With its historical 21-year run on television, NCIS has a wealth of noteworthy moments, and a few episodes from every season stand out above the rest. The show has seen a rotating cast of characters from its onset, and some of the best episodes are the ones that say goodbye to characters who have stayed with the series for years. Other standout episodes introduced new players and set up exciting possibilities for the team. Following the NCIS season 21 finale, these are the best episodes to watch while waiting for NCIS season 22.
For instance, “Dead Man Walking” shows the multidimensional nature of Ziva David (Cote de Pablo), and “Truth or Consequences” sees Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) at his best. Whether the team lead was Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) or Alden Parker (Gary Cole) in the last few years, NCIS fostered an environment where its characters could demonstrate their strengths. This has allowed the show to produce some truly stellar storylines, culminating in some memorable NCIS moments.
1. “Bête Noire”
Season 1, Episode 16
Being the show’s first season, there are plenty of noteworthy episodes to choose from. That said, “Bête Noire” is one of the most memorable to watch. This episode stands out among the others because it contains a shocking twist for the team that puts some of its most crucial members in danger.
“Bête Noire” was one of the first NCIS episodes to establish a plot arc that would develop over multiple episodes
The episode sets up the plot arc that will continue to play out for seasons to come involving Ari Haswari, a Mossad double agent. The episode introduces NCIS antagonist Ari: the half-brother of Ziva David. “Bête Noire” was one of the first NCIS episodes to establish a plot arc that would develop over multiple episodes in following seasons.
2. “Call Of Silence”
Season 2, Episode 7
“Call of Silence” is considered one of the best episodesin the entire NCIS series. It’s a memorable episode because it features an emotional World War II storyline. The episode demonstrates the true abilities of Gibbs and his team when the MCRT comes into contact with a WWII veteran and Medal of Honor recipient who confesses to the murder of his friend 60 years ago.
Gibbs helps to clear his name (and his conscience) when he takes him back to that day and helps him remember what happened. The veteran is able to recall that he was just protecting the rest of his group, and it’s a moment that shows how pure of heart Gibbs can be. The episode featured the decorated World War II veteran and actor Charles Durning, who received three Purple Hearts.
3. Kill Ari Part II”
Season 3, Episode 2
“Kill Ari Part II” is another episode of major significance to the franchise. It sees the resolution of the shocking death of Kate Todd (Sasha Alexander) and the introduction of Ziva David. Kate was killed by Mossad agent Ari Haswari when he shot her in the head at the end of season 2.
In “Kill Ari Part II,” Ziva kills Ari Haswari – after she realizes he has betrayed Mossad – to protect Gibbs. The episode lays the foundation of Ziva’s character and establishes that the team can trust her. It resolves an arc for Kate Todd when Ziva avenges her death, and ultimately it leads to Ziva replacing Kate on the team.
4. “Dead Man Walking”
Season 4, Episode 16
“Dead Man Walking” is one of the saddest episodes of NCIS. The team investigates a murder with a big twist: their victim is still alive. A Navy lieutenant knows that someone has exposed him to radiation poisoning, and Gibbs’ team assists. The team witnesses the man’s health fade as the episode progresses.
It’s an affecting episode that shows Ziva’s tenderness despite her deadly Mossad skills.
It’s a beautiful episode for Ziva David’s character, who recognizes the man from her running route as the runner who wears an orange beanie. It’s an affecting episode that shows Ziva’s tenderness despite her deadly Mossad skills. The episode takes an emotional turn when the poison is confirmed to be lethal.
5. “Requiem”
Season 5, Episode 7
“Requiem” is the most powerful episode in season 5, and it’s one of the essential Gibbs episodes to watch before NCIS: Origins. The episode explores Gibbs’ backstory when a friend of his late daughter comes to NCIS Headquarters looking for his help. The episode sees Gibbs in harrowing physical and emotional circumstances.
