NCIS “React” Review (Season 13, Episode 15)

As a parent, what would you do if your child were taken? That has to be one of the most terrifying situations for any parent.

For the Secretary of the Navy – in the world of NCIS – that scenario (among countless others) is just one of many to contemplate. But due to standard operating procedures, the SecNav Sarah Porter had a $10 million dollar kidnapping policy in place for her daughter Megan. That came in pretty convenient when Megan – and her boyfriend Dean – were kidnapped. Well, let’s be more specific than that. Megan was kidnapped. Dean was discarded in the bushes along with the bleached out hulk of the van used by the kidnappers.

It should be noted that the SecNav, because of her rather high position within the government – has a long list of enemies: any of which could be behind the kidnapping of her daughter. So when Gibbs and his team have to try to narrow down the suspect pool, the list is endless it would seem.

The SecNav (conveniently or not) is able to give them one solid lead: a recently discharged Navy officer who was very vocal about his dislike for changes that the SecNav was attempting to make. That would be Christian Brodrick.

As it turns out, though, Brodrick not only had a solid alibi but he certainly didn’t need the money that was being demanded by the kidnappers, which – (again conveniently or not) was $10 million dollars. Ironic that is the exact amount of the insurance policy on the SecNav’s daughter, wouldn’t you say?

A lot of times in kidnapping cases, the culprit is usually much closer to home than being a random villain; and in this instance, the true culprit was of all people the girlfriend of the kidnapped girl’s father. You see: mommy and daddy are divorce and daddy has a new girlfriend, who was going to lose all her money because of a decision that was made by mommy (i.e. SecNav).

Sadly for the girlfriend, though, the mercenary she hired to do the deed, double-crossed her and she lost her life without getting the payoff.

As is to be expected, Gibbs and the team figured out just in time where the missing girl and her kidnappers were and the team – with an assist from the NCIS “React” team, specially trained agents who handle these very sensitive types of cases – took down the ringleader with one swiftly placed laser rifle and captured his henchmen as well. All’s well that ends well with Gibbs and the team saving the girl.

Elsewhere in the episode, we finally got to learn Timothy’s middle name and get a little backstory on his growing up as a Navy brat. That was interesting to say the least and give Tony a little more fodder on which to tease McGee too.

What are your thoughts on last night’s episode? Did you suspect that the culprit was the girlfriend or did that reveal surprise you? Did you enjoy getting a little more insight into McGee’s past? Please share your thoughts below.

The next new episode of the 13th season of ‘NCIS’ will air on CBS Tuesday, February 23 at 8/7c.

Cast:
Mark Harmon as Leroy Jethro Gibbs
Michael Weatherly as Tony DiNozzo
Pauley Perrette as Abby Sciuto
Sean Murray as Tim McGee
Emily Wickersham as Ellie Bishop
Brian Dietzen as Jimmy Palmer
Rocky Carroll as Leon Vance
David McCallum as Dr. Donald Mallard

Guest stars:
Leslie Hope as Secretary of the Navy Sarah Porter
Christina Chang as NCIS Special Agent Valeri Page
Bruce Thomas as Richard Porter
Caitlin Carver as Megan Porter
Jake Borelli as Dean Campbell
Rene Ashton as Justine Wolfe
Brendan McCarthy as Owen Dixon
Herve Clermont as Christian Brodrick
Joe Spano as Senior FBI Agent T.C. Fornell