Dive into the thrilling world of NCIS Season 10 with our comprehensive episode guide. This season, originally aired from 2012 to 2013, delivers 24 action-packed episodes filled with suspense, drama, and intricate investigations that NCIS fans have come to love. Explore each episode in detail, ensuring you don’t miss any crucial moments from this pivotal season.
Episode 1: Extreme Prejudice
Original Air Date: Tue, Sep 25, 2012 (44 mins)
The season premiere, “Extreme Prejudice,” plunges directly into the aftermath of a devastating explosion at NCIS headquarters. Director Vance delivers the grim news to Ducky, causing him to suffer a heart attack and requiring Palmer to rush to his side in Florida. The attack, orchestrated by terrorist Harper Dearing, has left the NCIS building heavily damaged and resulted in multiple casualties and injuries, including McGee. Miraculously, Gibbs’ core team survives.
Fueled by the President’s mandate to pursue Dearing with “extreme prejudice,” a massive manhunt is launched, involving all federal law enforcement agencies, including Fornell. Dearing, ever elusive, makes new connections that quickly turn sour. Ziva’s sharp instincts uncover a crucial flaw in their approach, but another car bomb explosion proves Dearing remains one step ahead.
The pursuit leads the team to a farmhouse in West Virginia, but they narrowly miss capturing Dearing. Gibbs, with Vance’s tacit approval, decides to confront Dearing alone, anticipating his predictable next move. In a chilling face-off, Gibbs finds Dearing exactly where he expected. Dearing, welcoming Gibbs with unsettling cordiality, makes a fatal error by drawing a weapon, underestimating Gibbs’ resolve.
Alt text: The NCIS team, led by Gibbs, surveys the extensive damage to their headquarters after the bombing in NCIS Season 10 Episode 1, Extreme Prejudice.
Episode 2: Recovery
Original Air Date: Tue, Oct 2, 2012 (44 mins)
“Recovery” deals with the emotional and physical repercussions of the headquarters bombing. Abby, still deeply shaken, continues to call Gibbs in the early hours due to nightmares. Navy Seabees are diligently working on the extensive repairs to the NCIS building. In response to the trauma, a crisis counselor is assigned to conduct mandatory psychological evaluations for all personnel.
A grim discovery is made when divers recover the submerged car of Midge Watkins, an NCIS armory worker who vanished during the evacuation four months prior. Palmer’s examination reveals a gunshot wound, and Abby’s forensic analysis uncovers a peculiar bullet in the vehicle.
Tony and Ziva’s investigation leads them to a suspect, initiating an uneasy interaction. Tony then identifies another suspect, who surprisingly suggests being arrested by him. As Gibbs and the team piece together the puzzle, they uncover a confession. Meanwhile, Abby’s relentless work yields a significant breakthrough, finally allowing her to find some peace and restful sleep.
Alt text: Forensic specialist Abby Sciuto meticulously analyzes evidence in her lab, working late into the night during the NCIS Season 10 episode, Recovery.
Episode 3: Phoenix
Original Air Date: Tue, Oct 9, 2012 (42 mins)
In “Phoenix,” Ducky, still on medical leave but ever engaged, requests the exhumation of a Navy commander whose autopsy he conducted 12 years prior. Ducky suspects that his initial assessment of death by excessive drinking may have been incorrect, now believing it could have been murder. This revelation causes friction and heated exchanges between Gibbs and Ducky.
Simultaneously, Gibbs’ team investigates the death of a Marine sergeant in Brooklyn, New York, who was preparing for a one-way trip. Abby’s initial findings confirm Ducky’s suspicions about the commander’s death, and she uncovers a suspicious document on the sergeant’s laptop. Gibbs invokes rule 38, emphasizing the need to confront the unfolding evil.
Tony and Ziva investigate unusual old dust samples, and Abby discovers a surprising link between the two seemingly unrelated deaths. Gibbs and the team consult with a rocker connected to the case, followed by Ducky’s insightful interview. Abby uncovers a critical link, enabling Ducky and the team to connect all the pieces. Gibbs, satisfied with Ducky’s contribution, encourages him to return to his familiar workspace.
Alt text: Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard, NCIS Medical Examiner, carefully examines skeletal remains in his lab, revisiting a cold case in NCIS Season 10 Episode 3, Phoenix.
