Rebecca still looks for the truck in parking lots.
I haven't blogged in a while because there hasn't been much worth blogging about. I seem to have fallen into a rut this week. I had a failed job interview on Wednesday morning, and on Tuesday morning, Sable shit all over the floor. I cleaned it up, and to combat the lingering smell, I threw open all our windows and that night, I sauteed an onion for dinner. (I actually made some more of Marlene's stuffing; it's still delicious, especially with lots of butter. Dammit, now I'm hungry.)
On Thursday, I drove to Texas to see my sassy Jewish grandfather in a play. Why is it that after almost nine years of being a licensed driver, I still get nervous when I have to merge onto the interstate? (Probably because I don't drive on the interstate that much.) The trip to Texas was especially nerve-wracking because I'd never taken my new car on the interstate before and didn't know what to expect. But the trip went smoothly, even though the car doesn't seem to get as good gas mileage as the truck. The sunset over the trees was really beautiful.
On Tuesday night, there was a new episode of NCIS, but I never got around to posting my review on it, so here it is now. It was a kinda blah episode that matched my mood.
Episode 8x12 Recruited
Writer: Gary Glasberg (The Spider and the Fly)
- Ugh, that opening. The murder felt especially cold and gruesome to me (killing a Navy recruiter at a high school careers fair by stomping him? ew) and Tony obsessing over Ziva's whereabouts in the bullpen was way too Tiva. He does have better things to do, Glasberg! Stop making him be jealous all the time!
- God and I love Ducky, so I was excited when the press release said that Bob Newhart would be guesting as Ducky's predecessor and mentor, Dr. Magnus. Unfortunately, this character really got on my nerves. I think it was the repetitive way he talked. Was that Newhart's doing, or did Glasberg write him like that? Either way, ugh!
+ Gibbs joining in when Tony started singing "The Wheels on the Bus." Very what-the-fuck, but in a cool way.
+ Don't get me wrong, I love Ziva (and Cote de Pablo!), but I kinda liked how she was absent from the first part of this episode. I missed her, but it was different and interesting not having her around. I think I'd feel the same way if any other field agent was missing.
+ How Ducky pronounced "predecessor" and said "he used to be me" when introducing Magnus.
+ So Vance is finally back at work, but with a cane. It was interesting to see him limping around. And the agency is now "on SecNav's radar." Hmm. I'm not sure if this is going to lead anywhere.
+ Abby being astonished that anyone could solve cases before computers. Haha.
+ Magnus being shocked at Gibbs kissing Abby was kinda cute.
- What was up with that scene of Tony and McGee arresting Zaretti? Why have him try to kill them if it's going to be so pointlessly brief, then dropped almost completely? And I didn't like the interaction between Tony and McGee there.
+/- Yay, Ziva is back! She seems really happy with Ray (the Miami man finally has a name), which probably means that their relationship is going to crash and burn somehow. I'm really tired of Tony making fun of him. Ugh x 1000. It seemed like Tony was going to try to act more mature in False Witness, but I guess the writers decided to pretend like that episode never happened. He doesn't have to be a 100% no-nonsense, all-business guy, like he was in that episode, but why can't he just act like an adult and be happy for her, Glasberg? Why?!
- I rolled my eyes so hard at Lance walking Paul into school. He's a high school student! Parents don't walk their kids into school past elementary age.
- Magnus accidentally calling a Mexican restaurant instead of a Chinese one. How pointless.
+ Penny's interrogation scene. Glasberg and the actress did a good job of making her seem like a completely cold, heartless bitch, then giving her some humanity.
+ Gibbs telling Vance that he should've taken more time off. I have to agree. I liked how this episode dealt with being gay in the military and the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." NB: NCIS is the first show to tackle its repeal. I can hear Dick Wolf crying now.
- Magnus going into an unresponsive state in Abby's lab. It felt so clunky, unnecessary, and badly-written. I don't understand why Glasberg wasted so much time on a character that no one was invested in.
+ Gibbs telling Lance to act like a dad to his son.
- Magnus talking to Ducky about living with Alzheimer's. No offense to anyone who's actually suffering from it, but I felt this could've been a much better scene with a different actor. Newhart didn't seem to do angry or confused well.
+ Ziva's hair in the last part of the episode! I admit I wasn't a fan of that turtleneck she wore when she got back from her ski trip, but that military-style jacket was yummy on her.
? I was really surprised when Ziva didn't seem confused when Tony said "on the Q.T." Maybe she didn't understand it, but just didn't ask what it meant.
+/- Yeah, Lance's arrest scene was pretty cheesy, but the boy playing Paul was a good actor. The ending song montage was really cheesy, especially Magnus's scene in MTAC, but it was saved by Paul finally joining the Navy and Gibbs starting a new project in his basement. I loved those two shots.