Glad to have NCIS whose members seem like family in a way, address something that has been such a huge nightmare in all our lives this past year. Emotional. Not only JImmy losing his wife to COVID, which was handled really expertly, with grace and sensitivity, but also the hints of Sloan leaving. I swear when Sloan told Gibbs she was thinking of leaving, it seemed as though Harmon had a tough time holding it together. On a more upbeat note, Nick and Emily seem to be most of the way towards hooking up. They were arm in arm at the show's ending scene with Jimmy reading his love letter to Breena. This COVID thing has been a long slog, with still more to go. Lost a favorite aunt to it on New Year's Day, it doesn't feel good. Shows like this help.
22 Reviews
Stages of Grief
jimspencer721 February 2021
A very personal time for Gibbs and Palmer, with Gibbs one of only a few who can pull it off, and which most people can relate to, and a new side of Nick is seen. A 10 star rating, lest the subtle references to gun control, but admittedly was done tastefully!
stop watching if you don't like it. It's really. That. Simple...
KristenBellFourEver10 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This episode really hit all the feels . I was wondering when they would introduce Covid 19 into the storyline and it was just as gut wrenching as what we are truly living in. JImmy grieving his wife's death is exactly what people are facing in our world today. We have a barrage of people getting sick and our overall death rate in America is soring, not just due to the pandemic but opioids and suicide/homicides. Shows should reflect what is happening in the real world, just as Law and ORder has done for many years now.
Fantastic episode overall, very emotional and I can't wait to see how they write out Mario Bello's character next week. She's grown on me in the last season or so while at first I found her kind of pointless. This season has gotten off to a fantastic start.
Oh, and read my review title.
Fantastic episode overall, very emotional and I can't wait to see how they write out Mario Bello's character next week. She's grown on me in the last season or so while at first I found her kind of pointless. This season has gotten off to a fantastic start.
Oh, and read my review title.
Again
degaswilson14 April 2021
Stories are topical
Suz__Leigh10 February 2021
Enough with the negative reviews over a story line that deals with current events. NCIS routinely deals with (and truth be told, exaggerates the frequency of) cases of espionage, terrorism, bio warfare, bombings, gang violence, drugs, spouse killings, kidnappings, etc., etc., etc. All acts of violence, mayhem, and/or other life altering events that are routinely in the news. It's actually more disconcerting watching TV shows which totally ignore a global health event that has affected so many in so many ways. NCIS treatment of COVID was appropriate, touching, and demonstrated a view of military operations which very much take COVID seriously.
Brian Dietzen made me cry
afaloon18 February 2022
Warning: Spoilers
That doesn't happen very often... A truefully moving scene with Mark Harmon. Brian managed to crack Jimmy open with such an honest sadness. I believe it is one of the most influential scenes to explore how some men deal with greiving and loss.
If you want total fiction read a book
geeforce00523 September 2021
We all have fallen in love with NCIS because they highlight real world situations, drugs, war, terrorism, 9/11,kidnappings, trafficking, murder, suicide, racism, etc, so why wouldn't they highlight the Covid pandemic? The show might be fictitious, but it's based on real world events. If you're looking for a fictional escape, watch Star Wars or something.
Loss has always been a part of this show
jeneroo13 February 2021
The negative nannies can just suck it. This has always been a show that dealt with loss, difficult losses. Heart wrenching ones where everything isn't peachy, full of rainbows and sunshine. Sure, we watch shows to escape but also we want to see the gamut of human emotions so we can feel, if only vicariously through these actors and material. They did a great job this episode and I loved crying it out with them.
Simply the best!
jose-8128717 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This episode just showed why NCIS is my all time favorite TV series. How can you still have such a great and touching episode that brought rare tears to my eyes, after more than 400 episodes over 18 seasons? This show just keeps finding new ways to amaze its viewers!
