SPOILER ALERT: The following contains spoilers for NCIS: Origins Season 2, Episode 2.

The purpose of NCIS: Origins is to give viewers new perspective on characters, and Season 2, Episode 2 is an example of that in action. “Who by Fire” has a fairly predictable plot. What makes it work is the performances of the CBS show’s main cast, with the characters driving the action instead of the other way around.

The plotline is something that viewers will decode before the NIS team does. Collegiate swimmer Miguel Castillo turns up dead on the beach, and in one scene his coach mentions that the entire swim team lost their scholarships due to budget cuts. Gibbs points out that Miguel’s father didn’t know his son needed money, so where was Miguel getting it from? It’s easy to deduce that he’s involved in some kind of illegal activity to make ends meet, so the episode’s big reveal—that Miguel and team captain Owen are swimming drugs back and forth for a Mexican cartel—is not a surprise. Neither is the fact that their assistant coach is the mastermind making this scheme possible.

What keeps “Who by Fire” watchable is what’s going on with the characters around the case. The investigation is more of a path for this character development. Gibbs is obsessed with becoming an interrogator, which leads him to make more than one mistake, and strains his relationship with Mike Franks. He later reveals to his future wife Diane why he’s fixated on this idea: it’s a major part of being an NIS agent, and he doesn’t know who he is if he’s not an agent. This concept highlights that Gibbs is still a very vulnerable character, and also the growing pains he needs to go through.

It would be too easy to make him naturally great at everything in NIS. But “Who by Fire” is a reminder that Gibbs’ success is a product of his hard work and the time that Franks has invested in him as a mentor. NCIS: Origins is about how he became a legendary agent; that talent didn’t just materialize in him, and he didn’t get there alone. And this younger version of Gibbs, who is flawed and on tilt, is wonderful to watch especially on the same night that the original series emphasized Gibbs’ Rule #51.

Elsewhere, NCIS: Origins gives Lala Dominguez a subplot in which Flaco Navarro expects her to take down the person who murdered his cousin. Lala wrestles with the whole idea of helping one bad guy with someone who is equally evil, but ultimately chooses not to—citing Gibbs as the reason why. Seeing him so far off base and knowing that he looks up to her, she wants to set a better example. It’s a noble thing for Lala to say and a perfect match to the journey that Gibbs takes. As much as he needs Franks and Lala to make him better, he’s also affecting them, too.

NCIS: Origins Season 2, Episode 2 wouldn’t be worthwhile if it were just about the case of the week. But this is not a standard “case of the week” procedural. It’s always been a character-driven series, and that’s what comes out strongly in this hour. It’s not about what happens so much as what it says about the characters, as well as the talented actors who portray them. Viewers leave with a better understanding of both Gibbs and Lala, and they’ll likely have more appreciation for all of the cast, too.

NCIS: Origins airs Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. Photo Credit: Courtesy of CBS.

Article content is (c)2020-2025 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.