Previously, we reported that an episode of NCIS this season will explore deeper into the character of Gibbs (Mark Harmon) when the NCIS team investigates the ambush of a pair of Marines and the probe leads them to the hometown of Gibbs.

"Taking Gibbs back to his roots was something we've talked about doing for some time," executive producer Shane Brennan says.  "It was an easy creative decision to make, but a challenging story to tell."

Challenging, it was.  According to Brennan, the writers were very excited in giving Gibbs the background that would explain how he ended up the way he is today and more.  He promised that it would be a moving episode.

“The episode is a little piece of magic, with revelations about how Gibbs grew into the man we all admire and respect.  It is a funny, revealing and emotionally powerful story that I think fans of the show will talk about for the rest of the season.  Prepare to get choked up."

The episode will also let the NCIS fans meet Gibbs' father to be played by guest-star Ralph Waite, best known for his role as the family patriarch on the 1970s series The Waltons.

On the episode entitled “Heartland,” a Marine figures in a bar brawl and finds himself kicked out by the bouncers.  Outside, he finds two of his Marine friends barely breathing between the trash cans.  One of them doesn't survive and the NCIS team is called to investigate.

On the last episode, Gibbs started acting strange when the team looked into a murder.  It turned out that the murdered Petty Officer was embroiled in an affair with a senator, a former Marines officer who served with Gibbs.  The Senate was about to vote on a bill of his, which led Gibbs to suspect a lobbyist of oil companies.  Thanks to a remark from the Senator and his wife, he was led to the right place.

Catch NCIS tonight at 8pm on CBS. If you want to see more pictures from the episode, go here.


-Glenn L. Diaz, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: CBS, TV Guide
(Image Courtesy of CBS)