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Post by llyan on Oct 4, 2022 2:08:39 GMT
10/6/2022 AGENT KNIGHT’S PAST RESURFACES WHEN HER EX-BOYFRIEND TEAMS UP WITH NCIS TO INVESTIGATE A CAMPSITE MURDER, ON “NCIS,” MONDAY, OCT 10  “Leave No Trace” – Agent Knight’s past resurfaces when her ex-boyfriend, a National Parks Service agent, teams up with NCIS to investigate a campsite murder, on the CBS Original Series NCIS, Monday, Oct 10 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+*.
REGULAR CAST:Sean Murray (NCIS Special Agent Timothy McGee) Wilmer Valderrama (NCIS Special Agent Nicholas “Nick” Torres) Brian Dietzen (Medical Examiner Jimmy Palmer) Diona Reasonover (Forensic Scientist Kasie Hines) Katrina Law (NCIS Special Agent Jessica Knight) Rocky Carroll (NCIS Director Leon Vance) Gary Cole (FBI Special Agent Alden Parker) GUEST CAST:Caleb Alexander Smith (USNPS ISB Special Agent Gage Winchester) Norman Lehnert (Greg Patrick Walsh) Michael Petrone (Camping Guide Carl) Nicola Posener (Maxine Lautner) Tiffany Dion (Eye Roll Girl) WRITTEN BY: Chad Gomez Creasey DIRECTED BY: William Webb |
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Post by llyan on Oct 4, 2022 2:10:00 GMT
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Post by llyan on Oct 6, 2022 22:11:18 GMT
Updated the original post with the press release.
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Post by llyan on Oct 8, 2022 12:45:14 GMT
Posted in the correct order from the Press Site.
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Post by pdsmith777 on Oct 11, 2022 5:50:19 GMT
This is the first episode I've seen at broadcast time in over a year, and the first since the first crossover with Hawaii.
I'm glad to see that at least in this episode they handled the Palmer/Knight relationship in a much more believable manner. Adults do at time run into their former relationships and it can be awkward. (Not speaking from personal experience).
The crime seemed rather straightforward; the bad guys not revealed until the end and the red herring sent on his way. I did think the bird watching part was a bit blah. (I've seen it done before so . . .)
They are still playing Nick as childish, much like DiNozzo, so it's a bit grating.
Overall, I thought it was a good episode. Better than many I saw at the beginning of last season, so, that's a plus, but it was a low bar.
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Post by brgjoe on Oct 11, 2022 11:06:27 GMT
I agree, I thought this was a decent episode. Probably the best one of the season so far. But that hasn't been a high bar to clear.
Once again, I liked the Ducky/Palmer interactions. And a Caf-Pow reference! I liked the Palmer/Knight banter as well (and this is coming from someone who really doesn't care a lot about the relationships between the main characters). Jimmy is packing some abs! And hey, Parker really is a Birdman! 
Didn't like Gage or whomever he was called. Seemed like he was mumbling half the time. "Me want to travel to park!" "Me want to be included in case!" "Me wants Tripsie for myself! Ugh!" Didn't really see the need for him. Wasn't it Palmer who found out about the stab wounds and link that the park deaths were related? Only thing I remember Gage being good for is being chased by a bear and accidentally finding out the motive for the latest killing. This is one character I really don't want to see return.
Other than that, I pretty much liked everything else. Everyone seemed competent. And it was a bit light-hearted (well as one can be with a murder or two involved) of an episode as well.
I'll give this one a "B-".
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Post by nas on Oct 11, 2022 19:25:25 GMT
o.k. - I’ve been struggling with this since watching the episode last night…
let me preface my post by saying I am no prude (nor is Maxine); at our age, we’ve both been around the block a few times, and we’ve seen a lot!
that being said, here’s what I have to say:
the moment the Neanderthal Agent Gage walked out of the lake buck naked I knew exactly how I was going to grade this episode…
in what universe did the writers think that scene was acceptable!?
it was not funny! it was not clever!
the man exposed himself to 3 federal agents, one of which was a female!
