Reviewer Rating: 4/5.0
4
It’s become obvious why NCIS: Origins’ title is plural. The series is as much about the main character as it is about the people around Gibbs.
Somehow, we get a clearer picture of Gibbs’ past and his new vulnerable side. However, his performance in this episode is better than in any other episode to date.
For a show that’s very macho, “NCIS: Origins” does a great job of balancing that with honest expressions of emotion.
When Gibbs brought his daughter’s old toys to play with Mildred, he burst into tears and I broke down.
It says so much about him that he was willing to give up something so precious for another child in need. Gibbs may come off as cold and aloof, but this action shows us the true size of his heart.
Mary Jo was a force of nature with heels high enough to touch Jesus
It’s nice to see Mary Jo acting as a surrogate instead of a shared secretary for everyone.
I know I’ve been raving about the show since the premiere review of NCIS: Origins and thought Mary Jo’s character was a trope and cliche, but I still love her.
She has some of the best improv lines. I laughed when she commented on Wheeler hijacking the announcement she was trying to make to any civilians who wanted to help find Mildred.
Also, did you see how high her heels were when she was making Mildred’s sandwiches? Only the worst of the worst would go to work wearing heels high enough to touch Jesus.
Mary Jo is a force of nature and I’m not surprised for one second that she didn’t have a scratch on her body after the killer tried to attack her.
This was great news for everyone because if anything happened to Mary Jo, I was ready to lose it. Now I know I don’t have to worry because that woman doesn’t joke.
It wouldn’t hurt if Franks remembered that the next time he wanted her to be a witness because they had the same skin color.
I’m not here to be the politically correct police, nor do I want to be. That’s why I’m not going to criticize Franks (Kyle Schmid) for his reasoning, and I’ll tell you exactly why.
While Mack’s comments were as subtle as a shotgun, there’s no doubt that Franks is a family man. To him, his team is his family.
And, while his reasoning is rather basic, he’s not wrong. Children need familiarity to feel safe, and considering everything Mildred has been through, this is the right choice.
This made the little girl comfortable enough to play soccer with Mary Jo. Frank needs to remember to respect Mary Jo’s name, though.
Having said that, Franks gave us one of the best offers to date and one I will never forget. “Deader than a strip club on Mother’s Day.” I mean, that’s poetry.
At this point, NCIS: Origins feels as much as it does about Franks and Gibbs.
Gibbs finally reaches a much-needed turning point
We should all give Gibbs a big round of applause because he really kept it together in this episode.
If you’ve read the spoilers for NCIS: Origins Season 1 Episode 4, you know that I fully expected Gibbs to completely fail on this case.
Honestly, it seems like that’s where the story is going, considering it starts with a flashback of Gibbs receiving the news that his wife and daughter were murdered.
The writers were dirty about it. At least give the audience a hint before bringing them to tears.
There were so many tear-worthy moments in this episode that it was a miracle I still had any water left in my body.
I think we’re seeing a turning point for Gibbs. He could give away one of his daughter’s favorite toys and even recount his loss in full view of staff.
People throughout the precinct are walking on eggshells around him, but he still seems to be able to hold it together and know his limits.
Still, the scene where Mary Jo comforts him as he brings Mildred a toy is devastating.
I don’t know if it was because he was a slightly intimidating person, but seeing Gibbs cry was like seeing a parent cry. There’s no easy way to deal with it.
But the pain he must feel when he comes across a case reminds him of his recent loss, and being able to overcome it to handle the case says a lot about the man.
Gibbs may be ready to move on, but his journey has just begun
A talented young actress named Hattie Hoskins brought Maddie to life and she was a miracle. The child cried a lot when he was told. This is absolutely incredible.
Mildred has many lines, and Hoskins delivers them with complete restraint of emotion. If anyone knows Hoskins’ agent, tell them to start running for an Emmy.
We see another side of Gibbs (Austin Stowell) as he sings with Mildred while they work to find the killer. It’s hard to imagine Mark Harmon achieving the same results as the older Gibbs.
It works here because the man we’ve known for so long is not the same man he was just after his family was murdered and he just signed on for this job.
One wonders why a show like Origins is necessary, but the chance to see Gibbs as the newly minted, fragile husband and father adds a lot of context to the older Gibbs and goes far beyond what we saw in the Navy Any flashbacks from CID.
It was incredibly emotional watching Gibbs and Mildred sing Whitney Houston while tears rolled down the little girl’s cheeks.
The whole episode is full of emotions, filled with tears of happiness and tears of sadness. Furthermore, we’re promised that moment will irrevocably change Gibbs’ life.
After the murders of his wife and daughter, Gibbs is disoriented and unable to anchor, eventually accepting Franks’ outstretched hand to pull him out of despair.
When he shows up at the Franks’ door, it’s more than a simple gesture on his part; it’s a sign of his willingness to be part of the family again.
This was an important turning point in Gibb’s life. It’s amazing we got there so quickly, but that doesn’t mean he still has a lot of work to do to get over his pain.
Now that Gibbs is ready to accept help and make real connections, the real hard work will begin to rebuild his life so that he can become the person we know him to be.
Yes, I mention this in every review and spoiler for NCIS: Origins, but Mariel Molino (Promised Land)’s Agent Dominguez does more than just serve as How else should this be incorporated into Gibbs’ story besides being a co-worker?
We’re four episodes in, and while the character is great and very good at her job, I’ve yet to see her make a significant impact on Gibbs’ life. I guess we’ll just have to keep watching.
NCIS: Origins is breathing new life into an established piece of history. Austin Stowell and the rest of the cast have done a great job with the show so far, but there’s still a lot of material to be mined.
Where’s Randy? He is both cute and capable. He doesn’t bring the same intensity to every room as Gibbs, but adds a much-needed levity to the show.
If the rest of the first season of CBS’ NCIS: Origins is anything like the first four episodes, I’d say we’ll have a lot to look forward to.
What best illustrates the tone of the coming episodes is the impending arrival of one of the defining moments in Gibbs’ life – the moment when Gibbs finally finds the killers of his wife and daughter.
Just thinking about it is enough to make one shudder.
But what do you think? Does Gibbs give a good performance in the aptly titled “All’s Not Lost”?
How do you think Agent Lara will impact Gibbs’ story?
Leave a comment below to let me know what you liked about this episode, and join me again when I review the next episode of NCIS: Origins!
Watch NCIS: Origins online