I don't want news
neverenoughgold10 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Sad to hear Jimmy Palmer's loss, but I am tired of reading and hearing about losses due to covid. All of us have only to watch or read the daily news to hear about deaths and destruction due to this horrible virus!
That being said, this is a fictitious TV show! It is entertainment and for the past 18 years my wife and I enjoyed watching the show without direct connections to the real world! This is what entertainment is about, and if the writers cannot come up with entertaining story lines without looking for the daily news reports, then maybe it's time to call it quits!
If I want to read about covid, I only want to get the data from my daily news sources. I want entertainment from NCIS, and that doesn't mean watching more crap about the tragedies of covid!
Please, don't be a peanut.
cjfc-112 February 2021
Plenty of peanuts writing reviews criticising this episode for daring to be set in the current environment.
These people obviously never watched, well, dozens of the old episodes. About chasing Al Qaeda, or other terrorist issues.
(Or they're just brainwashed by some idiot.)
This episode was very touching.
So please, enjoy it. And don't be a peanut.
These people obviously never watched, well, dozens of the old episodes. About chasing Al Qaeda, or other terrorist issues.
(Or they're just brainwashed by some idiot.)
This episode was very touching.
So please, enjoy it. And don't be a peanut.
Great SJWs are now telling us how to review TV
faithless473422 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Great the SJW's have enter the reviews. The manner that they portray the convict and his complete and utter lack of understand the world is amazingly fake. They have TV and they have information from newly arriving convicts. They would have seen commercials about Alexa and about motion activated sinks. Chasing an agenda is one thing playing the audience for fools is another.
Some of the manner in which they portray the convict are very well done some are just foolish. The plot and storyline were left in the background and the SJW aspect of the show was made the center. What a shame that they have gone this far afield from entertainment.
I like the way they are using the masks. Not wearing them every second. The barber not having one on when they bust in on him to arrest him.
I like the way they talk to Jimmy about his wife.
They are just over doing the save the world aspect of the show.
Some of the manner in which they portray the convict are very well done some are just foolish. The plot and storyline were left in the background and the SJW aspect of the show was made the center. What a shame that they have gone this far afield from entertainment.
I like the way they are using the masks. Not wearing them every second. The barber not having one on when they bust in on him to arrest him.
I like the way they talk to Jimmy about his wife.
They are just over doing the save the world aspect of the show.
Emotional, but missed the mark.
Taylorg556 April 2022
Warning: Spoilers
First off I have to point out I watched this for the first time in April of '22, so that colors a lot of the covid stuff that was in this episode. Knowing what we know now about the virus a lot of the steps taken in the show were honestly quite funny. That aside my biggest disappointment with this episode is about Breena's death.
First, Brian Dietzen/Jimmy was great as always, he is easily one of my favorites on this show. He knocked it out of the park. My issue comes with the show dropping a bomb like a close side characters death out of nowhere. I get we hadn't seen her for awhile, but still. All of the sudden she is just dead and from covid no less? The odds of someone like Breena's character dying from covid are almost literally zero. A young, healthy(as far as we know) person, I don't buy it. It rang false for me and made what was again, a very well acted and emotional scene miss the mark for me.
First, Brian Dietzen/Jimmy was great as always, he is easily one of my favorites on this show. He knocked it out of the park. My issue comes with the show dropping a bomb like a close side characters death out of nowhere. I get we hadn't seen her for awhile, but still. All of the sudden she is just dead and from covid no less? The odds of someone like Breena's character dying from covid are almost literally zero. A young, healthy(as far as we know) person, I don't buy it. It rang false for me and made what was again, a very well acted and emotional scene miss the mark for me.
Powerful ending
ashepreston15 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A average 43 minutes, followed by a powerful 2 minutes. Kudos to the writers for making a bold statement and giving the viewers a couple of moments to walk in the shoes of those that have had their lives turned upside down.
The hints are explained.
koohii18 April 2023
There have been suggestions since the season started that Jimmy Palmer was being brave, but this episode finally explains why. And it does so perfectly.
