Reviewer Rating: 4/5.0
4
The people behind NCIS: Origins should have titled this episode “Something About Mike Franks.” I think this guy felt pretty much every emotion under the sun in “Last Rites.”
Soon after meeting Franks, we discovered that he can be an acquired taste for some. So it’s no surprise that he manages to annoy others.
NCIS characters have big hearts. Unfortunately, his mouth was connected to his brain, and the thing was soaked in brown fluid. Still, it wouldn’t be NCIS: Origins without the franchise vet.
Before we get into that, let me first say that I was watching NCIS: Origins Season 1, Episode 5 thinking Franks had lost all of his sanity. However, by the end, I completely understood his point of view.
Mike Franks is the kind of guy who leads with his fists
Despite starting to see things from Mike’s perspective, it still has to be said that this man is crazier than a squirrel in a tree. Insanity, and what Hope did to Franks.
Some flashbacks that reveal Hope’s interactions with Mike over the past six years would make this episode even better.
This might be a little morbid, but is anyone else wondering what Hope told Mac that makes him so crazy? That guy is all kinds of creepy. How did Hope get married in the first place?
The strangest thing he did was how he disposed of the bodies. He buried them according to their religious beliefs. Is this considerate or is it just wrong on every level?
Let me save you some time. Murdering them eclipses even the slightest possibility of redemption. That guy is a monster. And he seems to be very good at inspiring others.
Remember when I said I ended up seeing things the way Franks (Kyle Schmid) does? That’s because Hope brazenly told the victim’s sister that she needed to forgive her sister for killing her.
Why? Because she drove her sister to a bar where she met a nice man. Yes, he is that crazy.
If you’re like me, that’s your turning point. That’s when you’re ready to strangle the character through television.
So, in that regard, I totally understand why Franks was ready to rip off Hope’s head.
But how awesome was it to watch Franks tell Hope that they finally discovered the location of Anna’s body before she died? That was so delicious, I wanted more.
As dramatic as NCIS: Origins was, you’d think they’d have Hope react. Oh well.
At least the case is closed and Franks can move on as he still has some cleaning up to do in his personal life.
No one can stay away from workplace drama in NCIS: Origins
It’s obvious why Mike Franks married Tish. Steel makes steel sharp. Did you see how quickly she shut him up? Oh my gosh, that is one touching lady.
I’m pretty sure there was fear in Mike’s eyes when she asked him how seriously he took the case. When he told her it was none of her business, I thought she was going to kill him on the spot.
However, the hostess’s answer was absolutely correct, when Mike brought it into her home, it was her business. Don’t worry Mike; Tish will correct his mistake.
We hope this comes sooner, as Mike seems to have a hard time talking and interacting with members of the opposite sex. Strickland was the biggest victim of this incident.
It’s unclear what went wrong with Franks and Strickland’s partnership. This was briefly discussed during the NCIS: Origins Season 1 premiere, but the details were vague.
In “Last Rites,” we see multiple turning points in their relationship. Vera said: “How can I be a partner with someone who can’t even see me when I enter the room?”
She asked a meaningful question, and we still don’t really get an answer to what happened. However, this may now be a moot point.
Franks ultimately helped Villa succeed and got Wheeler to approve Strickland’s analytical plan.
Little did they know, they were just bringing Gibbs one step closer to finding his family’s killer.
What ‘NCIS: Origins’ Needs Most Is an NIS Therapist
In NCIS: Origins Season 1, Episode 4, we saw the moment Gibbs received the news that his family had been killed. In that case, he made a decision and we finally saw the results.
During the battle Gibbs walked straight towards the enemy camp, hoping to be killed. There are no words to describe what a strong cry for help it was.
As Lara said of his psychological evaluation, Gibbs suffered from depression due to trauma, impulsivity and unresolved anger issues. So, we give him a gun and send him out to hunt down bad guys.
All that being said, this series clearly takes place in the 90s. It would be impossible to fly today.
At least Lala softened the news, revealing that she and Franks also had troubling evaluations. This brings Gibbs and Lara one step closer to their story.
However, he really flew into a rage when he pulled out a gun and pointed it at two Hispanic men in the truck. The visuals aren’t really great, but to be fair, those guys are misogynistic, racist assholes. They’ve gotten their wish.
Gibbs (Austin Stowell) definitely needs to see a therapist twice a week, but I guess fishing will be fine for now. I don’t think bass fishing will stop him or his plans.
NCIS: Origins could make or rewrite Gibbs’ history
NCIS: Origins does a great job of addressing what we know is coming. According to NCIS’ Gibbs, he eventually found the man who murdered his family and killed him.
Still, there may be more to the story than previously revealed. As Franks has Strickland build a file on the killer, we can see Gibbs hatching his plan at any moment.
Frankly, it doesn’t seem like Franks or Gibbs should be on the scene right now. Both men showed they needed to keep their heads above water.
There’s only so much Mary Jo can keep in her “treasury” for the team. Speaking of Mary Jo, I officially praise the character on NCIS: Origins.
If you’ve read previous reviews of the show, you’ll know that I criticized the show for using the cliche “black woman in executive is everyone’s secretary” trope. Mary Jo was not that woman.
Clearly, Mary Jo’s character is sensible and sane. Mary Jo has been providing all the comfort and sweet nothings to Mike or Gibbs in almost every episode so far.
However, I doubt she could convince Gibbs not to kill the man who murdered his family. Either way, it’s inevitable unless the show veers into some previously unrevealed secrets.
CBS’ NCIS: Origins sure knows how to keep viewers guessing.
Do you think Mike’s reaction in this episode went too far?
How many episodes do you think it will be before we see Gibbs and Lala finally get together?
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
