NCIS continues to rise in the ranks as the number-one scripted drama all around with season eight, beginning with “Spider and the Fly”, as Gibbs (Mark Harmon) takes measures to protect his loved ones from the vendetta of the drug cartel whose father Gibbs killed to avenged the deaths of the latter’s wife and young daughter.
Season eight has been called the season of “origins” wthat starts to delved more into Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll)’s journey into becoming Director of NCIS – including his first encounter with Gibbs, who found his successor within ex-Baltimore homicide detective Anthony DiNozzo, Jr. (Michael Weatherly), who got into NCIS … by smiling. You might also consider this season the season of fathers with returning guest appearances of Ralph Waite as Jackson Gibbs, Robert Wagner as Anthony DiNozzo, Sr., and Michael Nouri (Flashdance, All My Children) as Eli David.
NCIS receives its highest ratings in season eight with the episode “Freedom” with Christina Cox (Blood Ties) guest-starring as an abused Marine wife, as Weatherly goes behind the director’s chair that marks the introduction of his character’s potential love interest, E.J. Barrett (Sarah Jane Morris, Brothers & Sisters), as her team must learn to co-exist with Gibbs’ team – especially Gibbs – to work together to catch the “Port-to-Port” killer, who will strike one of their own. Ziva (Cote de Pablo) also gets her own love interest with Ray Cruz (Enrique Murciano, Without a Trace), or as DiNozzo calls him “CIRay”, because Ray works for the CIA.
If you have not heard of NCIS, now is the time to “grab your gear” and get season eight on DVD.
The new season starts Tuesday, September 20 at 8p on CBS.
