NCIS (TV Series) Gut Punch (2021) User Reviews

Wasn't this story done last year?

[Saving21 · 6/10 · 7 April 2021]

Last year, after the team helped Ziva, Vans banished them to evidence storage and from their punishment they helped solve a case. Like this episode, what an original idea! NOT !!

The team deserved punishment but It should have been done differently bc it was just stupid and made our crew act like children.

The plot itself wasn't bad, it was actually interesting and it was connected to their line of work and to what is going on in the world .But linking it with their punishment and the all new team VS our crew made the story less effective. The all rivalry between the teams was bad with bad acting . The actor playing agent Sawyer was really bad especially in his rivalry scene with Toress and NCIS never had bad acting moments before.

It's really disappointing to me that the case , that can hurt Gibs entire career is bc of animal abuse and not something that IS NCIS! What a lazy writing .

A lame way to get rid of gibbs...

[LittleStorpingInTheSwuff · 6/10 · 11 April 2021]

If that's what the writers/producers are leading up to. Gibbs murdered a Mexican national in Mexico just before joining NCIS (or maybe it was still NIS at the time) and he's given a pass on that, even after he admitted it to his team. He also falsified evidence in "Family Secret" (season 3 episode 16). And in "Iced" (season 3 episode 19) he shared evidence with gang members, which is a no-no, to influence them to kill their boss. I'm sure there were other times when he crossed line but was given a pass.

So now they are going to use an assault and battery to get rid of him (if that is what all this is leading up to)? That is so lame.

A Stupid Way To Treat Gibbs

[spikeluvr · 6/10 · 7 April 2021]

I've read that Mark Harmon wants to end NCIS perhaps next season. If so, tonight's episode might be the first step towards the end of the Gibbs character. What a lousy way to finish his storyline. No one loses their job over punching an animal abuser. In the federal government you have to practically kill someone to get fired. So it's simply not believable. If they want Gibbs out why not just retire him or give him some sort of dignified exit. This seems cheap and hastily thought out. I enjoyed the team working without Gibbs for a change, especially agent Tyler. She'd make a great addition to the team and they should consider having her replace Gibbs if Harmon wants out.

Doesn't make sense

[frenchdi · 7/10 · 27 August 2021]

With all the compassion shown Kassi since she joined, where does she get off with her no pity zone attutude? As always the acting is superb but the writing is weird this season

As ala.

Is Gibbs headed for the last vocational round-up?

[Carycomic · 10/10 · 7 April 2021]

The flip side of his (not-entirely unjustified) actions against the fight-dog breeder make themselves known tonight.

On the one hand, we have Bishop, Torres, and McGee relegated to what should be a humbling duty --COVID compliance officers at a diplomatic function--as punishment for lying to the Inspector General on Gibbs' behalf. Something Gibbs himself was realistic enough to order them not to do! But, in the process of grinning and bearing it, they find some disquieting evidence with regard to a murder being investigated by their interim replacements.

On the other hand, we have Gibbs being hounded (no pun--initially-intended) by a reporter played by Mark Harmon's real-life wife, Pam Dawber. She wants his side of the story. But, Vance has been ordered to keep all of his employees' mouths closed while the press are present. Something that Gibbs, in all fairness, honestly tries to do, at first. Yet, wouldn't you know it?

She knows all about boat engines.

So, Gibbs talks to her...taking all the responsibility for what he did on himself. Which, of course, makes Vance understandably peeved. Forcing him to all-but-outright threaten Gibbs with being fired. That, in turn, makes me speculate where the rest of this season is headed. Namely; a break-for-the summer cliff-hanger that keeps us asking until the fall: will Gibbs be forced into retirement?

Different but good - somehow

[lillithtauri · 8/10 · 7 April 2021]

Here my two cents for the ep last night - season 18x11 First of all, I liked the ep. For me it answered some questions about how would NCIS survive if Mark left - my answer, it wouldn't. There is no team when he's not there, no glue that holds the whole cast together.

I felt his absence in every scene with the team, the dynamic was shattered. There were actors that worked together but without the spark they all have when Mark is around.

