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mrwubblesWell, for the first time in a long time, I saw an episode in real time rather than Tivo time. Here's why...
Oh my, after the last episode, in the basement, I had feared the dynamic of Gibbs and DiNozzo would have emerged roughened up. Fortunately, my fears were unrealized!
It's a good sign if you're loving an episode within the first act. I haven't had that in a long time but oh man, I adored the episode from the start.
Mind you, Tony in Baltimore was a long-craved trope many fans speculated, written wonderful fics around. When I heard this episode was being made, the first thing that popped in my head was:
"Uh oh."
Anticipation can sometimes ruin the actual episode; you build up such an expectation (and in your mind, there's a bigger special effects budget, lol) and have hyped up the episode that when actual air time hits, you're let down.
I'm happy to say "Baltimore" wasn't the case. The flashbacks dovetailed perfectly with the present. For once, the mystery wasn't solved in ten minutes. And we have both the twisted case of the murder and why indeed Tony had drifted from his ex-partner.
And we got Tony back!!!
This was the Tony that caught Gibbs' eye, the competent cop with the movie references and a charismatic humor that was not over the top.
McGee and Ziva took a step back from their barbs and were appropriately concerned. The dynamics among everyone has slipped into an ease with each other, the team has finally gelled together!
The inside jokes were great (ie: Who wants to be a Navy Cop? I rather get the plague. LOL). I did wince at Pacci's prophetic comment about his ulcer but otherwise, the nods to the origins of it all, down to even the Mighty Mouse stapler were gems.
The tragic end to Danny and Tony's partnership was so brilliantly done in its innocuous bread crumbs, leading to the end. The return of Tony in Baltimore as an NCIS agent now was a powerful image and symbolic how he's come full circle. And how Gibbs got Tony into NCIS has me smiling still.
The acting? Ever try hugging a tv before? Weatherly's barely contained darkness was a breath-taking example of his ability to really tug at your heart strings. I was charmed by Detective DiNozzo, I ached for Agent DiNozzo and when he confronted Danny, the tightly reined scene just screamed for sympathy and offered viewers a better understanding of Tony DiNozzo.
There's so much more I can say about this episode.
But instead, I'll just watch the episode again. :)
Oh my, after the last episode, in the basement, I had feared the dynamic of Gibbs and DiNozzo would have emerged roughened up. Fortunately, my fears were unrealized!
It's a good sign if you're loving an episode within the first act. I haven't had that in a long time but oh man, I adored the episode from the start.
Mind you, Tony in Baltimore was a long-craved trope many fans speculated, written wonderful fics around. When I heard this episode was being made, the first thing that popped in my head was:
"Uh oh."
Anticipation can sometimes ruin the actual episode; you build up such an expectation (and in your mind, there's a bigger special effects budget, lol) and have hyped up the episode that when actual air time hits, you're let down.
I'm happy to say "Baltimore" wasn't the case. The flashbacks dovetailed perfectly with the present. For once, the mystery wasn't solved in ten minutes. And we have both the twisted case of the murder and why indeed Tony had drifted from his ex-partner.
And we got Tony back!!!
This was the Tony that caught Gibbs' eye, the competent cop with the movie references and a charismatic humor that was not over the top.
McGee and Ziva took a step back from their barbs and were appropriately concerned. The dynamics among everyone has slipped into an ease with each other, the team has finally gelled together!
The inside jokes were great (ie: Who wants to be a Navy Cop? I rather get the plague. LOL). I did wince at Pacci's prophetic comment about his ulcer but otherwise, the nods to the origins of it all, down to even the Mighty Mouse stapler were gems.
The tragic end to Danny and Tony's partnership was so brilliantly done in its innocuous bread crumbs, leading to the end. The return of Tony in Baltimore as an NCIS agent now was a powerful image and symbolic how he's come full circle. And how Gibbs got Tony into NCIS has me smiling still.
The acting? Ever try hugging a tv before? Weatherly's barely contained darkness was a breath-taking example of his ability to really tug at your heart strings. I was charmed by Detective DiNozzo, I ached for Agent DiNozzo and when he confronted Danny, the tightly reined scene just screamed for sympathy and offered viewers a better understanding of Tony DiNozzo.
There's so much more I can say about this episode.
But instead, I'll just watch the episode again. :)
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no subject
Date: 2011-05-04 03:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-04 03:41 am (UTC)Ah, but the past few episodes and tonight's episode has freed us to love the guy without qualms! :)
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Date: 2011-05-04 03:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-04 04:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-04 01:36 pm (UTC)And next week? Holy crap.
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Date: 2011-05-04 03:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-04 03:15 pm (UTC)THAT'S the Tony I want them to show every week.
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Date: 2011-05-04 04:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-04 05:22 pm (UTC)LOL, even better! And can I say? I am soooo having icon envy right now. Your Tony icons are squee/swoon/OMG worthy!
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Date: 2011-05-04 05:23 pm (UTC)Thrilled? I want to send them a fricking fruit basket! LOL
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Date: 2011-05-04 05:28 pm (UTC)~squirm~ Sadly, er, I don't think it's an ambulance. It looked like Ducky's ME van for er, non-ambulance people.
I hate cliffhanger month: I go from "whee!" to "Eee!" in two episodes flat. LOL
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Date: 2011-05-04 05:30 pm (UTC)!!!!! Oooh, I didn't see that! I have some ideas too but oh, it's distracting me from writing fic! Grrrr....
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Date: 2011-05-05 12:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-05 01:22 am (UTC)Fruit basket, dozen roses, thank you card, box of doughnuts... :)
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Date: 2011-05-05 01:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-05 01:24 am (UTC)It's like on Angel -- we go from one of the funniest episodes on tv where Angel gets turned into a wee little puppet man and we're laughing like crazy to seeing Fred get hollowed out inside by Illyria in the next episode!
Writers love to do that to us. :: insert grrrr ::
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Date: 2011-05-05 09:58 pm (UTC)But if you liked it, I can go watch unafraid! Yay! (and thanks.) :D
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Date: 2011-05-05 10:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-05 10:07 pm (UTC):(
Did we see him in the previews or did I image him?
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Date: 2011-05-10 12:33 am (UTC)Hmm.....I might keep the doughnuts. My weakness. Goes great with coffee. LOL
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Date: 2011-05-10 12:36 am (UTC)and then have a serial bad guy kidnap him and be mean to him so others can rescue him and I'll feed him cookies again so he'll be strong enough to get kidnapped again and...
It's a vicious cycle. LOL
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Date: 2011-05-10 12:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-10 12:59 am (UTC)