Recruited

Bob Newhart, the well known and well beloved long-time button-down comedian, makes a magnificent performance in a serious dramatic role as Dr. Walter Magnus, the predecessor of the Duckman as the staff forensic pathologist at the headquarters of the NCIS. Newhart's vocalization, including his signature pauses and patterns, along with his facial expressions and other habits and tendencies, are easily recognizable, all of which priceless assets he beautifully transfers from his usual comedic playground to a serious character in a dramatic context. His portrayal of a sad, aging, somewhat confused man with Alzheimer's disease is particularly touching. Kudos to Newhart for a sterling performance!

Of all the episodes this season so far, this has (at the time of writing) the lowest average, 7.6/10 with 88 votes. #8.5 also has 7.6/10 but only 82 votes. And even though #8.6 has 7.4/10, it has it with only 79 votes. There is the rule: the more votes, the more reliable the average (see IMDb Top 250 Minimum Amount of Votes Required principle).

Any way, in Season 8, I've given only one 9 and three 8s, all others have been 7s. This one I have to give a 6/10. It's just so... average. The plot, the dialog, the acting - on an average 13-in-a-dozen TV show this would not stand out, but NCIS has set the bar too high in the past. An episode that's basically "just another day at job" for everyone involved in making it just doesn't cut it.

Maybe the writers had a bad day. There is only so much the director and actors can get out of an nondescript script. This episode is supposed to be emotional but errs on the sentimental side. The laughs are almost non-existent - Tony even runs out of quips! And Ziva's mystery man - don't hold your breath. If you fail to see this episode, you haven't missed anything important.