NCIS Season 23 has brought some nostalgia, connecting back to the pasts of various characters.
That connection continues during NCIS Season 23 Episode 11, this time with some focus on Knight.
We even get a reminder of a character no longer around, but definitely not forgotten!
A Reminder of Where Knight Came From
As part of the REACT team, she would help smooth over situations to get hostages out and even help those who found themselves in over their heads.
To start NCIS Season 23 Episode 11, Knight is pulled into a CID case because someone specifically asked for her.
Not someone in CID, though. The man who was creating a hostage situation in a room full of explosives needed her help.
Sure enough, we get that reminder of where Knight came from, and she hasn’t lost her skills as a negotiator.
Did we ever think she would? Her negotiation skills have been vital for the team on numerous cases, including when it came to listening to Bishop just an episode earlier.
Looking back on Knight’s background before joining the team ties into a recurring theme in NCIS Season 23.
We’ve been reminded of McGee’s past with his books, and Torres got some closure during the previous episode. There was also a chance for Parker to gain some closure, as he figured out who Lily was.
There’s a sense of nostalgia within this season, bringing back a part of what made the series special in the first place.
And the case itself wasn’t weak, which is often the case with storylines that involve nostalgia.
Instead, we got to see Knight’s heart as she fought for a way to prove her former informant’s innocence, even when it could cost her own freedom.
There were questions about who was involved in the drug and murder situation, and Knight was willing to put her job on the line, even though she was angry that it came to that.
I was never worried about Knight losing her security clearance for long or being arrested, but I found myself intrigued by how she would save herself — or how the team would work together to save her.
Part of that was seeing that there wasn’t a turf war between the CID and NCIS. There were signs that it could have, and in fact, up to the end, I thought that it would do.
Showing that the two sides working together can get the job done much better proves a point. Having these turf wars doesn’t benefit anyone, least of all the real victims.
I’d love to see more episodes like these where different departments work together.
Seeing Knight find a way to work with CID reminded me of Fornell and Gibbs, further deepening the episode’s nostalgia.
On top of that, most NCIS episodes are easy to figure out, but this episode didn’t go the traditional route.
The real criminal is always introduced early on, so I went down the rabbit hole of a mole in CID. I didn’t see the ending coming until it happened, and it made me watch the episode again to see if I’d missed a clue.
There wasn’t one. Sometimes, I think there needs to be a bit of a clue somewhere along the way, but this episode worked extremely well without it.
It became more of a fun surprise by the end, breaking the mold of usual episodes.
Add in the fact that Knight’s informant survived being shot, and we got an episode that stands out.
This episode shows just why NCIS is still going strong 23 seasons later. It’s not afraid to do something different every now and then, but there is also a beauty in the tried-and-tested formula.
Kasie Reminds Us There’s More to Forensic Science
I do think it’s time for a Kasie-centric episode on NCIS Season 23, and this episode proves that.
Most of the time, we see Kasie stepping in with some tech help. She is running facial recognition scans, fingerprints, and other forensic evidence through a computer, but this episode steps back from that.
We get that reminder that there is more to forensic science than computers. Blood spatter is still important, and I felt like I was in an episode of CSI rather than NCIS for a minute — and not in a bad way.
Kasie is resourceful, and we all know that, but the show sometimes forgets to show it. During this episode, she stands out as the most useful member of the team.
While her supplies are on backorder, she grabs building supplies to run mock tests to check on blood splatter. It tells Kasie — and NCIS and CID — that they have the wrong guy. Ryan didn’t kill his friend.
Sometimes, a good old-fashioned test like this is more important than any information technology can offer, and there needs to be more focus on that.
Surely, whenever there are questionable murders, it would be best to pull out the dummy and the paint.
There used to be. I swear, Abby did more hands-on checks, despite being the techy member of the team, and somewhere along the lines, the show has forgotten that.
Speaking of Abby, having McGee mention her and how he created a code for her added the icing on the nostalgia cake.
Kasie was not going to let Knight lose her job, as everyone feared that she was being railroaded into some sort of framework, and she went out of her way to prove that.
McGee was the only other person really looking for ways to help Knight rather than going through the same evidence.
Parker pushed for Vance to protect one of their own, but he didn’t seem to work any magic, which was somewhat surprising. You would think he could have used some of his former FBI contacts.
However, I’m going to let the episode off, because if Parker did use his contacts, we wouldn’t have had the Kasie or McGee moments.
He also put up a fight to protect Knight, so he wasn’t exactly twiddling his thumbs.
While bringing back nostalgia, NCIS also serves as a reminder of teamwork. Every single member is important, even those who don’t go into the field.
Yes, even Vance. Something seems to be going on with him in recent episodes, but he did step up in the end to help protect Knight.
Like with Kasie, we need a Vance-centric episode to focus on why he’s been a little more by-the-book recently.
It’s not just this episode; I’ve noticed it before, but it was worse than in previous instances.
Are budget cuts getting to him? After all, if CID is rumored to be closing, he could be worried about the same thing happening to NCIS.
That could certainly make him need to run by the book the whole time, and it’s why we need an episode focused on him.
NCIS Season 23 Episode 11 brought some great nostalgic moments in fresh ways, and I look forward to how the rest of this season continues in that vein.
Just two seasons ago, this was a show I didn’t watch live. I didn’t feel the need to, and I’d catch up in batches. Now, it’s become must-watch viewing, and I’m impressed.