8.17 Recap - MW's debut as director 01/03/11

'NCIS' Season 8, Episode 17 Recap by Allison Waldman, posted Mar 1st 2011 11:45PM ['NCIS' - 'One Last Score'] For a change of pace, 'NCIS' resorted to a 'ripped from the headlines' angle to tell tonight's story. In this case, it was a female Bernie Madoff type, with the nasty elements of Leona Helmsley tossed in, as well. In fact, her name was Leona Phelps. But even though there were a couple of knifed bodies involved in the case, the key word to describe what was going on was 'heist.' Michael Weatherly stepped behind the camera to direct the show, his first 'NCIS,' and he deserves kudos all around. Not only was the episode well-acted and well-paced, but the tone was right on target. This wasn't a heavy dramatic tale, and Weatherly made sure to keep the action hopping, the dialogue sharp, the camera moving and the editing crisp. In fact, in many ways, the episode reflected Weatherly's acting style -- charming, convincing and compelling. There were also a few interesting plot points in the story telling, like the fact that NCIS has not been immune to the recession. The first murder victim was a temporary employee who had been given his pink slip because of NCIS cutbacks. There were also jabs at the Phelps character, whose greed had caused hundreds of people to lose their life savings. When Gibbs watched the DVDs of a few victims of the Phelps Fund scam, it was hard to not be moved by their plight. Just like Madoff, Phelps had stolen from the retirement funds of people who'd trusted her to protect their money. What I enjoyed most in the show was the plethora of topical references throughout. That was a definite Weatherly touch. In autopsy, Dr. Mallard and Tony fondly recalled 'Psycho' while Mr. Palmer harvested the organs from a dead body. Hitchcock would have enjoyed the irony of that, although he might have had Tony eating a turkey leg at the same time. And was it just a coincidence that in the previous scenes McGee, Ziva and Tony were all fixated on the question of showers and who takes them when and where? I think not. At the warehouse filled with Phelps' ill-gotten loot, Tony referenced Xanadu from 'Citizen Kane,' and the director cut to a shot of a sled! And when Gibbs realized that Leona's desk was the focus of the heist -- which had already happened! -- Ziva waxed eloquently about the fact that it had been novelist William Faulkner's desk. While I ate up all these allusions, I did wonder if viewers were getting them. Perhaps Weatherly had it in mind to get people Googling Steve McQueen, 'The Big Sleep,' 'Bullitt,' Jewison, et al.? While most of the episode hit all the right notes, the introduction of a new NCIS team felt awkward. Only the team leader was presented, Special Agent EJ Barrett, played by Sarah Jane Morris of 'Brothers & Sisters,' but you know there's a story behind her presence there. We've only been given rudimentary facts so far, including that she took the assignment that Tony turned down a few years back. EJ attracted Tony's attention immediately, but Gibbs didn't seem to like or trust her, so right there we have a problem. But it was Tony's shower scene finale with EJ that really felt forced. It remains to be seen if she is what she says she is or something else entirely. We'll know soon because she's going to be on the show for the rest of the season. Weatherly's direction had to include a chase, right? Through Tony, he'd been tipping his hand about an eventual car chase from the moment he slipped on the Steve McQueen sunglasses that were in the warehouse. As filmed, the chase wasn't as long and complicated as McQueen in 'Bullitt,' but it had zest. And the close up on Mark Harmon's baby blues in the middle of the action was a tip of the cap to the late, great McQueen. Also to be commended for her performance in the episode is JoBeth Williams as Leona. She was superb as the cold-hearted *****, which is a far cry from her more familiar sympathetic screen image in movies like 'Poltergeist.' 'NCIS' airs Tuesdays at 8PM ET on CBS.

'NCIS' Season 8, Episode 17 Recap

by Allison Waldman, posted Mar 1st 2011 11:45PM

['NCIS' - 'One Last Score']

For a change of pace, 'NCIS' resorted to a 'ripped from the headlines' angle to tell tonight's story. In this case, it was a female Bernie Madoff type, with the nasty elements of Leona Helmsley tossed in, as well. In fact, her name was Leona Phelps.

