Now that the NCIS season 10 finale is over, we’ve come to our last slideshow in our season 10 celebration.
So far we’ve listed the 10 best Abby episodes, the 10 best McGee episodes, the 10 best Gibbs episodes, the 10 best Tony episodes, the 10 best Ziva episodes, and the 10 best ‘Tiva’ episodes.
Now it’s time for us to list our 10 favorite episodes from the first 10 seasons.
#10 “Jack Knife”
Season 7, episode 15: This episode gets our vote simply because it is a rip-roaring good time. Thanks to a case that crosses over jurisdictions, Fornell has to work with Gibbs and his team and soon all are on a road trip that is as exciting as it is hilarious. From Tony and McGee’s banter in the surveillance van to Gibbs’ and Fornell’s screaming match (all part of their cover, of course) in a gas station, this episode shows the entire cast at their best.
#9 “Detour”
Season 10, episode 16: The private world of Ducky and Palmer is opened up in this episode and we find out more about what happens when the two of them aren’t at a crime scene or in autopsy. When they are kidnapped on the way home from a crime scene, the team rallies to save the two but ultimately Jimmy and Ducky prove that they can take pretty good care of themselves.
#8 “A Man Walks Into a Bar”
Season 8, episode 14: In this extremely emotional episode, an intriguing doctor tags along with the team for a few days conducting what appears to be routine psych evaluations. As Dr. Rachel Cranston speaks to each team member, she slowly breaks down their barriers until each one has bared their soul. In the end, the truth is revealed and we discover that Rachel is none other than Kate’s sister, seeking more information on the people her sister had worked with before she died.
#7 “Grace Period”
Season 4, episode 19: When Gibbs’ team helps Paula Cassidy after her team has been killed, they discover just how close they came to dying themselves. The tragedy leaves all of them thinking about what could have happened and especially affects Tony as he struggles in his relationship with Jeanne. The ending is hauntingly sad as Paula sacrifices herself to save Gibbs’ team and join her own.
#6 “Truth or Consequences”
Season 7, episode 1: When Ziva is assumed dead after her mission for Mossad, Tony, McGee and Gibbs go on a hunt for revenge. Along the way, Tony and McGee are captured and Tony is forced to endure truth serum as their captors try to figure out what they know. When Ziva is brought in the room the team is reunited and soon are fighting to escape with their lives. This episode features a great story that got the team out of the squad room and fantastic performances by each of the cast.
#5 “Life Before His Eyes”
Season 9, episode 14: An encounter with a dangerous gunman leaves Gibbs on a journey through his past and contemplating where his life would be had he chosen different paths. In the episode we see different versions of Gibbs’ life and even see some wild alternative realities such as Tony and Kate having a baby together.
#4 “Kill Ari Parts 1 and 2”
Season 5, episode 7: Gibbs gets a flashback to the past in this episode when a young woman comes into his life and he discovers that she was once his daughter’s best friend. This episode shines because it gives us a peek into Gibbs’ past and also breaks down some of his barriers. The final scenes where a drowning Gibbs sees his wife and daughter in a vision, while Tony struggles to save his life, still give us goosebumps to this day.
#3 “Kill Ari Parts 1 and 2”
Season 3, episode 1 and 2: Much like season 2’s “Twilight,” this episode saw the team continuing to go through changes and the after-effects of Kate’s murder. Gibbs has to rely on Tony and McGee more than ever and has the added complications of a new director and Ari’s sister and Mossad Agent Ziva. As the team deals with Kate’s loss, they see ghostly visions of her helping them along the way.
#2 “Twilight”
Season 2, episode 23: This episode marked a big change in the series. Up until this point in the series, the team was Gibbs, Tony, Kate and McGee. Tensions are high as Ari puts the entire team in danger at one point or another throughout the episode but it is sadly Kate who ultimately loses her life.
#1 “Yankee White”
Pilot: While a lot has changed since the first episode of season one, this episode is still one of our favorites. In it you can see the camaraderie and sense of family that we’ve all come to love from Gibbs and his team. Some teammates are gone and others have been added but it’s still a family.
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