Episode 4: Lost at Sea
Original Air Date: Tue, Oct 23, 2012 (42 mins)
“Lost at Sea” begins with the discovery of an inflatable raft washed ashore in Maryland, carrying three survivors from a missing Navy helicopter. The pilot is still missing. Gibbs and his team collaborate with Agent Borin from CGCIS to investigate. Gibbs and Ducky utilize their “covert prowess” to interview the two conscious crew members, while Tony, McGee, and Borin encounter a local scavenger.
Tony and McGee discover the pilot’s body, revealing a gunshot wound to the head, leading Gibbs and Ducky to consider the possibility of suicide. The chopper’s crew chief provides valuable information to Gibbs, as does the pilot’s widow. Gibbs and Ziva visit the aircraft carrier for a confrontational discussion.
Tony and McGee interview the third survivor, who has regained consciousness and whose account contradicts the others. Further investigation by the “musketeers” reveals more about the crew’s dynamics. Skillful questioning leads to tearful confessions from the first two survivors. Ultimately, the team, along with Abby’s crucial evidence, apprehend the perpetrator. Gibbs prepares to deliver a poignant item to the deceased pilot’s son.
Alt text: Gibbs leads his NCIS team aboard a US Navy ship, investigating the mysterious disappearance and death of a pilot in NCIS Season 10 Episode 4, Lost at Sea.
Episode 5: The Namesake
Original Air Date: Tue, Oct 30, 2012 (44 mins)
“The Namesake” begins when Virginia State Police call NCIS about the shooting of a Navy petty officer first-class. Gibbs and his team find the murder weapon at the scene. Abby traces it to a Maryland pawnshop, leading Gibbs and Tony to Kim, a young woman connected to the weapon.
At the pawnshop, Tony notices a Medal of Honor and inquires about it. The medal belonged to Leroy Jethro Moore, honored for valor in World War II—a name Gibbs recognizes as his father’s former best friend, for whom his father, Jackson, named him. Kim reveals she gave the pistol to her brother, Kris, who claims it was stolen from his car trunk. Kris later identifies a motorcycle and rider involved.
The team pieces together the fragmented clues and, with the unexpected assistance of a billionaire and a $1 million reward, they locate the shooter. The entire NCIS team, joined by friends, confronts and apprehends the shooter. Gibbs also facilitates a heartfelt reconciliation between his father and his father’s old friend, Leroy Jethro Moore. Meanwhile, Abby declines an intriguing dinner invitation, focused on the case.
Alt text: Gibbs has a meaningful conversation with his father, Jackson Gibbs, about family history and legacy in NCIS Season 10 Episode 5, The Namesake.
Episode 6: Shell Shock (Part I)
Original Air Date: Tue, Nov 13, 2012 (43 mins)
“Shell Shock (Part I)” introduces two Marine officers, Captain Joe Westcott and Lieutenant Michael Wheeler, close friends returning from a traumatic tour in Afghanistan. One night, during a fistfight in a DC alley, Lieutenant Wheeler is killed. Gibbs and the team investigate, focusing on Captain Westcott, who shows signs of shell shock. They learn he received an honorable medical discharge eight months prior.
Abby’s reconstruction of the fight reveals inconsistencies. Gibbs re-interviews Joe, who becomes increasingly confused and agitated. McGee and Abby identify the other fighter, Kersey, whose account of the altercation differs significantly. Gibbs and Tony find Joe again, who admits he needs help. Gibbs ensures Joe gets the necessary support. Suddenly, McGee spots a familiar face among native rebels in footage from around the time of the Afghanistan ambush. Gibbs, Tony, and Ziva visit the suspect’s home, discovering incriminating evidence. Gibbs instructs the team to locate him, setting up the cliffhanger for Part II.
Alt text: Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs meticulously examines a dimly lit alley crime scene during a nighttime investigation in NCIS Season 10 Episode 6, Shell Shock (Part I).
