2.09: "Forced Entry"

by Sammie

They're off to investigate a wife who shot her attacker-intruder. Tony's moaning because they were about to get off from work; Kate bets he's got a date with a girl who can't spell her name. Tony says he's supposed to volunteer at a soup kitchen; Kate is incredulous. Hehe.

Then she feels bad for doubting him and apologizes...turns out she was right, and she knows it. Either Tony's going down there because there's supposed to be a centerfolds' fundraiser held there, or he's playing an elaborate prank on McGee - who thinks there's going to be centerfolds there.

A prank kind of like...giving McGee Gibbs' coffee.

Laura Rowans (Megan Ward), wife of David Rowans, a Marine deployed in Iraq, was the shooter. She tells her story - generally pretty lonely because her husband is away so much and she doesn't fit in well with the wives who all have children.

Uh-oh. Gibbs caught McGee drinking his coffee. Dead man walking, indeed. Rule #23: "Never mess with a Marine's coffee if you want to live."

Kate and Tony are at the hospital to check up on the would-be rapist. Pretty doctor...three, two one: "I'd love to ask you a few questions. Say... over lunch, Lieutenant...?"

Tony's more predictable than the weather.

Uh-oh.... Lt. Kim thinks he's full of...cow chips and shuts him down on the spot. But she won't let Kate or Tony see the man, who's unconscious. So Tony pulls rank on Kate (not the way to get her on good side, pal) and makes up some bogus rule that she has to check with the MPs outside the rapist's door.

Hey...Gibbs throws a football. Mark Harmon has still got some arm.

Kate makes it inside and gets the fingerprints they need. The rapist wakes up - says that he thought she (Laura Rowans) loved him.

Y'know, I'm not a fan of these artsy-smartsy black-and-white flashes. When they show up at the beginning, I feel like...I don't know. Like I'm gipped of a couple seconds of episode or something. I know it's stupid.

Tony and McGee and fighting - I mean, really a verbal spat. It's a little disturbing. Kate is annoyed and breaks it up: "I swear, the two of you are worse than my brothers and they're practically psychotic." After she finishes her lecture, they look a little whipped. Good. Their sparring was bugging me.

Gibbs comes in right then with a name: Jeremy Davison. He gets McGee to check his phone records, Tony to get a search warrant for his address, and Kate to answer his question - "Hey, Kate. Your brothers really like that?"

KATE. Sadly, yes.
GIBBS. Ah. Explains a lot.

Jeremy Davison, clean as a whistle.

Kate and Gibbs are at Davison's place...kind of cluttered. "This is sort of how I always pictured Tony's place." So she's never been there. Smart woman. I'd be scared, too.

They're searching when Kate finds a picture of Laura Rowans in a white negligee thing. She's sure she had to have sent him it; Gibbs wants to know why she thinks that. "Let's just say, theoretically, I had a picture like this." Gibbs! You've got a redhead. Stop looking at Kate like that. "I wouldn't be handing them out on a street corner."

Poor Kate. I bet she never counted on having to have this conversation with hr boss when she signed up for NCIS.

It's rather funny - Kate finds one of Laura Rowans' emails to Davison and looks uncomfortable. Gibbs sure doesn't look comfortable either, having read it.

Melissa Davison, the sister, arrives at home and bemoans her brother's always wanting to hook up with the girls he meets on the Internet.

Of course, back at headquarters, Tony wants copies of all the letters. Kate's disgusted.

They find Davison and Rowans' email trail; they met on a website. Gibbs can't figure out how.

ABBY. Well, um, you know Friendster, where people make web pages with personal profiles to connect with their friends online?
McGEE. And their friends lead to their friends and so on and so on.
[LONG SILENCE]
ABBY. OK... you know what friends are, right?

They've got Rowans in interrogation...and Gibbs is pressuring her to admit, and she's beginning to get hysterical when Abby comes in with really bad news. "She's telling the truth, Gibbs. She didn't write those e-mails."

So now they have to go and find out how the hacker got in. Whoa. Tony's been online dating. Why am I not surprised.

Abby goes undercover as a new computer programmer at the website Davison and Rowans both visited, and gets into the system and finds the hacker. Victor Grotinski. The team goes to track him down.

EW. I swear, this show has gotten bloodier and grosser with its bodies since Season 1.

Eyeless, and he has no toliet so he...STORES IT.

Kate wonders why they would hide a camcorder in a vent; Tony is all, "You're kidding." When they see what's on the tape...Kate is sincerely disgusted. Tony is all excited. EW. I love the guy, but sometimes he really deserves those head slaps he gets from Gibbs (and that one from Kate in "Reveille").

The woman killed Grotinski right after "that special moment", so they've got DNA evidence. He was cut quite professionally with a knife cut forward: a technique Marines are taught to use to kill enemy sentries. Doesn't help that a pair of eyeballs are found on Rowans' kitchen counter.

