NCIS: Hawai’i 2×14 “Silent Invasion” examines what it’s like to be in Jane Tennant’s shoes in a way the show hasn’t really gone into before, and it does so masterfully, in an episode that works with just Tennant, Jesse, Kai and an antagonist in former NCIS agent Carter.
It’s a story about what it’s like being a woman in power, even though Carter might not think it is — and even though Jesse, when he was originally part of the dynamics with Carter and Tennant, might not have understood it as such. But as much as the hour allows Carter the opportunity to show the thing shows like this one should make clear more often, which is that the main characters in these shows are if anything, the exception, not the rule and gives Jesse a chance to show how much he’s grown, this isn’t about any of the men.
Even if Kai’s cold shoulder to Carter was fun.
No, this is about Jane Tennant and a man who was — no, is a bully. It’s also about how hard it is to navigate situations where you are constantly expected to be the better person, to rise above. Tennant does it, and at times it feels like it isn’t even hard for her, but there’s enough nuance to Vanessa Lachey’s performance to realize that it is. It chips away at you. It’s just that, sometimes, there isn’t anything you can do but keep going.
NCIS: Hawai’i 2×14 “Silent Invasion” reminds us that when this show was first announced, the most exciting thing about it seemed to be that we were going to get a woman at the center of it all. And when you have a character like Jane Tennant, well, every once in a while you have to get into the why it’s hard to be Jane Tennant. Thankfully, this show is very good at balancing that with good family moments, both with the team and with Tennant’s kids. Other shows would have dropped it. This one remembers that balance, well …balance is a thing we all aspire to.
Things I think I think:
- The guy got killed for going to check, okay? Okay. That’s why you never get up.
- I hate when someone says “I’ve seen this before, x years ago.” HATE IT.
- But I appreciate that Tennant is like, okay Jesse, we can go with your gut on this one.
- Jay Tennant owns any room she walks into, I’ll say that.
- Kai and Jesse are a good team.
- I mean, why does this dude want Tennant to go face him? It’s not like she WON’T.
- “OUR TENNANT”
- Other shows would have dropped Tennant’s family life already.
- The convo between Tennant and Jesse about him being “one of the boys” back in the day was really, really good.
- If I didn’t already hate Carter, the fact that he deemed a witness unreliable because he was homeless would have clinched it.
- An episode that’s mainly Tennant, Jesse and Kai has worked really, really well.
- “One of hers,” YOU SAY? THEY ALL ARE.
- Tennant is better than me, I wouldn’t ask for his help.
- WHY DID YOU GRAB THE MURDER WEAPON WITH YOUR BARE HAND, JESSE?
- I still want to punch Carter.
- Jesse should have.
- They cooked! And the food looks GOOD.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of NCIS: Hawai’i 2×14 “Silent Invasion”? Share with us in the comments below!
NCIS: Hawai’i airs Mondays on CBS.