I don’t care if she was his ex-girlfriend! that doesn’t excuse his action!
pdsmith wrote in his post, meeting an ex can be “awkward” sometimes - that was wayyyy beyond awkward, pd!
here’s the Reality, folks…
it was pure and simple - indecent exposure…
in·de·cent ex·po·sure
noun: indecent exposure
the crime of intentionally showing one's sexual organs in public.
the act of outraging public decency by being naked in a public place.
as NCIS Headquarters is located in Quantico VA, here’s what the jerk could have faced:
Both indecent exposure and obscene sexual display are Class 1 misdemeanors in Virginia. If you are convicted of one of these offenses, you could be sentenced to up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.
I honestly don’t know why this bothers me so much, but it does…
am I just getting too old?
the other thing that I must comment on:
when will the writers stop writing the characters as if they were a bunch of juveniles instead of adults when it comes to romantic situations?
it’s tiresome to hear them make silly little jokes…
I found it ironic that they made Palmer the “grownup in the room”, when usually he’s the one who talks and behaves like a doofus…
I would prefer that the Palmer/Knight thing be kept off screen, but inasmuch as Season 20 is being called “The Season of Love”, I guess that ain’t gonna’ happen…
no comment about the crime - or how they are portraying Parker as a “man of many talents”…
I’ve said all I have to say about this episode…
so, agree with me or not…
Sorry - not sorry!
nas
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Post by Hari Seldon on Oct 12, 2022 4:20:17 GMT
nas, I was just glad they didn't show any more of him than they did. On the other side of the coin, when he and Knight were out searching the trails, I noticed her shirt was unbuttoned rather low. Following your post, I did a quick look and 2 or 3 buttons managed to get undone between the start of the episode in the office and when she was walking the trail with Winchester. I also found the guy to be a one dimensional, stuck up, egotistical jerk, and it lowers my opinion of Knight that she not only dated him, but showed some interest in his return even though she's already seeing Palmer. Apart from that, Parker made two Yogi references for the bear, then looked annoyed when Palmer made just one. I didn't initially realize the auction had been a blind one where the bidders were unseen, so it wasn't until later that I figured out Max would be Maxine, though it was still before the reveal.
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Post by nas on Oct 12, 2022 6:54:50 GMT
your comment about Knight’s shirt reminds me of a funny story about Marina Sirtis, Hari…
(I have no idea why I remember it! guess I found it amusing)
Ms. Sirtis appeared as Mossad Director Orli Albaz in three episodes of NCIS, but her claim to fame was her character Deanna Troi in Star Trek: TNG…
actually, it was her cleavage that was the real “star”, and she hated it! I can’t find the article, but she was quoted as saying, “The deeper my neckline plunged, the dumber I got.”
here’s an excerpt of an article I did manage to find:
…Initially, series creator Gene Roddenberry intended Troi to be "eye candy" - beautiful, sexy, and not very bright. He also conceptualized her as having four breasts, before his wife told him this was a bad idea. Prior to filming, Sirtis was told to lose 5 lb (2.3 kg), but thought to herself that she had to drop even more, and was often wearing plunging necklines and form-fitting dresses. After six years, the producers decided to drop the "sexy and brainless" Troi and make her a stronger character:
I was thrilled when I got my regulation Starfleet uniform... it covered up my cleavage and I got all my brains back, because when you have cleavage, you can't have brains in Hollywood... I was allowed to do things that I hadn't been allowed to do for five or six years. I went on away teams, I was in charge of staff, I had my pips back, I had phasers, I had all the equipment again, and it was fabulous. I was absolutely thrilled.
I, too, noticed that Knight’s neckline “changed”, and wonder if that look is intentional… 🤔
I hope she doesn’t start getting dumber, as Marina put it…
nas
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Post by brgjoe on Oct 12, 2022 8:50:45 GMT
Wow...4 breasts? LOL....hadn't heard that one before.
Poor Gene really did have some questionable ideas at the start of TNG. I liked Siritis, but hated the character. Especially in the beginning when basically all she did was say, "I feel stress...." Well, yeah, it's a stressful situation that anyone could tell people were going to be stressed. And liked Wil Wheaton, but hated the Wesley character as well. I believe that was Gene's idea as well to have him on the bridge of the Enterprise.
