NCIS (season 9)

NCIS (season 9)
Season 9 U.S. DVD Cover
Starring	Mark Harmon Michael Weatherly Cote de Pablo Pauley Perrette Sean Murray Rocky Carroll David McCallum
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	24
Release
Original network	CBS
Original release	September 20, 2011 – May 15, 2012
Season chronology

The ninth season of the police procedural drama NCIS premiered on September 20, 2011, in the same time slot as the previous season.^[1] The season introduces several recurring guest stars, most notably Dr. Samantha Ryan, a love interest for Gibbs.

By the end of the season, NCIS and the Navy had found themselves under threat from a new and dangerous enemy: insurance CEO-turned terrorist, Harper Dearing, who lost his son in a fire aboard a Navy ship and is out for revenge against the Navy for not solving the problem that led to the fire and then not updating ships with the same problem. He also has a grudge against NCIS, as his son would not have been on the ship if they had not transferred him.

Managing to get a hold of powerful explosives, Dearing starts firebombing Navy ships. However, towards the end of the season, Dearing stepped up his game: he had Director Vance abducted. Whilst NCIS finds him quickly, it transpired that Dearing is only after Vance for his car, managing to rig up explosives in the car seat so that Vance would unknowingly deliver a car bomb to the Navy Yard. By the time Gibbs realized, it is nearly too late; the bomb detonates, resulting in major damage to the NCIS building, as well as many deaths and injuries and leaving the fates of Gibbs, Tony, McGee, Abby, Ziva and Vance unknown. Upon learning of the destruction, Ducky suffers a heart attack on the beaches of Miami. The season finale aired on May 15, 2012.

Cast

Main

• Mark Harmon as Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Senior Supervisory Special Agent (SSA)
• Michael Weatherly as Anthony DiNozzo, Senior Special Agent
• Cote de Pablo as Ziva David, Special Agent
• Pauley Perrette as Abby Sciuto, Forensic Specialist attached to NCIS
• Sean Murray as Timothy McGee, Special Agent
• Rocky Carroll as Leon Vance, Director of NCIS
• David McCallum as Dr Donald Mallard, Chief Medical Examiner

Also starring

• Brian Dietzen as Jimmy Palmer, Assistant Medical Examiner

Recurring

• Joe Spano as Tobias Fornell, Senior FBI Special Agent
• Wendy Makkena as Dr. Rachel Cranston, a psychiatrist and Kate's sister
• Matt L. Jones as Ned Dorneget, a NCIS Probationary Agent
• Jamie Lee Curtis as Dr. Samantha Ryan, head of DoD PsyOps Division

Guest appearances

• Diane Neal as Abigail Borin, CGIS Senior Special Agent
• Melinda McGraw as Diane Sterling, Gibbs' and Fornell's ex-wife
• Robert Wagner as Anthony DiNozzo, Sr., DiNozzo's father
• Sasha Alexander as Caitlin Todd, deceased Special Agent
• Lauren Holly as Jenny Shepard, deceased director of NCIS
• Lily Tomlin as Penelope Langston, McGee's grandmother
• Muse Watson as Mike Franks, Retired Senior Special Agent for NCIS (Gibbs's old boss)
• Ralph Waite as Jackson Gibbs