Some of the bits are a bit implausible--inmates can know about current tech from TV, if nothing else, even if they never expected to be able to use it. Also, the convict hiding his daughter's existence for so long was a way over-the-top stretch.
The episode may not be 100% perfect, but it was good escapist fun, which is a damned sight more than I can say for most TV these days. (Hey, when are Star Wars and Star Trek going to be put into the hands of someone who actually respects the fans and the history of the shows?)
Some of the bits are a bit implausible--inmates can know about current tech from TV, if nothing else, even if they never expected to be able to use it. Also, the convict hiding his daughter's existence for so long was a way over-the-top stretch.
The episode may not be 100% perfect, but it was good escapist fun, which is a damned sight more than I can say for most TV these days. (Hey, when are Star Wars and Star Trek going to be put into the hands of someone who actually respects the fans and the history of the shows?)
Thank God they are wearing
inhgrngp3 March 2021
I'm so tired of actors not wearing masks! Thank you for wearing masks on this show. Our lives have changed forever and I'm so glad they are showing the reality of what is happening. I'm relived to see the everyday struggles and how they are dealing with them. We had far fewer deaths on 9/11 and they have addressed the pain, losses, and real world changes lots of times. BRAVO!
Sudden Covid is a bit jarring
fmbr-17 March 2024
While I like this episode, it's a strange one. The episode before, nothing about Covid and Jimmy is fine. This one, suddenly Jimmy's wife is dead from Covid and there is Covid messaging everywhere. There are signs on the elevator, hand sanitiser everywhere, even marks on the floor to keep people apart. There is a shield in the interrogation room and everyone is taking off and putting on masks. I'm fine with the Covid messaging but the suddenness is astonishing. I lived through Covid and while there were all of the things in this episode I remember it being a little more gradual than this.
Other than this jarring thing though, the episode is pretty good. Certainly worth watching and one of the better ones.
Other than this jarring thing though, the episode is pretty good. Certainly worth watching and one of the better ones.
No masks
HolycowHarry10 February 2021
The media and politicians pound COVID nonstop...a quality show does not need to include that reference or the wearing of masks. Example: Blue Bloods is mask free.
TV is meant to be escapism from daily problems, not rehash the obvious.
Ditch the masks... one of the greats is leaving
totospot12 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I agree with those that say get rid of the masks. Yes COVID is a thing but TV is meant to be an escape from reality. I watch TV so I don't have to think about all this junk. I don't want it on the things I watch too. I love NCIS but I like it as a break from the stuff in the world and on the news.
I am disappointed Jack is leaving, she's one of my favorites. I too am curious how they end up having her exit. I hope it'll be in a way she can come back and visit on the show again sometime.
Not very good
harrykivi24 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
"The First Day" is unfortunately my least favorite of the season so far. It's not awful, but does contain some pretty bizarre writing decisions.
Let's start with the good.
. The production values of the episode are great as usual. The direction's decent, the music fits the scenery and while not all of the performances are very good, Maria Bello, Mark Harmon and especially Brian Dietzen come off great.
. There are some moving scenes in "The First Day", a few jokes and twists do work.
But...
. The mystery is a generic one, something one has seen dozens of times before. The references to Covid did not help and weren't funny. The conclusion is kind of stupid as well. I don't get why Jimmy's wife was killed off. The writing decision came out of nowhere and felt forced.
Overall, not very good.
4/10 HK.
Let's start with the good.
. The production values of the episode are great as usual. The direction's decent, the music fits the scenery and while not all of the performances are very good, Maria Bello, Mark Harmon and especially Brian Dietzen come off great.
. There are some moving scenes in "The First Day", a few jokes and twists do work.
But...
. The mystery is a generic one, something one has seen dozens of times before. The references to Covid did not help and weren't funny. The conclusion is kind of stupid as well. I don't get why Jimmy's wife was killed off. The writing decision came out of nowhere and felt forced.
Overall, not very good.
4/10 HK.
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