Episode 7: Shell Shock (Part II)
Original Air Date: Tue, Nov 20, 2012 (44 mins)
“Shell Shock (Part II)” continues the intense investigation. Gibbs informs Joe that his suspicions about Kersey’s involvement with the enemy in Afghanistan were correct and enlists Joe’s help to find him. Gibbs speaks with Joe, his brother Evan, and their father. Evan stays to support Joe, while their father returns home. Joe accompanies Gibbs to see Paul, another member of their unit, who reacts negatively to Joe.
Abby uses virtual reality to help Joe recover suppressed memories from the ambush. The team intensifies their search for Kersey. Gibbs continues working closely with Joe, and they uncover a crucial clue. The team finds Kersey’s abandoned car, then encounters a distinctive girl with blue hair, leading them to Kersey. Joe suddenly recalls another face from the ambush.
Abby pinpoints the location of the next planned incident, and McGee recognizes its strategic significance. Gibbs and the team mobilize, intercepting a suspicious package and then identifying a key individual—identified by a ponytail. Joe and Paul reconcile. Tony provides Ziva with an audio surprise, and Abby hosts a Thanksgiving dinner for the team at Gibbs’ house.
Alt text: Abby Sciuto utilizes virtual reality (VR) technology in her forensic lab to help a witness recover crucial memories in NCIS Season 10 Episode 7, Shell Shock (Part II).
Episode 8: Gone
Original Air Date: Tue, Nov 27, 2012 (43 mins)
“Gone” involves the kidnapping of teenage girls. Kidnappers abduct Rosie but fail to capture Lydia due to her Navy captain father’s intervention, who is fatally shot in the process. Both girls are from Navy families. Gibbs’ team, along with the FBI, launches a joint investigation. Lydia stays with Ziva for protection until her Navy commander mother arrives from deployment in the Arabian Sea.
An incomplete text message Lydia received leads the team to a camping trailer in Virginia, where they discover a burner phone and a dead body. While Ziva, Abby, and Lydia stay overnight at Gibbs’ house, they receive an unexpected visitor whom Lydia recognizes. The visitor identifies the other kidnappers to Gibbs, who also gathers information from a long-time confidential informant.
At dawn, Gibbs, the team, and additional forces converge on a helicopter rendezvous, capturing the third kidnapper and rescuing Rosie. Ziva’s date arrives and invites Tony to join them, forming an unusual trio for the evening.
Alt text: Special Agent Ziva David is in a protective stance, safeguarding a young witness in a safe house during the kidnapping case in NCIS Season 10 Episode 8, Gone.
Episode 9: Devil’s Trifecta
Original Air Date: Tue, Dec 11, 2012 (44 mins)
“Devil’s Trifecta” opens with a close-range shooting targeting Agent Fornell. Fornell, wearing body armor, returns fire, killing the assailant, a Navy seaman. Gibbs’ team and Fornell jointly investigate. Diane, their mutual ex-wife, also appears, leading to several tense and humorous exchanges.
Vance announces that he and other agency directors have decided Gibbs, Fornell, and Diane will work together on this case. McGee provides security and comfort to an overwrought Diane, allowing Gibbs and Fornell to find a moment of relaxed cooperation. While executing a search warrant, Gibbs, Fornell, Tony, and McGee find frozen fish and a dead body.
The investigation leads them to a missing accountant, who collapses and dies shortly after being found. Gibbs makes a toast and an unexpected proposal at a wedding reception. Fornell, McGee, and Ziva track down two of the perpetrators. Gibbs and Diane have a significant conversation, reflecting on their shared history.
Alt text: Special Agents Gibbs and Fornell collaborate closely at a crime scene, putting aside their rivalry to solve a complex case in NCIS Season 10 Episode 9, Devil’s Trifecta.
Episode 10: You Better Watch Out
Original Air Date: Tue, Dec 18, 2012 (44 mins)
“You Better Watch Out” takes place during the holiday season. A Navy Lieutenant Commander returns from overseas to her base housing at NAS Pax River, Maryland, and discovers the decomposing body of her husband with a broken neck. Gibbs and his team investigate. Ducky determines the victim died elsewhere, and Palmer notes signs of cirrhosis.
The victim’s wallet contains a $100 bill with new security features not yet in public circulation, drawing the Secret Service into the investigation, including a highly competent agent who initially clashes with Gibbs. McGee and Abby find a print implicating an inside man at the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP).