Episodes

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Production code	U.S. viewers (millions)
187	1	"Nature of the Beast"	Tony Wharmby	Gary Glasberg	September 20, 2011	901	19.96[2]
Tony is shot and unable to remember what it was all about. He must work together with Gibbs and Dr. Cranston to identify the attacker.
188	2	"Restless"	James Whitmore, Jr.	Steven D. Binder	September 27, 2011	902	19.51[3]
A Marine named Thomas Hill collapses at his homecoming party, having been drugged and stabbed before arriving. As the NCIS team start digging through his past, they discover Hill's adopted younger sister is a twenty-seven-year-old serial con-artist who runs away from her foster families shortly before her "eighteenth" birthday and has a dark secret behind her scam. Meanwhile, Tony begins to feel remorse for schoolyard bullying during his time at boarding school and enlists McGee's help in making amends. However, by the end of the episode, it is revealed that Tony was the victim of bullying and not the perpetrator.
189	3	"The Penelope Papers"	Arvin Brown	Nicole Mirante-Matthews	October 4, 2011	903	19.35[4]
NCIS is assigned the case of Paul Booth, a Navy lieutenant who is shot dead in a park after talking to his pregnant wife. During the process, McGee's business card from his days in Norfolk is found in the victim's pocket, leaving McGee confused as he has no knowledge of ever meeting the victim. Booth was a friend of McGee's maternal grandmother, Penelope Langston, who developed a research project for the military known as the ANAX Principle before the outbreak of the Vietnam War. The ANAX Principle was then shut down for four decades before being restarted. It uses specially bred caterpillars as the basis of a genetically engineered/Biomechanical plague. Booth's killer is revealed as Max Ellswood, one of the original researchers of the ANAX Principle, who killed the lieutenant when Booth planned to reveal the program to the press. At the end of the episode, McGee and his grandmother speak of how Gibbs reminds them of McGee's father. McGee ultimately decides to call his dad whom he hasn't spoken to in seven years. Meanwhile, Jimmy Palmer struggles with plans for his upcoming wedding.
190	4	"Enemy on the Hill"	Dennis Smith	George Schenck & Frank Cardea	October 11, 2011	904	18.98[5]
The NCIS team must protect a Navy Lt. Cmdr. when they discover an assassin is trying to kill him. Abby decides to donate her kidney.
191	5	"Safe Harbor"	Terrence O'Hara	Reed Steiner & Christopher J. Waild	October 18, 2011	905	19.41[6]
Abigail Borin returns to NCIS when a U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer, Cooper, is shot while inspecting an incoming vessel. The NCIS team discover that a Lebanese family seeking asylum has stowed away on the boat. As Ziva begins to bond with the family, evidence emerges that Cooper was shot with ammunition sold to the Lebanese government, and Gibbs begins to suspect a political connection. NCIS discover that Cooper was killed in order to force the vessel to dock at Norfolk, where a bomb on board would be detonated, destroying half the Norfolk naval base. The plot was masterminded by Hakim, one of the asylum seekers, as revenge for the death of his sister during an air strike during the Lebanese Civil War. However, his mother successfully manages to talk him down. Meanwhile, concerned that he is lonely, the team tries to find the perfect girlfriend for Gibbs, but once they decide on a candidate, Gibbs revealed that he had already dated her, but broke up because "perfect is boring". He also makes clear that he is not lonely, telling Ziva that he sees her as his "kid" and that as a result he could never be lonely.
192	6	"Thirst"	Thomas J. Wright	Scott Williams	October 25, 2011	906	19.43[7]
An NCIS case changes from accidental death to murder when evidence reveals that a Navy lieutenant died of forced over-hydration. The team discovered that the victim, Jason Simms, had been drugged with ecstasy, causing severe dehydration; this led him to over-hydrate, causing water toxification. When a second victim, Alcott, is found bound to a tree and also dead by way of water toxification, NCIS realize that both Simms and Alcott had failed marriages, and had been members of outreach programs and targeted by a serial killer. Meanwhile, Gibbs meets Ducky's new love interest, Mary, a woman he met online. McGee realizes that Mary is connected to the same program as Jason and Alcott, and is responsible for their deaths. Ducky is disturbed by his misplaced judgement of Mary, feeling guilty that he did not see her deception sooner.
193	7	"Devil's Triangle"	Leslie Libman	Steven D. Binder & Reed Steiner	November 1, 2011	907	19.71[8]
Gibbs and Fornell are approached by their mutual ex-wife, Diane, when her current husband disappears under suspicious circumstances. The case causes a stir within the NCIS team and they all attempt to find out about Gibbs' past life, much to his irritation.
194	8	"Engaged (Part I)"	James Whitmore, Jr.	Gina Lucita Monreal	November 8, 2011	908	20.38[9]
