In the last episode of NCIS, we saw Gibbs fight against the law to help a former Navy Corpsman who faced criminal charges when she rendered aid to civilian victims of a car crash. Since she was not a doctor, nurse or EMT, it is against the law to provide medical services, but she intervened knowing the risks to save lives.
This week’s episode of NCIS, titled “Grounded,” introduces us to Bishop’s husband, Jake (Jamie Bamber). He does exist! Sadly, Bishop, Jake and Tony work a case while they are stuck at Dulles Airport because of bad weather.
Thanksgiving Plans
We start off with a snow storm blanketing the DC area just in time for Thanksgiving. One would-be traveler opens his door expecting to find a cab, but finds a man with a gun instead. The killer, who happens to look quite a bit like the victim, dons the man’s glasses and wedding ring. He is clearly up to no good.
At NCIS headquarters, everyone is eager to meet Bishop’s husband, Jake Malloy. When he arrives, Abby calls him “adorable,” much to Bishop’s delight. Bishop is also giddy at the prospect of spending Thanksgiving with Jake’s family in Turks and Caicos. Jake meets Gibbs and becomes nearly tongue-tied as he tries to convey how much Gibbs and the rest of the team mean to his Ellie. They depart for the airport, where Tony is planning to pick up his father. I am not sure what I expected, but I think that Bishop and her husband have some chemistry.
Traveling Really Stinks
At the airport, Bishop asks Jake why he has been on edge lately, but he dismisses her concern. Suddenly, Tony’s voice rings out and Bishop has the chance to introduce him to Jake. Their conversation is interrupted by a very smelly man who breaks through the group, and Bishop catches a glimpse of his plane tickets. Yes, he is sitting next to Jake and Bishop, prompting her to try and switch their seats. This gives Tony the golden opportunity to answer some burning Bishop questions, like how does she eat that much? Hilarious!
While Bishop is waiting to change their seats, the dreaded announcement that all flights are delayed is made. A tense-looking man, who just happens to be our killer, bumps into Bishop and doesn’t respond when she says, “Excuse me.” Jake comes to his wife’s defense and demands an apology in return. The killer mutters “My bad,” before walking away. Bishop has the nagging feeling that she knows the man, but from where?
One Man Against Couples
Tony also has a nagging feeling — he hates couples — and being stuck at the airport is reminding him that he is surrounded by couples in every make and model. Bishop is still suspicious about the cranky man, and Jake takes this opportunity to let Tony know that Bishop has become much more suspicious since joining NCIS. Bishop responds that since Jake, who still works for the NSA, cannot discuss his work with her anymore, they need to chat about something. I think I am detecting a hint of a problem between this married duo.
Later, Bishop runs into her new obsession at the gift shop and tries to make small talk, asking if they have ever met before. The man is clearly trying to avoid her and hastily excuses himself.
A Threat Emerges
Back at headquarters, while Jimmy and Abby discuss making snow angels and baby names, McGee is getting word of a terror threat from the NTAS involving northeast US airports. It is an elevated threat level, so Gibbs calls Tony. Gibbs asks if Jake knows anything, and he admits that there were some memos going around about terrorist chatter. Bishop confronts her spouse about being tense because he knew about the chatter, and she is angry that he didn’t tell her.
When Bishop spots the killer again, she notices a gun strapped to his leg. Tony and Bishop are ready to investigate and ask the man to show a badge. He does, and it says that he is air marshal Mike Beers. Tony, Bishop, Beers and a security guard have a conversation, and Beers tells them that he thinks his cover is intact. When Tony makes a joke about getting a beer, the killer doesn’t react, and now Tony senses something is not right with their new buddy.
Investigating Beers
Gibbs calls to inform them that the threat level has changed and involves DC airports. Tony cuts Bishop off before she mentions the air marshal. Tony instead calls McGee to ask him to dig up background on Beers, and not to tell Gibbs yet. Bishop updates Abby after snapping a photo of the fake Beers. Nothing gets past Gibbs, and soon Abby and McGee compare information. Abby realizes that although the two men look similar, they are not the same person.
Tony and Bishop keep an eye on the impostor, who enters the men’s room. TSA Police Lieutenant Janet Lewis and her officers arrive to lend support, and they discover the fake Beers dead of a stab wound. Bishop notices that the killer’s gun is gone.
McGee and Ducky find the real Beers dead at his motel. Meanwhile, Jake seems to find it creepy watching his wife touching a dead body with latex gloves and snapping photos for Ducky. He does take one for the team and hold the man’s arm so Bishop can get a fingerprint.
A Gun for Hire
Tony and Lewis discover that the surveillance camera outside of the men’s room was compromised. They close the restroom to passengers and pretend there is a medical emergency, much to the anger of the traveling public. A suave, older doctor comes forward to help, but he is politely turned away.
At the lab, Abby has pinned down the identity of the impostor. He is Norman Dopps, a well-known chameleon who works for drug cartels and organized crime syndicates. He has no ties to terrorism, so is the chatter about Dopps?
The chatter has changed again, and now it appears that Dopps was delivering the gun to an assassin. Bishop and Tony theorize that the target must be someone on an incoming flight. Gibbs wants more eyes on the team at the airport, so Jake offers up his tablet as a camera. The NCIS team is watching the airport from the actual airport and NCIS headquarters. I love it when a plan comes together!
Target Identified
Tony is very upset that Lewis wants to search passengers, and she claims that it is a direct order from Homeland Security. Three flights are preparing to land, so time to find the assassin is short. Worse yet for Tony, his father is on one of the in-bound planes from London.
McGee, Ducky, Palmer, Abby and Gibbs pull manifests trying to find either the hit man or the target. Abby realizes that two Colombian federal agents accompanying an unnamed third person are flying in on the London flight before catching another flight to Colombia. McGee is able to pull up the name of the third person: Hector Gomez, who is a member of a drug cartel.
When the London flight is getting ready to deplane, McGee and Abby discover that the assassin is posing as a well-dressed doctor. Tony spots the man, and Tony and Bishop open fire as the killer pulls his gun.
At NCIS, McGee gets a text from Tony that his father didn’t catch his flight from London, so Tony was at the airport for no reason. Ducky suggests that they all go out for a cocktail, but Abby has another idea. She wants snow angels, and to everyone’s shock, Gibbs agrees, but to only one angel. I love it!
This was a great episode of NCIS, from the touches of humor to the tension of the situation at the airport. It was also good to finally see that Jake does actually exist.
NCIS airs Tuesdays at 8pm on CBS.
(Image courtesy of CBS)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Kim has been covering television entertainment since 2013. She is addicted to Real Housewives, Pump Rules, Dancing with the Stars, and many more shows.