Tony’s father, Anthony DiNozzo Sr., visits for Christmas, much to Tony’s chagrin. Tony and McGee find a large cache of these new $100 bills in the victim’s home. Hikers at Rock Creek Park discover the decomposing body of the BEP inside man. Abby figures out how the bills were leaked from the BEP. The team assembles the pieces, Gibbs suggests a peace offering to the Secret Service agent, and the team—along with Tony’s father—gather to watch a movie for Christmas.
Alt text: Special Agent Tony DiNozzo displays a look of exasperation while interacting with his charming but often troublesome father, Anthony DiNozzo Sr., in NCIS Season 10 Episode 10, You Better Watch Out.
Episode 11: Shabbat Shalom
Original Air Date: Tue, Jan 8, 2013 (42 mins)
“Shabbat Shalom” begins with the discovery of a severed human ear in the Potomac River, leading to the rest of a body in a Navy petty officer uniform. Gibbs and the team investigate, with Gibbs noticing an inconsistency. McGee determines the victim was not military but a freelance investigative reporter. Tony interviews the sailor whose identity was stolen; four other sailors confess to homicide, complicating the case.
Ziva’s father, Eli David, Director of Mossad, arrives in Washington, DC, as does the new director of Iranian intelligence, who meets with Eli, Ziva, Vance, and Gibbs. The reporter’s car and significant evidence are found in an off-airport parking lot. Ziva recognizes a hat, sparking a crucial discussion.
Ziva and Eli have dinner with Vance and his girlfriend, Jackie, at Vance’s home. A lone gunman attacks, killing Eli and injuring Jackie, who later dies. Ziva pursues the shooter, and she and Gibbs apprehend him, ending on a tragic cliffhanger.
Alt text: Ziva David shares a poignant moment with her father, Eli David, Director of Mossad, during his visit to Washington, D.C. in NCIS Season 10 Episode 11, Shabbat Shalom.
Episode 12: Shiva
Original Air Date: Tue, Jan 15, 2013 (44 mins)
“Shiva” continues directly from the aftermath of the attack on Vance’s home. Gibbs and the team investigate the killings of Eli David and Jackie Vance, focusing on finding who hired the shooter. McGee identifies the gunman, and Tony and McGee get a lead on the kingpin. Tony interrogates the suspect.
Tony provides Ziva secure lodging at his apartment, while Vance takes leave and stays in a hotel. The new Director of Mossad, Orli Elbaz, arrives, asserting authority. McGee traces the bullets back to Russia via Sweden and identifies the Iranian smuggler. McGee also traces the payment to the hitman. Ziva interprets a critical clue, leading them to Ilan Bodnar, responsible for the attacks.
A Suburban explodes, killing a key foreign official. Ziva escorts her father’s body back to Israel for burial. The entire NCIS team accompanies Vance and his children to Jackie’s burial. Ziva visits the Western Wall and later finds solace by planting an olive tree.
Alt text: A somber Ziva David stands grieving at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, mourning the loss of her father, Eli David, in NCIS Season 10 Episode 12, Shiva.
Episode 13: Hit and Run
Original Air Date: Tue, Jan 29, 2013 (44 mins)
“Hit and Run” begins with passersby discovering a one-car crash scene with the bodies of a Marine lance corporal and a young woman. Gibbs and the team investigate, with Ducky noting “a two-pronged curiosity,” suggesting it may not be a simple accident. Abby starts experiencing flashbacks to a very early case that still troubles her.
Ziva learns that the victims’ fathers had a mutual problem ten years prior while stationed at Marine Corps Base Quantico. The team interviews the parents, who display significant anger and hostility towards each other, revealing an intense feud. McGee has a supportive conversation with Abby.
Gibbs, Tony, and Ziva investigate a cousin, his residence, and his equipment. Tony finds a suspicious object, leading to both the case solution and the capture of the perpetrator. Gibbs also talks with Abby again, helping her process her past case and find closure.
Alt text: Abby Sciuto appears distressed in her lab, grappling with flashbacks to a troubling early case that resurfaces during a new investigation in NCIS Season 10 Episode 13, Hit and Run.
