One of these days, we will make it through an episode of NCIS: Origins without tearing up. Until that day, keep your Kleenex auto-delivery going.
Holy crap, that was quite the deep dive into parts of Randy previously unknown. Is it me, or does every NIS team member seem to be struggling with one personal issue after another?
NCIS: Origins has a firm grip on emotionally intelligent tough guys. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many gun-toting male characters cry, and I love it.
In all seriousness, NCIS: Origins is knocking it out of the park in the storytelling department.
While some viewers don’t think the series feels like an NCIS series, everyone agrees it’s still a great show.
From Golden Boy To Tough Guy, NCIS: Origins’ Randy Has A Lot Of Layers Under That Adorable Smile
Let’s jump right in and get to the meat of this incredible episode. Apparently, Randy is a total badass and has been hiding it under that adorable smile for seven episodes.
If you read the NCIS: Origins Season 1 Episode 8 Spoilers, you know we were fully expecting to see a very different side to the NIS golden boy. I think it’s safe to say the series exceeded our expectations.
I still can’t get over how quickly Randy switched from a nice guy to the butt-kicking cop who choked out a grown man. I think even the way he walked changed. He had a swagger to him.
The rest of the team was just as surprised as the audience. It’s a good thing that Rando has a wife because he is the very definition of “husband material.”
As shocking as seeing Randy’s tough side was, no one was prepared for the secret that had been weighing on him. Viewers likely guessed it before he confessed to Father Bobby, but it was still heartbreaking.
“Brave Enough To Face Your Story”
Randy’s confession sheds light not only on what has been bothering him but also on whether he is really and truly the sweet guy he seems to be.
Who could possibly blame Randy for Agent Mitchell’s death? Randy had a sick new baby and wasn’t sleeping because of it. He was right not to take the protection detail.
Sure, Mitchell would be alive with his kid, but as Father Bobby insinuated, Randy needed to be there for his son. Sometimes, things are out of our hands, and all we can do is find the strength to keep going.
There’s been a lot of soul-searching in this series with almost every character. Luckily, this spotlight on Randy was much better than the one on Lala in NCIS: Origins Season 1 Episode 6.
One particular fan of NCIS: Origins made an excellent point about the character. The series purposefully spotlighted Lala right from the start with no payout.
Since the start of the series, audiences have been waiting to understand how Lala fits into Gibbs’ story. We thought we would get some answers in “Incognito,” but that episode only left us with more questions.
Everything would have been fine if Mark Harmon hadn’t referenced Lala when he said: “This is the story of her.”
It would have been better if the character had made the statement, but rather than a focal shot on Lala, the shot should have skipped around to each female character, thereby leaving the woman Gibbs is referring to a mystery.
This could have very easily have also been the story of Vera or even Mary Jo. There are plenty of unique female characters to throw some mystery on.
At least we definitively know Lala wants to advance in her career. Granted, if you ask Mike Franks, he’ll tell you that’s not the path for Lala.
NCIS: Origins Is The Love Child Between Action-Packed And Emotionally Intelligent
It’s good that Mike is so lovable because that man is terrible with his words.
When he told Lala, “You don’t belong behind a desk. You belong in the dirt with me.” I could not stop laughing because, of course, that is Mike’s idea of a compliment.
He might be rough and tough on the outside with his perfect mustache, but there is a big teddy bear under those gun holsters. As Mariel Molino’s (Promised Land) Lala called it, Mike is a sentimental kind of guy.
With a show like NCIS: Origins, there is always going to be a reason to tear up and get emotional. It seems like an odd choice to have emotionally vulnerable characters who have a license to shoot, but it works.
Speaking of work, does anyone else wonder what makes a person want to be a priest? They always seem to fall into two categories.
They’re usually either struggling with a dark past that they are trying to atone for, or they are filled with so much of God’s love that spreading his message is the only life path for them.
Father Bobby was somewhere in the middle. The man was clearly tortured by demons from his past but was genuinely concerned with the well-being of others and tried to do right by God.
Raise your hand if you thought that Father Bobby was for sure going to be a martyr. It was better to write that he lived because otherwise, it would’ve painted the picture that the only path to forgiveness is death.
That’s dark, even for CBS‘s NCIS: Origins. Besides, we may want to see Father Bobby pop up again.
It Took A Few Episodes, But NCIS: Origins Has Found It’s Footing
Speaking of popping up again, who did we see at the very end of the episode but none other than Jamison ‘Bugs’ Boyd. Honestly, he’s not looking any better.
The last time we saw the strung-out murderer was during the NCIS: Origins Season 1 Premiere. Now he’s back, but for what reason is yet to be seen.
Vera was working on her profiling program, and considering how much screen time has been devoted to mentioning it, I’d say it will play a big part in the coming episodes.
We still have a few more episodes before NCIS: Origins takes a break until after New Year’s. Between now and then, a lot of things can happen.
And you know the series will go on break after a cliffhanger just to drive viewers crazy through the holidays. Either way, it’s going to be action-packed and dripping with tears.
NCIS: Origins had a few bumps taking off, but the show has really found its stride. And while not everyone agrees on what kind of show it is, we can all agree that Kyle Schmid is killing it as Franks.
What’s your favorite part or aspect of NCIS: Origins?
Do you think Gibbs would want to know that Randy was initially supposed to be on protection detail for his wife and daughter?
Please drop a comment below to let me know what you liked about this episode, and join me again when I review another episode of NCIS: Origins!