a suspect: Again?! LOL.
All in all, I liked how this episode still maintain a team feel despite it clearly being about Tony. The others weren't ignored, we got parallels that harkened back to continuity and in the end, it feels like Tony has progressed a step up in character. The trick is here to see if he keeps it. And that reservation along with the above nitpicks, I'm giving this four cookies, with a glass of milk.
But if this Tony disappears, I'm coming back and drinking the milk. LOL!
Character-focused episodes were never a true favorite for me because it usually means the rest of the team gets put behind the spotlight, often reduced to caricatures with questionable one-liners. They feel intended to gratify the fans' need for backstory, but 48 minutes of it is too much 'sugar to make the medicine go down'. (Thank you, Mary Poppins. LOL.)
Mind you, this Tuesday's episode 'Bounce' didn't really give us backstory as in the past. It did one better: it gave us a story.
We all recall in those dark days three years ago when Gibbs went to Mexico after he quit/retired/went on leave or as DiNozzo very laughably put it, "On a hiatus." which, by the way, was both a brilliant nod to that episode and so in-character for our walking trivia boob tube of all things film.
We never knew what happened during Gibbs' siesta and the people of NCIS very wisely fast forward to just give us a tantalizing glimpse of Tony in charge before we were happily returned back to status quo, sans mustache a few episodes later. (Thank God!)
But I digress. 'Bounce' harkens back to the four months and we see the case return in a twist that paralleled Gibbs two seasons back.
The man was innocent.
-insert Doh! here then dramatic music, cue angst-
So Tony's case before, Tony's case again and both the audience and Gibbs are treated to the all too rare glimpse of a competent and secretly astute Anthony DiNozzo.
I loved the passing of the guard by way of the tossing over the endlessly ringing cellphone. And Gibbs stepping back, becoming the more vocal voice of reasoning proves two things to us:
1. Gibbs is one hell of a leader, able to step back from being 'boss' without any ire or resentment
2. Taking over Tony's position tells us how he sees Tony is for him as his senior field agent.
Okay, the fangirl in me 'squee' in several locations and far be it I insult you by repeating what I know must be the same squeeable scenes but I'll say this much: Jimmy and Tony? Whoa? A brilliant way to show how Gibbs and Ducky was in the early years.
You see, it didn't just feel like backstory for Tony, we got backstory on Gibbs by way of Jimmy and Tony. And there was enough team to keep this an ensemble show. Granted I was miffed that David and McGee were a bit hard on Tony, but they slowly eased back into the 'Tony as Boss' routine with only a few miss ups. And Tony, thankfully didn't revert to 'Super Gibbs' but 'Gibbs Lite' while still maintaining the wit and persona we know so well.
Many things should give this a five cookie rating:
1. Gibbs pulling Tony aside in their own 'campfire' to tell Tony he was 'proud' and called him Anthony. Yes, the slashers out there going 'squee' and even I do as well, but more for the paternal confirmation that you gotta wonder if Tony ever got before.
2. Abby and her Trainee sticker: she chides him for not showing up predictably like Gibbs and it gives you an echo of what it must have been like for these two three years ago when Gibbs left. And Tony doesn't act completely 'Gibbs-like' and basically gives us an "Aw" moment when he produces an ankle brace for Abby's beloved nun because he heard her before in her previous rant and I bet you, most of you had tuned it out before, huh? Tony didn't tune it out. Hence the "Aw"
3. Tony in an overcoat: Careful! Superifical squee moment here, because I love, love, love him in the overcoat. Okay, squee over. LOL.
4. Jimmy and Tony: Okay, some might think it was weird and I must admit, it was a bit non-sequitur, but I liked how it gives us a subtle parallel to Duck and Gibbs. Remember, Ducky has mentioned Tony was a lot like Gibbs.
5. Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo: he's back, he solved the crime and yes, he screwed it up before but he took the blame as the team leader (he wasn't being a martyr, but a team leader responsible for the team's action) and then set out to make things right. Bravo. I hadn't seen this Tony since 'Agent Afloat'. Welcome back!
6. Airport: Okay, many of you might say "WTF? But he let the guy go?" but remember the end? When Tony tells Gibbs he gets it now about the boat? BAM. Our next parallel between Gibbs and Tony. It's just...ooooh, squee coming. LOL. We're getting confirmation of dynamics here, whether paternal or mentor, but a bridge of understanding the show suggests but never confirms. Gibbs waiting by the car with that knowing smirk, Tony saying he gets it about the boat, it sums up that well, there's a reason why they can work together despite the headslaps and hollering. These two get each other.
7. $20 bucks: The betting behind interrogation was cute as the team watch with almost fond exasperation at Tony's technique. It was a cute team moment, cuter when Gibbs won.
Why it can't get five cookies rating(besides the fact I ate one):
1. Abby and the Trainee sticker: Eeeeh, it's both love and hate. I loved what that scene paralleled but ut also highlighted the fact Abby really needs to cut back on the Caw-Pow. LOL. She's been too Abby these days. The writers are taking her too far, as they did with DiNozzo in the second and third season. I know, she's a quirk in the team, the little teehee that adds the needed humor sometimes, but like some spices, a little can really go a long way...
2. McGee and Ziva: he's boss, get over it. There are times to needle and times not to and in the beginning, they were becoming grating until they finally slipped back into role: investigators.
3. Gibbs or Not Gibbs: Okay, we get it. Tony's not Gibbs, but like a broken record, it's thrown back at Tony to the point you realize it could get belittling if it hadn't already.
4. Tony as a suspect: Again?! LOL.
All in all, I liked how this episode still maintain a team feel despite it clearly being about Tony. The others weren't ignored, we got parallels that harkened back to continuity and in the end, it feels like Tony has progressed a step up in character. The trick is here to see if he keeps it. And that reservation along with the above nitpicks, I'm giving this four cookies, with a glass of milk.
But if this Tony disappears, I'm coming back and drinking the milk. LOL!