Episode 14: Canary
Original Air Date: Tue, Feb 5, 2013 (44 mins)
“Canary” sees Gibbs and the team capture the world’s number-two cyberterrorist, who previously hacked MTAC, resulting in an agent’s death. Tony predicts the suspect will quickly cooperate, but he remains smug and uncooperative, leading Gibbs to let him believe the team is outdated. McGee and Abby work closely on the cyber aspects of the case.
Ducky suggests an unconventional psychological technique to Gibbs. Tony and Ziva discover a body, prompting Tony to call the hazmat team—Ducky determines the victim contracted the Ebola virus. Tony and Ziva escort the suspect on a special flight, during which Tony finds himself in a precarious situation, joined by Ziva. Gibbs and McGee also face their own challenges.
Tony and Ziva extract critical data from the prisoner, which McGee confirms and uses to trace the mastermind. Gibbs and the team successfully resolve the case, outmaneuvering the cyberterrorists.
Alt text: Special Agents Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David escort a high-value, dangerous suspect on a secure flight in NCIS Season 10 Episode 14, Canary.
Episode 15: Hereafter
Original Air Date: Tue, Feb 19, 2013 (42 mins)
“Hereafter” begins with a lance corporal collapsing and dying on an obstacle course at Marine Corps Base Quantico. Gibbs and the team investigate. Ducky observes numerous wounds on the body, suggesting beatings. While still on leave, Vance makes significant discoveries related to the case.
Gibbs and Ducky independently learn about the victim’s history of underground fighting. The team determines the nature and location of these fights. Vance returns to work, joining Gibbs’ team. Gibbs and Vance conduct interviews at Quantico. Abby solves one part of the puzzle but struggles with another. Vance and Gibbs, and Vance and Ziva, have meaningful conversations.
Gibbs and McGee find another dead Marine, a private first-class, also with multiple wounds. Ducky and Gibbs compare notes, McGee finds details in medical records, and Ducky makes a key observation. Gibbs and Vance confront the person responsible for the beatings and hear his explanation. Later, Gibbs and Vance talk in the basement, where Gibbs helps Vance process his personal family issues.
Alt text: Director Leon Vance and Special Agent Gibbs engage in a serious, private discussion in the NCIS bullpen basement, dealing with both professional and personal matters in NCIS Season 10 Episode 15, Hereafter.
Episode 16: Detour
Original Air Date: Tue, Feb 26, 2013 (43 mins)
“Detour” starts in Richmond, Virginia, where an injured Navy lieutenant drinks caustic drain cleaner and dies. Gibbs and the team investigate. Tony quickly uncovers unusual behavior from the victim leading up to his death. While Ducky and Palmer drive back to Washington, DC, their van gets a flat tire, and they are abducted.
Three individuals detain Ducky and Palmer, taking them to a secluded cabin and forcing Ducky to perform an impromptu autopsy. Meanwhile, Abby uncovers the victim’s location and activities just before his death, and the team traces the van. Tony learns about the victim’s peculiar circumstances, and Abby confirms inconsistencies. She further deduces who assaulted the lieutenant before his death.
The team locates the assailant, who confesses to Gibbs. Following clues, the team tracks Ducky and Palmer into a forest, finding one dead kidnapper. They rescue Ducky and Palmer and apprehend the remaining kidnapper. A female perpetrator is then caught when she falls for Palmer’s bait.
Alt text: Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard and Jimmy Palmer are held captive in a rustic cabin, facing a dangerous situation in NCIS Season 10 Episode 16, Detour.
Episode 17: Prime Suspect
Original Air Date: Tue, Mar 5, 2013 (43 mins)
“Prime Suspect” reopens an old case. After a three-year hiatus, two more young women are murdered with the same MO as in a previous series of homicides. Gibbs’ barber confides his fear that his son might be the killer. Gibbs discreetly investigates. Simultaneously, the team investigates the disappearance of $120,000 of Navy funds from Naval Air Station Norfolk. They suspect a Marine lance corporal and his girlfriend as accomplices.
Tony and Dorneget travel to Freeport, Grand Bahama, to intercept the suspects. Another young woman is murdered, causing jurisdictional conflicts. Vance navigates these issues, and NCIS re-examines the old evidence. Tony and Dorneget apprehend their suspects and recover most of the stolen cash. Abby identifies the original killer, who is deceased. Dorneget assists in the investigation, and Gibbs and a Metro detective obtain a search warrant, leading to the surprising capture of a copycat killer. Gibbs helps the barber and his son reconcile.