"Pam"? Tony's on a first name basis with the doctor that shut him down? She fell for the ole DiNozzo charm.

Turns out the Davisons aren't the Davisons. The man is a serial rapist and murderer in five open cases; the woman's not his sister but his accomplice. As they try to leave the hospital, the woman's whispering that Gibbs is on to them - although Kate and Tony are dumb. Gibbs come out, looking at them.

TONY. [emerging with weapon drawn] Hey...that sound harsh to you, Kate?
KATE. [weapon drawn] Very.
TONY. Go for it, honey.
KATE. My first round's going through your right eye socket, lady.

OK - GO LAURA ROWANS. She successfully kept herself from becoming the sixth rape and murder - and in the meantime unknowingly caught a serial rapist and murderer by putting him out of commission long enough for them to catch him.

But - that still doesn't explain how the "Davisons" - either one of them - knew how to cut and kill like a Marine.

McGee tracked down Tony's Internet girlfriend. It's a big fat bald guy in a wife-beater tanktop. I'd feel sorry for Tony, but considering he picks up a new girl every other episode and how he acted in this one.... I'm laughing with everybody else.
 
 

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Crazy Credits

• from LACoroner: On the eyeless body
  I am not sure when they shot this episode...it may have been while I was on vacation, so I did not have the opportunity to look at the script or the scene. I can't say for certain, but the look of the body (to me) appeared to be special effects. They use really talented special effects teams...I have been impressed.

• Look for the audience liasion Harriet in the episode! She is the lady sitting at the desk (the fishnet line) when Abby shows up, undercover. Here is what she has to say about her day:

  from Harriet:
  Well, I did it! I was Queen for a Day and now I'm back to being a pumpkin. Or is that a mixed metaphor?

  When last we communicated, director Dennis Smith had spotted our heroine doing her Liaison chores (stuffing envelopes, possibly) on the fourth floor of Sunset Gower and decided to groom her for stardom.

  That is, create a small role for her in the "NCIS" episode he was currently directing, "Forced Entry." (Remember, "there are no small roles...") Well, yesterday was the day.

  I cannot tell you how wonderfully everyone treated me. It started with an early call at the set, so my favorite co-Exec, Chas. Johnson, arranged for me to stay over at the nearby Hyatt Valencia. Our production coordinator. Sara Chaiken, made the reservation and told me transportation would pick me up and drive me to my trailer. (I could get used to this very quickly.)

  Rob, the second AD, kept in touch to remind me of the time I was due at the set. I was whisked away to my trailer at the appointed hour, given the once-over by costumer Janet, who decided what I had chosen to wear was perfect ( I had shlepped three other changes, just in case), hair stylist Frank fluffed me up, make-up artist Wade was delighted when I turned down offers of food ("don't want to smudge my lips," I pouted) and then my co-star, Pauley, arrived. After a welcome hug, she enthused, "You'll love Dennis, we all do!" "Just don't upstage me," I warned. Or did I beg? Maybe "whine" would be more like it.

  Finally, we were driven to the set, Rosemary and myself. (I introduced her as my drama coach; truth is, you need as much support as you can get at a time like this, and my wish for everyone is a friend like Rosemary.) Someone put their arms around me; it was Mark Harmon with an especially warm welcome. What a sweetie!

  And then, Dennis (my moment of truth). He gave me a big smile, and two thumbs up; what a relief. Suddenly, I was surrounded. Propmaster George Tuers had my phone, which he fitted around my ear. (It was suggested I wear headphones for the part, but not after having my hair fluffed, puleeze. No, no spoilers here; you'll just have to wait and see the episode. Besides, I need the Nielsen numbers...tell your friends.) Then Sound fitted me for a microphone, to record my voice. I'll give you hint...the battery pack tickles. Then cinematographer Billy Webb had me lit from all sides, and darling Dennis said, "Let's rehearse," and led me through my two lines, including my cue from Pauley...make that Abby...which I had the most trouble remembering, don't ask me why.

  Okay, here's a hint. The set is a hoot; credit set decorator Lynn Parker with the hilarious accessories. And costume supervisor Paul Dafelmair with the bizarre wardrobe and where did those marvelous extras come from? Another planet, I do believe.

  Intrigued? Hope so.

  Now here is the end to a perfect experience. I eMailed DPB a heartfelt "thank you" for the opportunity and he wrote back, in part, "I'm so pleased you enjoyed yourself and I can't wait to see the dailies." Oops, I haven't had the nerve to see them yet. Maybe I'll write again after I see them. Maybe not.

  More: When I was cast to do that one line in "Forced Entry" (hey, it's a start!), Mark came by my set to tell me he came in early to welcome me. (Whenever I visit the set, he always comes over to ask if I have everything I need. He's very Gibbs-like, taking care of his team at all times.) And after that episode aired, Mark made a point of calling me to tell me how much he enjoyed having me on the show. How sweet was that?