At one point, the pair is being chased and Gibbs reverses the car he’s driving into a body of water to avoid gunfire. The car quickly begins to sink and, for a moment, it looks like they won’t make it. But thanks to an epic scene where Tony DiNozzo breaks Gibbs and his daughter’s friend out of the car, and then performs CPR, they both come around.
6. “Heartland”
Season 6, Episode 4
This episode is filled with glimmers of the young Jethro Gibbs. In “Heartland,” Gibbs returns to his hometown of Stillwater, Pennsylvania. The team is investigating an attack on two Marines and one of them happens to be from Gibb’s heartland.
The episode sees Gibbs reunite with his estranged father, Jackson Gibbs (Ralph Waite). Confronting his hometown causes Gibbs to experience flashbacks from his past that reveal key moments of his development, like meeting his future wife, Shannon. The flashbacks in “Heartland” – along with other key moments from Gibbs’ past that were briefly exposed on the flagship – will certainly set up the NCIS: Origins story.
7. “Truth Or Consequences”
Season 7, Episode 1
The season 7 opener “Truth or Consequences” is another one of the most popular episodes of the entire series. Tony and McGee (Sean Murray) are taken captive after tracing Ziva to Somalia. It’s a shocking opener to the season because while viewers were expecting to see Ziva being tortured, it was Tony when the season opened.
Due to dire circumstances that push the characters to their limits, it’s a pivotal episode for Tony’s character. While under a truth serum, Tony reveals that he can’t live without Ziva, making it an essential Tony & Ziva episode to watch before the Tony & Ziva spinoff. It also flexes Gibb’s Marine sniper skills when he shoots the captor who’s holding Tony, McGee, and Ziva captive in the head, freeing his team with his Marine skills.
8. “Baltimore”
Season 8, Episode 22
In “Baltimore,” Tony revisits his days in the Baltimore Police Department’s homicide squad when his former partner is murdered. Tony takes a trip down memory lane, remembering the events that led him to become an NCIS agent. The episode witnesses flashbacks that detail the agent’s past.
“Baltimore” was a favorite for season 8 because it recalled Tony’s early days, including his first encounter with Gibbs. The episode lays out why Tony had to stop working with the Baltimore PD, and it reveals how Gibbs recruited Tony to the MCRT. It’s an essential episode for the development of Tony’s character, and the full picture of how Gibbs’ core team was formed.
9. “Till Death Do Us Part”
Season 9, Episode 24
As the season finale to the show’s ninth season, “Till Death Do Us Part” is a major episode that shakes up all of NCIS when NCIS Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) goes missing. The team is able to locate Vance, but back at NCIS, they discover the real danger. There is a bomb in Vance’s car that’s meant to blow up NCIS and the Navy Yard.
In this episode, Gibbs and his entire team are at risk, making it a climax for the season. In the episode’s emotional conclusion, Dr. Mallard (David McCallum) is called to autopsy the bodies, but the shock of the loss causes him to suffer a heart attack. Ducky’s collapse on the beach signaled that no NCIS character was safe heading into season 10.
10. “Shabbat Shalom”
Season 10, Episode 11
“Shabbat Shalom” is a pivotal episode for Ziva David and NCIS Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll). It witnesses the loss of major familial NCIS characters Eli David (Michael Nouri) and Jacqueline “Jackie” Renée Vance (née Thomas). The episode continues a trend that sees characters in major NCIS roles lose their significant others.
“Shabbat Shalom” is a traumatizing episode for key members of the team as they experience the loss that can come with the job.
In an emotional moment for her character, Ziva finds her father has been killed. It marks the beginning of a revenge arc for her character that plays out through season 10. It’s a traumatizing episode for key members of the team as they experience the loss that can come with the job. It’s a must-watch episode for the franchise that develops major characters, albeit heartbreaking.
