NCIS Season 23, Episode 17 ‘Reboot‘ only features half the team, plus the always-welcome LL Cool J as Sam Hanna, but it still manages to do a pretty good job of advancing the storyline of one of our series regulars, introducing the seeds for the next spinoff in the franchise, and also providing us with a pretty interesting cliffhanger.
The hour, which centers on Kasie’s update of the Multiple Threat Alert Center (MTAC) platform, something that was supposed to happen in the middle of the night without many people knowing, but that ends up involving both Parker and Jimmy, for reasons and science. Plus, Sam Hanna, who just so casually decided to pop in to catch some sleep at Ducky’s multipurpose room.
We never get a good explanation of why anyone other than Parker is around, and yet the hour still works well because the moments between Jimmy and Sam, in particular, hit hard, and because by the end of the hour, we’re very invested in the upcoming Edna mystery and why Kasie seems so upset. And hey, next episode, we’ll presumably get the entire team on the case.
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GET BACK UP
‘Reboot’ turns out to be, mostly, about Jimmy Palmer. This is a good thing, because it feels like the character has been sort of drifting since he and Jessica broke up. Sure, we got an episode this season that sort of explored that relationship, and made it clear there’s still something there for Jimmy. But we’d gotten very little of Jimmy by himself. This episode attempts to correct that by showing Jimmy at his most human and bringing him in contact with someone who doesn’t get to see him every day, so they carry no preconceived notions of him.
The thing about Sam is that he’s seen Jimmy at his best. And he believes in that Jimmy. Not that Parker doesn’t, or that Jessica, Nick, or McGee won’t, but Jimmy feels like the people who see him every day see both his good parts and bad parts. Sam only gets to see the good. Perhaps that’s why it’s easy to confide in Sam. He’s there, he’s singing Jimmy’s praises in front of Parker, and Jimmy feels like he can tell Sam about his fears and his hopes.
But Sam isn’t, won’t ever be, the person who just nods and keeps a secret like that. Sam Hanna does tough love, and that’s exactly what Jimmy gets. Sure, Sam believes in him, but that doesn’t translate to letting him hide. In fact, Sam ends up pushing Jimmy to be open, to go for what he wants, and not to give himself an out. It’s very good advice that Jimmy should put into practice in basically all aspects of his life. Because is what Jimmy really wants to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, or to reach for something equally scary, but much closer to home?
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WAITING PLACE
‘Reboot’ doesn’t just push Jimmy’s storyline forward; it does so by bringing back a beloved character from the NCIS franchise. If we’re being honest, LL Cool J always seemed like he’d be the right person to head up another NCIS spinoff. Not just because he seems to be the one actor who still wants to really be involved with the franchise, but also because Sam is that one character who has ties with a lot of people, but doesn’t really have roots anywhere.
His wife is dead, his kids are grown. His former team, they all have different lives now. Callen is married and either expecting or, at this point, already has a new baby with his wife Anna. Deeks and Kensi also just had a kid! And as much as Sam fit in with the Hawai’i team, that always felt a bit temporary. So, he’s a character you can take anywhere. You can make him start fresh.
And, through him, you can still bring back other characters, close other loops, tell other stories. We’d love to get some closure on the Hetty storyline. We’d give a lot to have Chris O’Donnell jump from 9-1-1: Nashville and come play in the NCIS franchise again, at least for one episode. We need to know if Deeks and Kensi had a boy or a girl, and how the two are doing. Putting Sam in front of NCIS: New York gives us all of that and the possibility for a new story. And that’s exciting. Even if this episode doesn’t do much to set up that spinoff other than establish that Sam is tired of just waiting… he wants to move forward.
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Things I think I think:
- I don’t trust this David Barbado guy.
- Anyone who is described as having “issues with assertive women” is sus in my book.
- Jimmy, what are you doing here?
- “Can you go breathe somewhere else?” True friendship right there.
- I wouldn’t tell them about the death, either!
- “You need someone watching your back.” Eh, but can you do that Jimmy?
- I’m glad everyone’s considering the possibility it’s Henry, the ghost.
- Also, janitor, sus.
- Yes, Sam, you should have called. Or gone to a hotel! Don’t tell me you can’t afford that.
- “Or do you just magically appear when someone mysteriously dies?” LOL.
- Jimmy, stop using Victoria as your shield!
- Sam having Jimmy’s back was cool, though.
- Did he really forget where he went to college? Sus.
- Are you gonna sleep in the autopsy table, Sam?
- Aiden made Captain?! I cannot process this, Aiden cannot be old enough to make Captain.
- You do look stronger, Jimmy.
- “You ever feel like you get knocked down in life so much you’re not sure you can get back up again?”
- “I feel like it’s me that needs a reboot. Or a goal.”
- I mean, but Kilimajaro sounds… ambitious.
- “What are the odds this is just a random blackout?” You know the answer.
- Sam sure has Jimmy pegged.
- “If there’s no expectations, there’s no letting everyone down.”
- Look, “don’t give yourself an out” is good advice.
- Sam being all Yoda with the do, there’s no try thing.
- Jimmy, take off the damn weighted vest before climbing stuff!
- Reverse psychology working on Jimmy tracks.
- “You cannot replace people.” That’s right.
- How many times did I say Jimmy nooo this episode?
- More than one. More than two.
- Also, an axe?! Why was there an axe anywhere near autopsy?
- Jimmy was kinda badass there, not gonna lie.
- Aw, Jimmy telling Parker. Growth.
- Edna? What’s Edna?
- Are we getting a Kasie centric episode next?
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of NCIS Season 23, Episode 17 ‘Reboot’? Please share with us in the comments below! And if you have any thoughts about the show, leave a review/rating of your own in our NCIS hub!
NCIS airs Mondays at 8/7c on CBS.