The two new additions - let's hope they are not around for long. She was a bit lame, I think, is the expression and he was so over the top with his behavior that it could have been a comedy when it was not the show I love and it reminded me a bit of a Fanfiction I read with the title Baltimore from maleshka.

What really worked beautifully was Pam's appearance and her interaction with her husband. You felt the bond they share even if they had to play a bit the adversaries. They did good and the two looked great. Happy to see what is in store for the two characters.

So all in all it was a really interesting ep and I'm a bit annoyed that next week we have a rerun instead of learning what happens in the world of our NCIS with Marcie and Gibbs and the trouble Gibbs is in.

18 Years....and a first!

[jerry-26171 · 2/10 · 7 April 2021]

Yes, I came close to turning this episode off. Worst one ever written. (Side note: Never have been a fan of the Torres character.....arrogant with no class. Tony was arrogant but was a class act. I can live with Torres though, I just ignore him). However I can't and won't ignore Special Agent Dale Sawyer. If he ever appears again, the TV is off. If he becomes a regular, I'm done. The shame of the whole thing is I probably won't miss the show, the writing has continually gone down hill for some years. I do miss the "good ol' days". The second star is for the carb line of Pams!

Great episode

[confidential-67897 · 10/10 · 10 April 2021]

It's weird that every time a show like NCIS has a female black actress or mentions COVID, or anything to do with BLM the right right wing basement dwelling trolls come out to give it 1 star. Get a life guys.

Terrible Exit

[jimspencer7 · 5/10 · 10 April 2021]

For having been 1 of the top TV shows from its very 1st episode til the latest, the path the writers seem to be taking Gibbs is at best his being a disgraced ex NCIS agent. Gibbs has been and always will be the glue that made the show what it is. From hero to goat is not even befitting our weekly hero and giving him his just due. Ziva was a huge loss, the show goes on, DiNozzo leaves, the show rebounds, Abby leaves and the show is nearly crippled, and now if Gibbs leaves, especially in disgrace, NCIS is mortally wounded and DOA.

Still the best

[mdfaught · 10/10 · 8 April 2021]

Best show ever. Well written. Great actors. It will be a sad day when this juggernaut leaves.

Pettiness

[M0E_Szyslak · 2/10 · 10 May 2021]

The current writers assume that we haven't watched any previous episodes, the shear hell that these characters have gone through in the past including stopping domestic terror, saving Vances kids etc etc and they play petty politics over a nothing charge to the point that Vance would rather Sec Def die than him put his best team on it.

Utter nonsense.

NCIS has jumped the shark

[Johnny_West · 1/10 · 6 May 2021]

Agent Gibbs has been re-written as some kind of idiot who wants to get fired and lose his pension by admitting to a reporter (Pam Dawber) that he beat up a guy who was abusing dogs. In the past when Gibbs crossed the line, he did it in a smart way. Now Gibbs is determined to become a PETA martyr? A disgrace to NCIS? It is really horrible writing, especially since there is no rhyme or reason to what Gibbs is doing, and it is contrary to his character as a man who is never a quitter.

Torres, Bishop, and McGee are assigned to Covid compliance duty, and continue to meddle in a homicide case that was assigned to another team. This is not "Nancy Drew Mysteries" or "Murder She Wrote" where anyone can just join in on a murder investigation. As NCIS agents, what they were doing is totally ridiculous and against their code of conduct.

Even more ridiculous is that Bishop breaks the case because she notices the evil villain folding a napkin. Bishop sees a folded towel at the crime scene and Bishop realizes that who ever folded the towel must be the killer. Fortunately for NCIS, only one person on earth folds towels and napkins, so the case is a slam-dunk at trial.

Where are they getting "writers" from these days?

[d-robold · 2/10 · 30 April 2021]

Must be elementary school. The writing is terrible. The main characters have been reduced to acting like 5 year olds. I generally dislike Torres but compared to the horrible Agent Sawyer, he's really not that bad. Without Gibbs, this sorry mess is unwatchable. CBS has taken a good show and swept it into the sawdust on the floor of Gibbs' basement.

