NCIS Season 24, Episode 5 ‘Speechless‘ is an episode about mothers and daughters and about fathers and sons. The same hour that sees Katrina Law’s real-life daughter, Kinley Andreen, guest-star as Chloe, also sees McGee (Sean Murray) trying to figure out how to help his son, Mateo (Patrick Keleher). Outside of that, the hour does little to advance any overarching storyline, but since we like the characters and the storylines do tug at our heartstrings, the episode is still a pretty good watch.
It’s also, notably, the first episode this season without Tony (Michael Weatherly), and it proves the show works just as well without him as it does with him. I don’t think this one particularly needed Tony, and he is probably way more effective being used just as Vance (Rocky Carroll) was, aka not every episode.
‘Speechless’ is also about heritage, and what we carry with us. That we get to hear Katrina Law and Kinley Andreen speak Mandarin as much as we do this hour is a beautiful reminder of the importance of diversity and how our differences don’t have to be the things that divide us. And that’s a particularly important message for a show airing on CBS.
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WHERE IS JESSICA KNIGHT GOING?
‘Speechless’ also brings us back to the question of where Jessica Knight’s character is going. We’ve gone through a little bit of a rollercoaster with her, between the career ambitions she had and the expectations her father had placed on her, and her desire to stay with the team, which she also considers a family. This episode reminds us that, as much as Jessica loves her father, she’s not particularly close to him. The people she sees on a day-to-day basis are her family.
But the show hasn’t really explored what she wants since we “concluded” that storyline, and the show has also stayed away from really going into the other dangling plot thread about her return: her relationship with Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen). They had one of the steadiest relationships in the NCISverse before they broke up because Jessica was moving. When she returned, they didn’t get back together. Instead, they both went back to pretending like their relationship was never more.
We’ve gotten a few clear signs that there are lingering feelings from both of them, but it’s been seasons since the show has tackled this question directly. In a way, NCIS has always been wary of relationships, despite the fact that the spinoffs haven’t. We saw what they did with Tiva, who only got to have a real relationship when they were both off the show. Nick and Ellie didn’t exactly get to explore anything, either. Jimmy and Jessica did, and then it was cut short.
But at this point I think it’s fair to say that between Densi, Kacy, and even the fact that the entirety of NCIS: Origins is about the relationship between Gibbs (Austin Stowell) and Lala (Mariel Molino), this franchise has proven more than once that ships can work. So, what is the mothership waiting for?
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Things I think I think:
- I hate having to see torture.
- This letter about Mateo sounds like a term paper.
- Did you send a draft and are now writing another draft or…?
- I don’t buy that no one saw it.
- Oh, they all hate it.
- Tell him! He needs to hear it.
- Aww, Kinley’s first scene with mom.
- “Any tips, super dad?”
- I mean, she already talked to strangers. You could have tried a little harder, Jimmy.
- Oh, she speaks Mandarin.
- Talking to Jessica! I’m a little emotional.
- Mrs Boss? HA.
- Good on you, Jimmy. I’m glad you told Tim the truth. He needed to hear it.
- “Imagine if we were all painfully honest with each other.” This joke has depth.
- “If I forget Mandarin, do you think I’ll forget him too?”
- Jimmy went with Tim! I think it’s been a while since I mentioned how much I love Jimmy. I do.
- “Looks like I’m going to be a Navy dad.” Shocker. Not.
- “Also my mom.”
- I’m not crying, you are.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of NCIS Season 24, Episode 5 ‘Speechless’? Share with us in the comments below!
NCIS airs Tuesdays at 8/9c on CBS.