11. “Honor Thy Father”
Season 11, Episode 24
This episode is an essential part of the story for the NCIS franchise. “Honor Thy Father” pays tribute to the actor who played Gibbs’ father, Ralph Waite. Like other tribute episodes for the franchise, the tribute to Jackson Gibbs was one of the most popular episodes of the series.
Gibbs returns to his hometown of Stillwater, Pennsylvania, to attend his father’s funeral with his NCIS team. It symbolizes the familial relationship that Gibbs has with his MCRT, which extends beyond his conventional family that he has almost entirely lost. While NCIS: Origins was created to explore Gibbs’ story, episodes like “Honor Thy Father” on the flagship series have already delved into Gibbs’ past.
12. “Check”
Season 12, Episode 11
“Check” is a harrowing episode that explores more of Gibbs’ backstory when two of his ex-wives show up. It’s a popular episode because it delves into not one but two of the Special Agent in Charge’s failed marriages. As the face of the franchise for nearly two decades, Jethro Gibbs was able to clear up his relationships with past lovers in this one.
It sees the return of Diane Sterling (Melinda McGraw), who is not only Gibbs’ ex-wife but also has connections to former FBI Agent Tobias Fornall (Joe Spano). When Gibbs meets Diane in a parking garage, the episode leads to yet another devastating death for Gibbs when Diane is shot by a sniper and bleeds out in her ex-husband’s arms.
13. “Family First”
Season 13, Episode 24
“Family First” is the season 13 finale, but that’s not the only reason that this climactic episode was one of the series’ most popular. “Family First” marks the last regular appearance of Tony DiNozzo on the flagship NCIS series. It was a huge milestone for the franchise, as Tony was one of the most popular characters on MCRT of all time (warranting his own upcoming spinoff).
After previously learning about an attack on Ziva’s family home, Tony learns that Ziva is dead, seemingly ending one of the NCIS relationships that fans could get behind. Tony also discovers that they share a daughter named Tali, whom Ziva named after her late sister. In a memorable turn of events for the franchise, Tony departs the MCRT to put his family first.
14. “Keep Going”
Season 14, Episode 13
“Keep Going” is an essential episode for Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen). He joined NCIS in its first season but wasn’t a series regular until season 10. Jimmy shows just how big his character’s heart is when he joins a young man on the ledge of a building to try to talk him out of jumping while the team is investigating a hit-and-run he’s involved in.
The man blames himself for his father’s death and threatens to jump and take Jimmy with him. During the altercation, Jimmy reveals that after multiple failed attempts, he passed his medical exams. With his character put in life-or-death circumstances in a moment of sacrifice for a stranger, the true nature of Jimmy’s character was revealed.
15. “Two Steps Back”
Season 15, Episode 22
This is a memorable episode and was popular for season 15 because “Two Steps Back” bid farewell to Pauley Perrette’s spunky Abby Sciuto character. Perrette’s farewell has stayed relevant for years, as with other episodes who bid farewell to major MCRT characters. Her character was so popular that Abby’s potential return has been addressed by CBS.
Some considered the episode the perfect tribute to the longtime Chief Forensic Scientist. Others couldn’t ignore that Gibbs and Abby weren’t even in the same room when they said goodbye, due to issues that Perrette had with Mark Harmon at the time. It’s a big part of why Pauley Perrette left NCIS after season 15.
16. “She”
Season 16, Episode 13
“She” is one of the most significant episodes in NCIS history because it revealed that Ziva David could still be alive. The discovery marked one of the most shocking twists of all time for the franchise and for Gibbs’ MCRT when the team reopens an old missing persons case that Ziva was personally invested in. While de Pablo departed the show in season 11, this episode was part of a story arc for Ziva that saw Cote de Pablo’s NCIS return six years later.
The team’s investigation leads to a trail of breadcrumbs that uncovers Ziva’s whereabouts. It creates an interesting link between Ziva and her successor, Eleanor “Ellie” Bishop (Emily Wickersham), who is the one to discover the evidence that Ziva is living and is forced to hide it from her team. It answered major questions about what happened to Ziva and what was next for her character. It set up the rest of Ziva’s story, which will continue on NCIS: Tony & Ziva.