Alt text: Gibbs listens intently as his barber confides in him, expressing concerns about his son potentially being involved in a series of murders in NCIS Season 10 Episode 17, Prime Suspect.
Episode 18: Seek
Original Air Date: Tue, Mar 19, 2013 (44 mins)
“Seek” takes the team to Afghanistan. A Marine sergeant, a dog handler, dies from a single gunshot to the head, reportedly by a Taliban sniper. His widow expresses doubts due to a cryptic message from him before his death. Gibbs and the team investigate. Abby finds an object with disturbing implications.
A lead sends Tony and McGee to meet Pitt, a dog trainer from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, and his dogs. The widow delivers a piece of mail to Gibbs, which Abby analyzes. Dex, the K-9 Marine dog, thwarts a burglary. Gibbs, McGee, and Dex travel to Afghanistan, investigate, and solve the case, identifying the shooter and the circumstances of the shooting. Gibbs delivers a comforting surprise to the widow. Meanwhile, Vance searches for a nanny for his children back home.
Alt text: Gibbs and McGee are on location in Afghanistan, conducting a field investigation with military personnel and K-9 units in NCIS Season 10 Episode 18, Seek.
Episode 19: Squall
Original Air Date: Tue, Mar 26, 2013 (44 mins)
“Squall” occurs on a US Navy destroyer encountering a storm in the Atlantic. Two sailors find the body of the ship’s medical officer on deck. Gibbs and the team meet the ship in Norfolk to investigate. Ducky notes a wound and bruise, possibly from a hypodermic needle. McGee’s father, Admiral McGee, temporarily aboard the ship, interferes with the investigation, creating tension with Tim.
Ducky finds part of a broken needle in the body. Tony identifies a suspect, whom he and McGee interview on the ship. Agent Burley, working with the team onboard, learns about a missing tablet computer. Tony and McGee find the tablet, and McGee retrieves data, identifying the last visitor to the sick bay before the doctor’s death. The team identifies and apprehends the killer. McGee has a conversation with his father, beginning to mend their relationship.
Alt text: Special Agent Timothy McGee has a tense but important conversation with his father, Admiral McGee, aboard a Navy destroyer in NCIS Season 10 Episode 19, Squall.
Episode 20: Chasing Ghosts
Original Air Date: Tue, Apr 9, 2013 (42 mins)
“Chasing Ghosts” begins with Navy Lieutenant Callie returning home from San Diego to find her husband, Noah, missing and their house ransacked. Gibbs and the team investigate. McGee finds a severed finger in a trash can. McGee and Abby make separate discoveries. Noah calls, McGee traces the call, and the team finds a bloody, abandoned car.
McGee traces the plates to a man in Roanoke, who lent the car to his brother, a criminal. Gibbs, Tony, and Ziva find a staged “suicide.” Ducky determines it was not suicide, and Abby proves the house ransacking was also staged. Tony and Ziva catch a female suspect, then Tony and Gibbs catch another suspect on a bus.
Palmer asks Ducky to teach him more about forensic psychology. Encouraged by Gibbs, Tony meets with Ziva and McGee. Ziva speaks with Gibbs, who has been aware of their evolving relationship. Gibbs instructs them to go to Rome together, hinting at a deeper understanding of their personal lives.
Alt text: Special Agents Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David share an intense, meaningful look, hinting at their developing relationship in NCIS Season 10 Episode 20, Chasing Ghosts.
Episode 21: Berlin
Original Air Date: Tue, Apr 23, 2013 (44 mins)
“Berlin” redirects Tony and Ziva’s planned trip to Rome to Berlin. Gibbs, Vance, and Ziva meet with Orli Elbaz, the new Mossad director, to discuss the shooting of a Mossad agent in Washington. Ducky examines the agent’s body. In Berlin, Ziva meets an old Mossad friend who aids their investigation. Ilan Bodnar, Eli David’s killer, contacts Ziva.