And I don't see why shows like this have to show "cleavage" and the female leads have to be "sexy". I watch this show because it's a cop/crime type of show. Not for the eye candy. If I wanted that, I'd watch some of those 18,000 "reality TV shows" like the "Real Housewives of <insert city here>". Wasn't there a slimy producer for NCIS;NO who wanted the female character written off (who's name is escaping my teeny, tiny brain the moment) because she wasn't "sexy enough"? Just ridiculous.
Getting back to this episode, don't see why that caveman Gage was skinny dipping in apparently the middle of the day in broad daylight. Anyone could have shown up and seen him -- even kids. Just stupid and irresponsible. At the very least try to cover up and/or just get back into the water again. Sheesh. Don't even see why the writers had to go there with a scene like that.
And admittedly, I did giggle a bit at the "Pablo Esco-bear" pun.
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Post by verdun on Oct 12, 2022 13:16:20 GMT
This was maybe the most uneven episode of the year. Lots of good things like the bit with Parker and the bird watching and Palmer's abs. The quick one liners are getting better. Overall the case threw me. Did not see the drug (and bear) connection. It's kind of nice to occasionally not figure out the case before the lunkheads on the TV. Now a couple of problems. How, exactly, did the bad guy know Palmer would be at the diner? Did he watch the show and just go around noon knowing that someone from the show would be there to pick him up? Did I miss the line that told us how this meeting came to be? Also wonder why the team didn't check inside the convenience store before heading into the RV when they were ready to arrest the drug smugglers. You might want to check to see if they're inside the store first. Might be a lot easier to take them into custody.
Couldn't figure out why they needed the bathing scene. If they wanted to show his chest so that they could do the scene with Palmer's abs, they didn't need him to do anything other than take off his shirt. And didn't notice Knight's buttons. My grandson did, but I didn't. Not sure what that says about my age and marital status.
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Post by nas on Oct 12, 2022 21:46:20 GMT
well, verdun, our Board Buddy pdsmith posted this bit of info last month:According to John Truby, a veteran Hollywood writer, script consultant, teacher, and advisor, the writing talent pool in Los Angelas, New York, and Vancouver, where most, but not all, of the major TV shows are produced, is very thin. There is too much content being produced across too many networks, with too few veteran writers running shows and writer's rooms. According to Mr. Truby, the majority of experienced writers are working for the cable networks where writers have half a year to develop a 10-to-13-episode series. (i.e., GOT, Walking Dead, etc.)
the writing credit for this episode is Chad Gomez Creasey
perhaps TPTB are having a real hard time finding writers for NCIS and they found this guy outside at the food cart ordering lunch, and asked him if he wanted to write an episode for the show?
the episode just made no sense from the beginning…
why the bad guy showed up at the diner is anybody’s guess!
how did he know who Palmer was?
why didn’t he go directly to the NCIS Headquarters and turn himself in to SECURITY?
imo, this is just evidence of very poor, unintelligible writing…
you are correct! that bathing scene was not needed…
as I pointed out in my previous post, that action was technically a crime involving indecent exposure…
what the hell were they thinking when they approved and filmed that scene?
the obvious answer is, they weren’t thinking!
somebody thought it was funny and clever to have a guy walk buck naked out of the water in front of 2 guys and a woman! - so they went for it…
(frankly, I didn’t think the guy was all that built - or good looking)
the crime was disjointed and incoherent; I couldn’t make any sense of it…
bear in the woods goes crazy when he overdoses on cocaine! Seriously?!
this all goes right back to an inexperienced writer creating a serious p.o.s. for Season 20…
nas
p.s. your grandson sounds like a hoot! keepin’ grandpa on his toes, eh? 
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Post by llyan on Oct 13, 2022 1:34:43 GMT
Ok, so I wasn't planning on it but I took some notes as I rewatched. I've read the responses to the episodes but this was a stream of conscious note-taking so apologies if I duplicated anything that was already said.
- I liked the bear angle for the case and how it wasn't readily apparent of how it tied into our case. But the bear was woven through the story. The camp guide was telling the spooky story about the bear and speculated that a bear killed the sailor. The bear prints in the woods and finally the bear chasing Winchester (which he totally deserved.)
- Others have said it before but Agent Winchester was an @ss. I know we weren't supposed to like him but they went overboard with it. The whole skinny dipping and just strolling out of the lake would have (and should have) gotten him fired. Ex-girlfriend or not, they're "at work" and that can't get any blatant sexual harassment. Not just with Knight but with McGee and Torres too. And his whole chest thumping scene with Jimmy in autopsy was just dumb.