17. “The Arizona”
Season 17, Episode 20
“The Arizona” is another one of the top-rated episodes of the entire series. It follows Gibbs as he helps a 95-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor try to recall events from 1941 so that he can be buried with his fellow survivors on the USS Arizona. The veteran enlisted under his brother’s name, leaving him without proof of his connection. The episode featured the iconic Christopher Lloyd from Back to the Future and The Addams Family.
The episode is memorable for the franchise because it’s one that honors the connection NCIS has with the military. It utilizes that connection to highlight a major time in history as well as showcase the MCRT’s diverse set of skills that extend beyond run-of-the-mill crimes. Gibbs’ help on the case causes him to confront his own military experience, which sets up a memorably vulnerable moment for his character.
18. “Everything Starts Somewhere”
Season 18, Episode 2
“Everything Starts Somewhere,” revisits an important beginning for two key NCIS characters: Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard and Leroy Jethro Gibbs. The walk down memory lane starts when the team discovers a murder victim in the NCIS garage. It evokes memories of Dr. Mallard and Gibbs’ first meeting, and it’s revisited through flashbacks that parallel the characters’ present.
The episode sees Mark Harmon’s son – Sean Harmon – portray a young Jethro Gibbs. It is a beautiful exploration of the friendship between the Special Agent in Charge and his longtime friend before Ducky actor David McCallum died at 90. The episode wasn’t the only time that Adam Campbell appeared on NCIS to portray young Ducky, but it was the last time. It was pivotal that the origin of Gibbs and Ducky’s friendship was explained.
19. “Great Wide Open”
Season 19, Episode 4
“Great Wide Open” is one of the most memorable episodes of the series – and of the entire NCIS franchise. The Alaskan-based storyline sent off former Special Agent in Charge Jethro Gibbs, who was the face of the franchise for the 19 years he was on the show. After a case leads Gibbs and McGee to Alaska, Gibbs decides to stay in the tranquility of the great outdoors. It and finally answered how Gibbs removes his boat from the basement.
The episode also served as a touching tribute to Harmon’s nearly two decades on NCIS. On filming with Mark Harmon for Gibbs’ final scene, Sean Murray revealed that the goodbye was just as emotional for the cast and crew as it was for the characters on scene. Murray remembered how the entire team shed a tear when he and Harmon filmed their fishing scene.
20. “Too Many Cooks”
Season 20, Episode 10
One of the best episodes of NCIS season 20, “Too Many Cooks” served as a stacked triple crossover between NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, and NCIS: Hawai’i. The episode was memorable thanks to a classic play from the NCIS franchise: featuring characters from one of their many spinoff shows on the main show to pique interest. The episode featured characters from all the existing NCIS spinoffs at that time.
The longevity and expanse of the NCIS franchise puts them in a unique position to host crossover opportunities such as “Too Many Cooks.” The episode welcomed NCIS: Hawai’i characters Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant (Vanessa Lachey) and Special Agent Jesse Boone (Noah Mills) from the island-based spinoff. It also featured NCIS: Los Angeles characters G. Callen (Chris O’Donnell) and Sam Hanna (LL Cool J) from the Los Angeles Office of Special Projects.
21. “The Stories We Leave Behind”
Season 21, Episode 2
“The Stories We Leave Behind” is the top-rated NCIS show of all time on IMDb. And the story’s superstar status is for good reason: the moving episode paid tribute to the series’ most veteran cast member: Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard. The tribute was conceived after Ducky actor David McCallum passed away in 2023.
Until his death, Ducky was the only remaining NCIS character who was an original cast member still featured in the show’s cast. The tribute is an exploration of Ducky’s time on NCIS, full of flashbacks and the characters finding reasons to quote the late doctor. It was a proper sendoff, which can’t be said for every main character who left NCIS.
