Gibbs - from a man's perspective
J and I were, as we often do, talking about the most recent NCIS episode ('Grace Period') during breakfast this morning, we watched it (or for me re-watched it) last night. It is really nice to be able to have fannish (albeit non-slashy) face-to-face conversations in this way; even if we don't always agree over things :-)
However, I digress slightly . . .
Back to our discussion which I am moving to behind cut as there'll be spoilers for various episodes both in this season and in a round about way previous seasons.
Naturally the subject of Lt. Colonel Hollis Mann came up and Gibbs's relationship or non-relationship with her.
I raised the point that I myself raised in my 'Grace Period' review, and the one that I've seen raised in other various reviews/comments: 'How come two episodes ago there was clearly no relationship any more, that it had only ever been a one-night stand. When did they suddenly make up?
J came up with a possible explanation.
He said that he thinks that he thinks that whilst Gibbs is really tough and in control when it comes to work, actually when it comes to women and his relationships with them, he isn't at all. Gibbs finds it hard to actually say 'no' to them and tell them to 'get lost'. He can't do it directly. Thus, had Mann not forced the whole issue with her 'why didn't you call me' and two-layer comments in 'Skeletons' there would be no Mann and Gibbs now. And that would be because to Gibbs's mind, him not calling her, and being uncomfortable around her when they did meet was his way of saying 'this isn't going anywhere'. But because she turned up again and did, in effect, put pressure on him, rather than just say 'sorry, Hollis, it was a mistake' or something nicer he couldn't, and so he just slipped into a 'relationship' with her.
J concurs with the view several folk had re: the look on Gibbs's face when Mann mentioned 'settling down'. But again rather than stamping on it, as many men would have done, even telling her to get out of his basement, what does he do? Say nothing.
We then pondered whether this was how he ended up getting married and divorced three times. Somehow Gibbs found himself agreeing to marry them, because he couldn't tell them to go away. We know ex-wife no. 2 left him; we know Jenn sent him a 'Dear John letter'; that's two of his close relationships where the woman was the one to end it.
And it could also explain just why he is paying three alimonies to women who can take care of themselves; who (two of them) hit him; left him (we know one did), etc. (We'll forego rehashing the argument I raised in my inconsistencies rant as to just why he wouldn't be expected to pay alimony to a woman who subsequently got remarried to Fornell).
Anyway, I rather like J's theory. I can believe it, and it does explain quite a few things, for one the whole 'how come he's all lovey-dovey with a woman in whom he had no interest of getting back together with two episodes ago (not that one night of sex can really be called 'being together). Plus it has sparked the bunnies (which can't be bad).
*Nikki toddles off to feed the bunny*
As a side note I'm not changing the rating I gave it in my 'Grace Period' episode review, as the things that caused me to give it the rating I did, i.e. really irritated me, didn't change.
However, I digress slightly . . .
Back to our discussion which I am moving to behind cut as there'll be spoilers for various episodes both in this season and in a round about way previous seasons.
Naturally the subject of Lt. Colonel Hollis Mann came up and Gibbs's relationship or non-relationship with her.
I raised the point that I myself raised in my 'Grace Period' review, and the one that I've seen raised in other various reviews/comments: 'How come two episodes ago there was clearly no relationship any more, that it had only ever been a one-night stand. When did they suddenly make up?
J came up with a possible explanation.
He said that he thinks that he thinks that whilst Gibbs is really tough and in control when it comes to work, actually when it comes to women and his relationships with them, he isn't at all. Gibbs finds it hard to actually say 'no' to them and tell them to 'get lost'. He can't do it directly. Thus, had Mann not forced the whole issue with her 'why didn't you call me' and two-layer comments in 'Skeletons' there would be no Mann and Gibbs now. And that would be because to Gibbs's mind, him not calling her, and being uncomfortable around her when they did meet was his way of saying 'this isn't going anywhere'. But because she turned up again and did, in effect, put pressure on him, rather than just say 'sorry, Hollis, it was a mistake' or something nicer he couldn't, and so he just slipped into a 'relationship' with her.
J concurs with the view several folk had re: the look on Gibbs's face when Mann mentioned 'settling down'. But again rather than stamping on it, as many men would have done, even telling her to get out of his basement, what does he do? Say nothing.
We then pondered whether this was how he ended up getting married and divorced three times. Somehow Gibbs found himself agreeing to marry them, because he couldn't tell them to go away. We know ex-wife no. 2 left him; we know Jenn sent him a 'Dear John letter'; that's two of his close relationships where the woman was the one to end it.
And it could also explain just why he is paying three alimonies to women who can take care of themselves; who (two of them) hit him; left him (we know one did), etc. (We'll forego rehashing the argument I raised in my inconsistencies rant as to just why he wouldn't be expected to pay alimony to a woman who subsequently got remarried to Fornell).
Anyway, I rather like J's theory. I can believe it, and it does explain quite a few things, for one the whole 'how come he's all lovey-dovey with a woman in whom he had no interest of getting back together with two episodes ago (not that one night of sex can really be called 'being together). Plus it has sparked the bunnies (which can't be bad).
*Nikki toddles off to feed the bunny*
As a side note I'm not changing the rating I gave it in my 'Grace Period' episode review, as the things that caused me to give it the rating I did, i.e. really irritated me, didn't change.