Review: 'NCIS' - Ducky Returns Home

There are few things more amusing than watching a TV critic who doesn't regularly watch "NCIS" try and explain its success. The show isn't just a ratings powerhouse twelve seasons into its run. Reruns of the show still garner solid ratings for USA and in an era of declining DVD sales, people continue to buy the box sets of the show. You can make a good argument that "NCIS" will be the last television drama with the type of wide reach that used to be the standard for broadcast TV.

Critics will often reluctantly acknowledge its success with the backhanded compliment that it is "better than the average procedural." Which is roughly similar to describing a song as "better than average Nickleback hit." And anytime I read a comment such as that one, I instantly know that I'm dealing with someone who really isn't a regular viewer.

At its best, "NCIS" has been less about the procedural crimes and more about building a emotional mythology of the characters that ties every episode together in a common thread. Reruns of the show hold up so well because most of them are connected in a way that rewards regular viewer of the show. You can watch nearly every episode of the show as a standalone hour and still follow all of the important beats in the episode. But viewers who watch the show regularly notice these Easter eggs of mythology that deepen the emotional resonance of of the characters. If you've watched every season of "NCIS," you'll find yourself knowing as much about some of these characters as you do about members of your family. That's a level of complexity and editorial focus that most procedurals don't even attempt.

That connection is what separates "NCIS" from even sister shows such as "NCIS: Los Angeles." For all of the latter shows' efforts to make viewers care about Callen's upbringing or the budding romance between Agents Blye and Deeks, the characters never really resonate with the viewers in a three-dimensional way.

That connection "NCIS" has with its fans is part of what has made this new season so interesting. After several seasons of complex multi-episode story arcs, the first several episodes of the season have stepped back and given favorite second-tier characters a chance to shine.

Last week's episode centered around NCIS Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll), who feared that he might have lung cancer. He lost his wife last season during a shoot-out at his home and watching him struggle with the possibility his kids might grow up without both parents made for some powerful television. This week's episode highlights David McCallum's Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard, and it is another bittersweet episode that is also a bit of a love letter to his fans on the show.

The disappearance of an old childhood friend sends Ducky back to England and viewers get a look at the college-age Dr. Mallard. Through a series of flashbacks, we're given a lot of back story about the character, including why he never married and an explanation of his fondness for bow-ties.

I don't want to give away too much, other than to say the final scenes of the episode are some of the best ones in recent years. Watching Ducky talk his long-lost love, seeing the waves of regret and love and loss cross his face is a delight. It's easy to forget just how good of an actor McCallum can be and it's a testament to the show that it has such a deep bench of gifted actors in the ensemble.

"NCIS" has changed over the years and it's not as energetic or sharp as it might have been in earlier seasons. But it's still as entertaining and meaningful of a show as it ever was.  The show is like an aging pitcher who learns to throw some new pitches to stay in the game. The knuckle-ball might not be as flashy as the fastball, but it gets the job done. And that's what "NCIS" continues to do week after week.