But even though there were a couple of knifed bodies involved in the case, the key word to describe what was going on was 'heist.'

Michael Weatherly stepped behind the camera to direct the show, his first 'NCIS,' and he deserves kudos all around. Not only was the episode well-acted and well-paced, but the tone was right on target.

This wasn't a heavy dramatic tale, and Weatherly made sure to keep the action hopping, the dialogue sharp, the camera moving and the editing crisp. In fact, in many ways, the episode reflected Weatherly's acting style -- charming, convincing and compelling.

There were also a few interesting plot points in the story telling, like the fact that NCIS has not been immune to the recession. The first murder victim was a temporary employee who had been given his pink slip because of NCIS cutbacks.

There were also jabs at the Phelps character, whose greed had caused hundreds of people to lose their life savings. When Gibbs watched the DVDs of a few victims of the Phelps Fund scam, it was hard to not be moved by their plight. Just like Madoff, Phelps had stolen from the retirement funds of people who'd trusted her to protect their money.

What I enjoyed most in the show was the plethora of topical references throughout. That was a definite Weatherly touch. In autopsy, Dr. Mallard and Tony fondly recalled 'Psycho' while Mr. Palmer harvested the organs from a dead body. Hitchcock would have enjoyed the irony of that, although he might have had Tony eating a turkey leg at the same time.

And was it just a coincidence that in the previous scenes McGee, Ziva and Tony were all fixated on the question of showers and who takes them when and where? I think not.

At the warehouse filled with Phelps' ill-gotten loot, Tony referenced Xanadu from 'Citizen Kane,' and the director cut to a shot of a sled! And when Gibbs realized that Leona's desk was the focus of the heist -- which had already happened! -- Ziva waxed eloquently about the fact that it had been novelist William Faulkner's desk.

While I ate up all these allusions, I did wonder if viewers were getting them. Perhaps Weatherly had it in mind to get people Googling Steve McQueen, 'The Big Sleep,' 'Bullitt,' Jewison, et al.?

While most of the episode hit all the right notes, the introduction of a new NCIS team felt awkward. Only the team leader was presented, Special Agent EJ Barrett, played by Sarah Jane Morris of 'Brothers & Sisters,' but you know there's a story behind her presence there. We've only been given rudimentary facts so far, including that she took the assignment that Tony turned down a few years back.

EJ attracted Tony's attention immediately, but Gibbs didn't seem to like or trust her, so right there we have a problem. But it was Tony's shower scene finale with EJ that really felt forced. It remains to be seen if she is what she says she is or something else entirely. We'll know soon because she's going to be on the show for the rest of the season.

Weatherly's direction had to include a chase, right? Through Tony, he'd been tipping his hand about an eventual car chase from the moment he slipped on the Steve McQueen sunglasses that were in the warehouse.

As filmed, the chase wasn't as long and complicated as McQueen in 'Bullitt,' but it had zest. And the close up on Mark Harmon's baby blues in the middle of the action was a tip of the cap to the late, great McQueen.

Also to be commended for her performance in the episode is JoBeth Williams as Leona. She was superb as the cold-hearted *****, which is a far cry from her more familiar sympathetic screen image in movies like 'Poltergeist.'

'NCIS' airs Tuesdays at 8PM ET on CBS.

Sorgiña	Latest page update: made by Sorgiña , Mar 2 2011, 8:05 AM EST (about this update About This Update Moved from: Michael Weatherly Fan Site - Sorgiña No content added or deleted. - complete history)
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8.17 One Last Score - MW's debut as director (01/03/11)

Mar 29 2011, 11:02 PM EDT by le_bibliothecaire

Thread started: Mar 2 2011, 8:08 AM EST Watch

Last night's episode was MW's debut as a director on the series. Do you agree with the recap above? Do you think he did well / bad / regular?
What's your opinion about his capacity as a director. Rates have yet to come out so it should be interesting to see what US audiences thought of the ep.

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