- I did like Knight's explanation of how she could date him previously though. She was in a bad place with her mother and engaged in the unhealthy relationship with Winchester. As the conflict with her mother cooled, she came to her senses and dumped his @ss. She might still be physically attracted to him now, but she's in a much healthier mental space and knows that Winchester is bad news.
- I'm glad that Parker's bird hobby has returned. It's quirky and I like it. I also like him playing along with Palmer and the Yogi bear impersonation (which was a really good Yogi bear!)
- I really appreciate Jimmy being the bigger man throughout the episode. So many people were needling him about Winchester being Knight's ex. But even though Knight hesitated taking the next step of going on a spa weekend with Jimmy (mulling it over), he never seemed to be threatened by Gage.
- I'm not a snake expert but that was probably a Corn Snake, which isn't poisonous. (It's the same kind of snake that Tony scared Kate with waaaaaay back in season 2 when Ari almost blew up Tony after he had the plague.)
- As it was with Dr. Grace in last episode, it was nice to get a little more backstory on Knight, particularly with the bit about her mother. They've insinuated before that she has a strained relationship with her mother and a great relationship with her dad. Now we know why. Mom didn't want her to follow in her father's footsteps into law enforcement.
- I liked the Tripsie nickname and how it turned out to be related to Scrabble and not related to camping trips or Knight being clumsy.
- The killer turning up at the diner is a serious coincidence that would never happen outside of a television drama. The only reason why it occurred, I think, is so that they had an excuse to have the nice scene between Jimmy and Doctor Mallard, which was just lovely. It's always nice to have Ducky back and it's even better to have paternal Ducky with Jimmy.
- When the killer was shot, he fell over and the handcuffs fell off, lol.
- I think I speak for most of us when I say it was too bad that the bear didn't get Winchester. But it was a nice prop bear though. It even 'breathed.'
- I like Knight and Palmer together. And I like how they're slowly building their relationship. I don't want episodes focused on them every week but it's nice to watch something build between them.
- Pretty sure they they never explained the photo of Winchester? My only explanation was that it was their way to bench him from being in the field?
Knight's Buttons
- Squad Room - 3 Buttons
- Tree - 2 buttons
- Lake - 2 buttons
- Hike - 2 buttons
- Squad Room - 3 buttons
- Autopsy - 3 buttons
Knowing how they film, the scenes in the squad room were definitely filmed on the same day. They tend to shoot all the squad room scenes all at once and at the start of filming of the episode. Autopsy was probably also filmed on the same day or within a day or two of the squad room scenes. The exterior scenes were (obviously) a different day and someone messed up on the continuity.
Overall, it was a good episode. Some nitpicks but nothing that detracted from my enjoyment. I just wish I knew what was up with the press site and why they're so late on publishing the press releases or why we didn't get a preview for next week. These episodes were filmed months ago.
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Post by luckysmom on Oct 13, 2022 11:35:30 GMT
I am glad that for once instead of Jimmy being the class clown he was a mature adult. In general even though it was about Knights relationship they were all less juvenilve than the past weeks about Palmer and Knight.
llyan I basically agree with your assessment of the episode.
I also got a kick out of Torres and McGee talking about Jimmy's abs ....
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Post by Hari Seldon on Oct 13, 2022 14:49:11 GMT
I am glad that for once instead of Jimmy being the class clown he was a mature adult. In general even though it was about Knights relationship they were all less juvenilve than the past weeks about Palmer and Knight. llyan I basically agree with your assessment of the episode. I also got a kick out of Torres and McGee talking about Jimmy's abs .... Jimmy's abs were revealed somewhere around 10 years ago - Gibbs saw them when Abby was "rolfing" Jimmy (I remember the term, remember that I had to look it up, but don't remember what it was).
Very diligent of llyan to do the button count. I really thought it was more that got undone, so I took a quick look and I think there were two sizes of the same top. In the squad room, it's 3 buttons, but they fit properly. On the trail, that second button is getting stretched to its limit. To me that says either smaller top or a push-up underneath, but I'm not well versed in how women's clothes fit, so I'm open to being told that's actually how it works.
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