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NCIS Recap: Gut Check – 11×9

NCIS: Gut Check

And there she was. Ellie Bishop, the NSA agent who will become an “NCIS” agent and join our team. I want to talk about her so I’m going to let this week’s case go. (The case was sort of good, though. I will say that. We’ve had worse. Oh, and Vance is alive! I was starting to get worried.)

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I will be quite honest. I was nervous about this episode. And procrastinating like my life depended on it. It wasn’t so much that I was dreading the introduction of this new character because after the last few episodes, it felt necessary. But it made me sad because somehow it made Ziva’s absence seem more real and definite. That’s nonsense, of course, but that’s how I felt. And what if I didn’t like this new character? I can’t imagine the horror of my favorite show gaining a new permanent character that I can’t stand…

So, I tried to go in positive. I thought of the good things about new characters. It’s exciting to get to know a new character. And it will be interesting to see her learn. Because after ten years and everything that’s happened, she surely has a lot to learn. She might know a lot about national security, but we all know much more about what’s been going on with “NCIS” and its people. It will be fun to see someone new come in who doesn’t get any of the references to past events.

But thank goodness that Bishop is alright. I liked her. She’s weird in a good way. She’s smart, she’s not afraid, and she learns fast. I do believe she will fit in. There were some little things that were reminiscent of Ziva, like when she suddenly tackled the bad guy. I had a “Silver War (episode 3×4) flashback.

Don’t get me wrong, she’s very different from Ziva, but maybe there were a few little things about Bishop that are similar to Ziva when she first came in. Obviously, she’s young and though she knows a lot, she’s in some ways also a bit naive. And she seems tough. In my eyes, this isn’t a bad thing. It’s important that she’s different because otherwise, it just would have been awkward and uncomfortable to watch.

But I guess it makes sense that there would be a few similarities too. She needs to fit in. Ziva fit in perfectly, so they would choose a new team member who is in some ways like her. I was thinking, when I meet new people, the ones who become my friends are usually a bit like my other friends.

I also like the fact that Bishop is married. Finally, someone on the team who’s in a healthy relationship. At least, I hope so. Being married doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re in a healthy relationship, but let’s assume that she is. It would be nice, wouldn’t it? And at least one of her parents is alive. I hope both are, and that she also has a good relationship with them. What a relief it would be to see that’s possible for an “NCIS” agent.

I say Bishop can stay. But I do want Ziva back. Not necessarily on the team, because the way they left things with her, it wouldn’t make sense if she became a field agent again. But maybe she could have a different job, at NCIS or somewhere else. I’d just like to have her back and see her regularly. It’s odd without her.

What do you think? Did you like Bishop? Can you see her as part of the “NCIS” team?

We’ll see how everything progresses. From what I understand, it’s on a two-week hiatus now. The next episode will be on December 10. I’m looking forward to “Devil’s  Triad.” In the past two years, “Devil’s Triangle” and “Devil’s Trifecta” have been some of my favorite episodes, so I have high hopes for this one.

Comments

3 responses to “NCIS Recap: Gut Check – 11×9”

    1. Dianne Lodder Avatar
      Dianne Lodder

      Hi Dan,
      Thank you for your comment.

      I’m sorry that you feel so disappointed about NCIS/Ellie Bishop. I don’t like her like I liked Ziva. I loved Ziva. But I’m trying to be positive. Remember this was only the introduction of the character. Hopefully, in time, the character will become rounder and there will be lots of interesting things to learn about her.
      I agree that issues with Tony need to be worked out. His character and Ziva’s were so interlinked that Tony is a bit lost now. In my opinion, they should not try to resolve this by finding him another woman. That would be totally unrealistic.

      Btw. I’m not sure if you’re saying that Harmon and Glasberg wanted Ziva gone but I don’t think that was the case. I believe there were issues between CBS and Cote regarding her contract. I don’t think Mark Harmon and Gary Glasberg had anything to do with this.

      Anyway, I hope that you will be able to enjoy NCIS once again. Like you, I absolutely dislike the fact that the show is now without Ziva but I could not stand to see the show as a whole fail. I do hope things will improve (preferably with a return of some kind of Ziva’s character).

  1. dan Avatar
    dan

    After seeing “Gut Check” episode…I am very unimpressed with the character “Ellie Bishop.” She plays a stereo-typical blonde MENSA ditsy nerd with good looks.

    A polar opposite of the character “Ziva” who became the strong female nightmare of producers Harmon and Glasberg who simply wanted to be paid what she is worh in “Q.”

    The rumors of a ZIVA spin off are welcomed, because I am not watching NCIS with the way it has cast Wickersham and for the inane dialogue for characters Tony, McGhee, etc…

    “Tony” has been reduced to a parody of himself in comic book character form…

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