Last time on NCIS, Tony DiNozzo once again came face to face with his past in the form of ex-love Dr. Jeanne Benoit. While Tony needed help on a case, the issue became thorny when it ended up involving an associate of Jeanne’s arms dealer father. Awkward!
This episode of NCIS, titled “After Hours,” follows the agents as they review a closed case that has some errors in it. This, in turn, causes problems with their personal plans.
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Tony’s Big Date
In more Tony DiNozzo news, he has a date with Leah, who is a “Triple T” (which stands for tall, tasty and trust-funded). McGee gives Tony a tough time since Tony knows nothing about his mystery date, and he likes it that way. McGee is happy to explain that there is very little “shop talk” at home since he and Delilah began to “download dinners.” The duo sets a timer to discuss their work day until it sounds, and then no more discussions about work.
The team is dispatched to a country road where Naval Petty Officer James Muldoon has killed a man who was attacking a woman at knife-point. The Petty Officer claims that it was self-defense. The young woman, Amy Harrison, claims that the victim rammed the back of her car to get her to pull over. The assailant pulled her into his vehicle. It looks like Gibbs and his famous gut are a bit suspicious. I, too, feel like something is off with the shooting.
A True Hero
Muldoon comes down to headquarters for questioning. He fired three times at the stranger with his grandfather’s World War II revolver, which isn’t registered and was kept in his glove box. The victim, Mitchell Grafton, has three ex-wives, and none are willing to identify the body, which gives Gibbs a chuckle. Grafton has a history of arrests including drug trafficking and sexual assault. Muldoon, on the other hand, has an exemplary record and is an expert marksman who does volunteer work with at-risk teens. After thinking for a moment, Gibbs sends the team home and heads out himself. Bishop decides to stay and catch up on paperwork at the office.
Dinner for Two
Meanwhile, Delilah and McGee do their work download. McGee is pretty sure the case is closed, but Delilah isn’t too sure. Muldoon claims that he stopped at Mick’s convenience store to get groceries, but the store isn’t located near the site of the shooting. So why would Muldoon lie to the team? McGee can’t concentrate on his dinner since Delilah noticed the flaw in the case, and she really wants him to forget about his work. Instead, McGee uses ears of corn, his broccoli and his plate to recreate the crime scene. Who says that playing with one’s food is unacceptable?
Delilah is a bit shocked about the detailed scene. McGee realizes that Muldoon parked too far away from the victim’s car to see the woman being held inside. Delilah is more concerned about her boyfriend ruining the dinner that she made and destroying their work-free evening. McGee finally confides that his gut tells him that the bad guy is dead and that Muldoon is a hero, but the evidence isn’t adding up. McGee is shaken that his gut may be wrong, and he doesn’t want to make mistakes because of it. McGee gets a text from Palmer saying that the body has been moved, and Delilah is drawn back into the case.
Strangers in the Night
Tony is at his apartment, prepping for his date and making his abode look romantic before meeting his date for dinner. After their meal, they return to Tony’s apartment, where Tony is hoping to talk Leah into some dessert. Since Leah is a cat person, Tony tells her that his beloved feline, Frank, passed away a few weeks ago. This is followed by a long conversation about where Tony keeps his gun, how he knows when he will need it and so on. Way to bring on the charm, DiNozzo!
After a kiss, Tony remembers that Muldoon’s weapon is in poor condition and that a marksman wouldn’t keep a gun that way. Leah convinces Tony to tickle the ivories for her and he puts on a fedora to play and serenade her. He adds in some bonus lyrics about why it took Muldoon three shots to kill Grafton, as he is a decorated marksman. Tony decides to impress his date with a “mystery story” that he is certain she will enjoy. I am going to miss Tony so much! Leah is drinking and listening to Tony’s thoughts on the case before she decides to leave Tony — for good.
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Moving the Body
Bishop decides to stop by autopsy to check with Ducky before leaving for the night. Ducky confirms that Grafton died from an injury to his spine caused by the abdominal gunshot. According to the victim’s lividity pattern, he was moved from his right side to his left side after his death. The victim was also killed an hour before Muldoon called 911. This case is certainly curious.
The Sounds of Silence
At Gibbs’ house, he relaxes after dinner with a beer and the case file. Bishop goes to visit Gibbs to talk about the case. Gibbs isn’t surprised by Ducky’s findings because there is no blood splatter on the blade of the knife. Bishop is energized and needs food. Since she is not craving one of Gibbs’ TV dinners, they head out to the diner. Bishop then orders pancakes, a Reuben, fries and chili. That is hilarious!
It is Bishop’s second day in her new apartment, and she is trying to get used to the quiet. Bishop pulls some background on Harrison, and everything seems normal. That is, until Bishop finds that she served time in a juvenile detention facility in 2005. The records are sealed, but Gibbs and Bishop decide to check out the crime scene again.
Text Issues
Both the vehicles are still on the side of the road. Gibbs and Bishop arrive and find McGee and Delilah. Tony arrives a few minutes later. Grafton wasn’t holding his knife when he was killed, so Harrison is looking like the shooter. Abby pops out of Harrison’s car and she has some evidence. Harrison texted Muldoon from her car after Grafton was already dead.
An irritated Muldoon is brought to headquarters in the middle of the night for a chat. Gibbs and Tony make the Petty Officer aware that they know he is lying to them. Tony even points out that Muldoon waited an hour to call 911 so that he could practice his story about killing Grafton. Muldoon asks for an attorney, and he is sticking to his statement. McGee is given the task of unsealing Harrison’s record.
A Painful Motive
Abby discovers that Amy Harrison’s DNA is on the bullets from the gun. Harrison is brought in for an interrogation. Grafton was a guard at the detention center when Harrison was incarcerated for drug dealing. Harrison claims that she was never a drug dealer but took the rap herself instead of ratting out her local high school dealers. She states that she stopped at a gas station and saw Grafton. She started following him as the memories of her sexual assault by Grafton flooded her mind. She admits that she shot Grafton and asked Muldoon to help her.
Gibbs asks Muldoon if Amy knows that he loves her. Gibbs also tells Muldoon that Harrison has a case for self-defense and that NCIS is not pursuing obstruction charges. The tired team heads to the elevator to head home for some sleep, just as Gibbs gets a call for a new case.
I really enjoyed this NCIS episode. I like how we got to see a bit about each of the characters’ personal lives.
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.