Didn't make it to the end.

[martyninoz · 2/10 · 19 April 2021]

A couple of new faces in this show. Some overly obnoxious white dude and a black chick that seems to be the leader of the night shift team, but doesn't seem to be able to put a leash on the obnoxious dude.

Seriously the Agent Sawyer character is so over the top wanna-smash-his-face annoying that it was impossible to watch through to the end.

It's a shame that the show is being disassembled in such a way to lead us to the inevitable conclusion of the series. It really makes a mockery of the level of quality entertainment that has seen this show last for 18 years.

Shame.

NCIS First - Two Bad Episodes in a Row

[buddybradley-22665 · 1/10 · 8 April 2021]

Turns out the rest of NCIS is a bunch of incompetent idiots and the Gibbs team is a bunch of rule breaking narcissists. Time to break up the whole agency and end the show. Our local PD would have fired these guys 10 times in this episode alone. Shame on everyone involved in the last 2 episodes.

Gut Punch

[bobcobb301 · 5/10 · 22 December 2021]

A weak episode here that is diminishing Gibbs role even more.

I think the show has no idea how to write anymore and just gets lucky some weeks. Really underwhelming.

Terrible!

[hdden · 1/10 · 23 May 2022]

Getting rid of Gibbs like this is stupid. Why not just let him retire, why ruin the show. If they keep that obnoxious Agent Sawyer, then this show is done. I had hoped Torres would deck him. Special Agent Tyler is supposed to be his supervisor and she can't control him because she's weak.

A real stinkeroo

[jacksprat-70058 · 2/10 · 10 April 2021]

It was ridiculously stupid. The direction was terrible the plot was stupid, and the script was really stupid. Pam Dawber cannot act. Sorry Pam. The plot line didn't even really make any sense and Rocky Carroll looked extremely dumb she couldn't figure out that the original team did all the work and figured everything out. And then allowed to second-team to take it. Even after the Secretary of Navy life was saved by Gibbs Torres and.

Its OK as long as you keep it in the family!

[fthomas-23110 · 1/10 · 15 May 2021]

So, nepotism is alive and well and living in NCIS. Harmon has destroyed this program; is accused of being the reason Pauley (Abi) left; now he gives his wife a job. She seems a nice enough person, but has had only two acting parts in the last 11 years. He obviously does not care, and wants to get all the cash he can before he finally buries the show.

WTF, senior agents on Covid duty, for the love of God, give us all a break!

Worst ever NCIS episode

[lathamv · 2/10 · 23 May 2022]

I couldnt even finish watching the last 20 min. The WHOLE episode (aside from the side plot of adding Pam Dawber into the cast) was about COVID compliance. As if the audience hasnt been dealing enough with it in real life, apparently our weekly dose of NCIS "entertainment" needed to be drown in it also. The conversations could have been about anything else (spy stuff, gibbs abscence, the murder, etc) but jabs against our country's healthcare system and how wonderful and secure euro NHS was SICKENING.

Adding a new SoD and 2 new agents would have been much more effective in a better quality, better written episode. While Agent Sawyer is an idiot and useless character, the other 2 could be great additions to the cast if they werent treated as pawns for the regular team in this episode.

Not good

[harrykivi · 3/10 · 30 September 2023]

The 18th season has been pretty rough the past few episodes. The season started off on a solid note, but after "1mm", the episodes have not been very good. "Gut Punch" is unfortunately yet another quite bad entry to the series. It's not as awful as "True Believer", but does not fall far behind.

Let's start with the good.

. The production values of the episode are great. The direction's good, the music fits the scenery and I did enjoy the performances for the most part.

. There are moments of intrigue here and there. Few jokes do hit. Liked they brought back agent Tyler.

But....

. The mystery is a predictable one, feeling like something one has seen many times before. There are some weird characters choices in this episode, Sawyer being the biggest ass. The COVID stuff is not clever or funny, rather stupid actually. The dialogue is very exposition-heavy at times and how they have handled Gibbs feels agreed out of character.

Overall, just not good.

3/10 HK.