A C-130 carrying the bodies of Marines killed in Afghanistan crashes. The team is stretched to the maximum as NCIS is given twenty-four hours to identify the bodies before they are released to their families, but complications arise when one of the bodies cannot be identified, and 1st Lt Gabriella Flores, a Marine who was supposedly killed in an attack on a local school-building project, remains unaccounted for. Accessing satellite footage of the bombing, the team realize that Flores is still alive, having tried to save two young girls – but moments later, she is captured by insurgents. McGee and Abby deduce that some of the teachers in Flores' school-building project are actually female insurgents and Taliban-sympathizers sent undercover by a small but highly organized terrorist cell to infiltrate the school. The episode ends with NCIS preparing a rescue mission to save Flores. The case affects the team on a more personal level, especially Gibbs, who reminisces about his time in the Marine Corps.
195	9	"Engaged (Part II)"	Tony Wharmby	Gary Glasberg	November 15, 2011	909	20.00[10]
Gibbs and Ziva travel to Afghanistan in search of Gabriella Flores. Flores is successfully rescued, but her commanding officer is killed in the process. Back in Washington, Tony discovers that the woman who held Flores hostage has a brother, a university student based locally, and both are members of the same terrorist group. The team continue interrogating the siblings but to no avail. Gibbs, with some help from Vance, takes matters into his own hands as the team races against time to find out the terrorists' next move. DiNozzo attempts to conquer one of his phobias while Gibbs relives a painful memory from his days as a young recruit.
196	10	"Sins of the Father"	Arvin Brown	George Schenck & Frank Cardea	November 22, 2011	910	18.50[11]
Tony's father awakes to find a dead body in car trunk and has no memory of the previous night. Tony is sidelined during the investigation, much to his annoyance. After clearing DiNozzo Sr., the team must find out who drugged him and why. The episode ends with both DiNozzos spending Thanksgiving at Gibbs' house.
197	11	"Newborn King"	Dennis Smith	Christopher J. Waild	December 13, 2011	911	19.13[12]
When a Navy captain is killed in a hotel room, NCIS must track down and protect his very pregnant companion from unknown assailants. The team has to contend with terrible weather conditions and having to work on Christmas Eve while back at headquarters, Jimmy is frustrated by his difficult future father-in-law.
198	12	"Housekeeping"	Terrence O’Hara	Scott Williams	January 3, 2012	912	19.81[13]
The investigation of a Navy Commander's murder leads the team to E.J. Barrett to reopen their investigation into Agent Stratton.
199	13	"A Desperate Man"	Leslie Libman	Nicole Mirante-Matthews	January 10, 2012	913	21.03[14]
NCIS investigates the death of a Navy lieutenant whose body was found at a construction site.
200	14	"Life Before His Eyes"	Tony Wharmby	Gary Glasberg	February 7, 2012	914	20.98[15]
During a routine stop in a diner for his morning coffee, Gibbs finds himself shot. He then suddenly finds himself inside a spectral version of the diner where he sees various characters from the past and present, both living and dead.
201	15	"Secrets"	Leslie Libman	Steven D. Binder	February 14, 2012	915	19.59[16]
When a Navy Captain is found dead with an unusual costume under his uniform, Tony must work with his ex-fiancée to find the killer.
202	16	"Psych Out"	Dennis Smith	Teleplay by: Reed Steiner Story by: Gary Glasberg & Reed Steiner	February 21, 2012	916	19.29[17]
Dr. Robert Banks, a prominent Navy psychologist, is found dead from an apparent suicide. Gibbs and his team look into the world of psychological warfare when Dr. Samantha Ryan, the head of PsyOps, refuses to answer questions or release information to aid the case.
203	17	"Need to Know"	Michelle MacLaren	George Schenck & Frank Cardea	February 28, 2012	917	18.20[18]
When Chief Petty Officer Wiley is murdered before he can divulge information about infamous arms dealer Agah Bayar, Gibbs is immediately on the case.
204	18	"The Tell"	Thomas J. Wright	Gina Lucita Monreal	March 20, 2012	918	19.06[19]
When a shooting occurs at a seminar on Gibbs' and Tony's watch, Gibbs must work together with both Secretary of the Navy (Matt Craven) and Dr. Samantha Ryan (Jamie Lee Curtis) to find out who leaked top secret information and McGee must pit his wits against an elusive and cunning hacker.
205	19	"The Good Son"	Terrence O'Hara	Nicole Mirante-Matthews & Scott Williams	March 27, 2012	919	18.62[20]
During the investigation into a petty Officer's death, the team is led to Director Vance's Brother-in-law.
206	20	"The Missionary Position"	Arvin Brown	Allison Abner	April 10, 2012	920	17.66[21]
After the corpse of a Marine lieutenant falls out of the sky, Tony helps Ziva and her mentor, Monique, look for a missing Navy Chaplain in Colombia. Jimmy Palmer chooses his best man for the wedding.
207	21	"Rekindled"	Mark Horowitz	Christopher J. Waild & Reed Steiner	April 17, 2012	921	18.08[22]
NCIS is called in when the Baltimore Fire Department discovers a stack of classified Navy documents next to a skeleton after putting out a warehouse fire. Tony, a former Baltimore PD detective, returns to his former stomping ground and unexpectedly reunites with someone from his past.
208	22	"Playing with Fire"	Dennis Smith	George Schenck & Frank Cardea	May 1, 2012	922	17.58[23]
In the aftermath of the arson attack aboard the USS Brewer, the NCIS team discovers evidence of it being caused by the same arson explosive from earlier.
209	23	"Up in Smoke"	James Whitmore, Jr.	Steven D. Binder	May 8, 2012	923	18.20[24]
When a bug is found in Probationary Agent Ned Dorneget's tooth, the team goes full force in the effort to arrest Harper Dearing.
210	24	"Till Death Do Us Part"	Tony Wharmby	Gary Glasberg	May 15, 2012	924	19.05[25]
Jimmy Palmer's wedding plans are derailed when he and his co-workers at NCIS are threatened by terrorism.