In Washington, Vance and Gibbs confront Orli. In Berlin, Tony and Ziva recover diamonds and apprehend Yaniv Bodnar, Ilan’s brother. They escort Yaniv to Washington, where tensions rise. Orli admits to Vance, Gibbs, and a DHS official that she lied and that Ilan has been in the US. Vance sends Orli and her team back to Israel. After handing over Yaniv, as Tony drives Ziva home, a large SUV T-bones Tony’s car on the passenger side, ending on a dramatic cliffhanger.
Alt text: Special Agents Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David are in Berlin, working undercover and on high alert during a dangerous international mission in NCIS Season 10 Episode 21, Berlin.
Episode 22: Revenge
Original Air Date: Tue, Apr 30, 2013 (43 mins)
“Revenge” immediately follows the car crash. Ilan Bodnar emerges from the SUV, takes the diamonds from Tony’s car, and escapes. Ziva, wounded, fires at the getaway car, only hitting the rear window. Vance and Gibbs meet Tony and Ziva at the hospital. Despite minor injuries, they leave the ER to continue the pursuit.
McGee traces the SUV to an address where the team finds the getaway car and engages in a shootout, finding the driver’s body, who has no fingerprints but provides a clue. Ducky and Abby struggle to identify the body, but Abby links two rogue Mossad agents. Ducky finds an unusual lead, which Abby traces. Ilan contacts Ziva, claiming someone else killed Eli’s Iranian friend and vowing to find them.
With Tony’s help, Ziva deciphers the clue from the body, leading her to her prey. Ziva confronts Ilan, bringing the case to a violent and personal end, declaring “it’s over.”
Alt text: Ziva David confronts Ilan Bodnar in a tense and personal showdown, seeking revenge for her father’s death in NCIS Season 10 Episode 22, Revenge.
Episode 23: Double Blind
Original Air Date: Tue, May 7, 2013 (43 mins)
“Double Blind” starts at Marine Corps Base Quantico, where Navy petty officer Lowry, a cook, is attacked after being followed. Lowry requests to speak to NCIS about “national security.” Gibbs and McGee respond. McGee finds a GPS tracker on Lowry’s car.
A lawyer claiming to be from the DoD Inspector General’s Office arrives, supposedly to conclude the inquiry into Ilan Bodnar’s death. He accompanies Tony and McGee on a stakeout related to Lowry’s belongings. Abby finds a mysterious item Lowry doesn’t recognize, but Gibbs connects it to a program involving Lowry. A warehouse housing the program’s offices catches fire. Gibbs finds a corporal AWOL.
The team suspects the IG lawyer is on a witch hunt. He confronts Gibbs with grim-faced federal agents, accusing him of federal crimes, setting up the season finale cliffhanger.
Alt text: Gibbs and McGee are deeply engaged in investigating a potential national security threat, with tension and suspicion in the air in NCIS Season 10 Episode 23, Double Blind.
Episode 24: Damned If You Do
Original Air Date: Tue, May 14, 2013 (44 mins)
“Damned If You Do,” the season finale, sees Parsons intensifying his interrogation of Gibbs. Gibbs initially remains silent but starts to push back. To Parsons’ surprise, retired Admiral and former JAG AJ Chegwidden arrives to defend Gibbs, called in by Vance. Gibbs manages a slight smile. Ducky and Palmer discover listening devices. AJ and Gibbs find Gibbs’ house has been searched. Tony and Ziva join them, and they retreat to Gibbs’ secluded cabin.
McGee joins them and then takes Tony and Ziva to investigate the murder of a SEAL lieutenant whose head was sent to his widow in a box. Palmer discovers the head is radioactive. DHS’s Tom Morrow delivers startling news to Vance. The core three NCIS agents turn in their badges. Vance shreds a file, and Gibbs burns more evidence. Morrow gives Parsons a letter from the DoD IG canceling the investigation, leaving Parsons bewildered. Gibbs embarks on a top-secret mission. Four months later, Gibbs is seen taking a shot, setting up the next season.
Alt text: Gibbs is seen in a sniper position, aiming his rifle, creating a suspenseful cliffhanger ending to NCIS Season 10 Episode 24, Damned If You Do.
NCIS Season 10 delivers a powerful narrative arc, marked by personal losses, intense investigations, and significant character developments. This guide provides a detailed look at each episode, ensuring fans and new viewers alike can appreciate the depth and excitement of this compelling season.