Ratings

Episode	Ratings
	Original air date	Viewers (millions)	Rank
			Night	Week
"Nature of the Beast"	September 20, 2011	19.96[2]	1	3[2]
"Restless"	September 27, 2011	19.51[3]	1	2[3]
"The Penelope Papers"	October 4, 2011	19.35[4]	1	2[4]
"Enemy on the Hill"	October 11, 2011	18.98[5]	1	1[5]
"Safe Harbor"	October 18, 2011	19.41[6]	1	1[6]
"Thirst"	October 25, 2011	19.43[7]	1	4[7]
"Devil's Triangle"	November 1, 2011	19.71[8]	1	3[8]
"Engaged (Part I)"	November 8, 2011	20.38[9]	1	2[9]
"Engaged (Part II)"	November 15, 2011	20.00[10]	1	2[10]
"Sins of the Father"	November 22, 2011	18.50[11]	2	4[11]
"Newborn King"	December 13, 2011	19.13[12]	1	1[12]
"Housekeeping"	January 3, 2012	19.81[13]	1	3[13]
"A Desperate Man"	January 10, 2012	21.03[14]	1	3[14]
"Life Before His Eyes"	February 7, 2012	20.98[15]	1	2[15]
"Secrets"	February 14, 2012	19.59[16]	1	1[16]
"Psych Out"	February 21, 2012	19.29[17]	1	3[17]
"Need To Know"	February 28, 2012	18.20[18]	1	2[18]
"The Tell"	March 20, 2012	19.06[19]	1	1[19]
"The Good Son"	March 27, 2012	18.62[20]	1	1[20]
"The Missionary Position"	April 10, 2012	17.66[21]	1	1[21]
"Rekindled"	April 17, 2012	18.08[22]	1	1[22]
"Playing with Fire"	May 1, 2012	17.58[23]	1	1[23]
"Up in Smoke"	May 8, 2012	18.20[24]	1	1[24]
"Till Death Do Us Part"	May 15, 2012	19.05[25]	1	1[25]

References

1. Seidman, Robert (June 29, 2011). "CBS Announces Fall 2011 Premiere Dates". TV By the Numbers. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
2. Gorman, Bill (September 27, 2011). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'Two and a Half Men' Tops 'Sunday Night Football' For Week Ending September 25, 2011". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
3. Seidman, Robert (October 4, 2011). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'Two and a Half Men' Falls Just Short of 'Sunday Night Football' with Adults 18–49, But Tops Everything in Viewing". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
4. Gorman, Bill (October 11, 2011). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'Sunday Night Football,' 'Two & A Half Men,' 'Modern Family' Top Week's Adults 18–49 Ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
5. Seidman, Robert (October 18, 2011). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'Sunday Night Football,' 'Two and a Half Men,' 'Modern Family,' 'NCIS' Top Week No. 4 Viewing". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
6. Gorman, Bill (October 25, 2011). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'Sunday Night Football' Beaten By 'Modern Family' & 'Two and a Half Men' In Week No. 5 Among Adults 18–49". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
7. Seidman, Robert (November 1, 2011). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'Sunday Night Football' & 'World Series' Top Week No. 6 Among Adults 18–49". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
8. Seidman, Robert (November 8, 2011). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: Ravens-Steelers, LSU-Alabama, 'Modern Family' Top Week No. 7 Among Adults 18–49". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
9. Gorman, Bill (November 15, 2011). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'Sunday Night Football,' 'Big Bang Theory' Top Week No. 8 Among Adults 18–49". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
10. Gorman, Bill (November 22, 2011). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'Sunday Night Football,' 'Modern Family' Top Week 9 Among Adults 18–49". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 22, 2011.
11. Seidman, Robert (November 30, 2011). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'Sunday Night Football,' 'Two and a Half Men' Top Week 10". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 4, 2011.
12. Gorman, Bill (December 20, 2011). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'Sunday Night Football,' 'Two and a Half Men,' 'NCIS' Top Week 13". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
13. Seidman, Robert (January 10, 2012). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: Lions-Saints Wildcard, 'Modern Family,' 'NCIS' Top Week 16". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
14. Gorman, Bill (January 18, 2012). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: Broncos/Patriots, 'Simpsons,' 'NCIS' Top Week 17". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
15. Gorman, Bill (February 14, 2012). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'Grammy Awards,' 'The Voice,' 'The Big Bang Theory' Top Week 21". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved February 14, 2012.
16. Seidman, Robert (February 22, 2012). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'American Idol,' 'The Voice,' 'The Big Bang Theory' and 'NCIS' Top Week 22". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
17. Kondolojy, Amanda (February 28, 2012). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'Academy Awards' Towers Over The Week, 'Big Bang Theory' Is Top Scripted Show". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
18. Seidman, Robert (March 6, 2012). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'The Voice,' 'American Idol,' 'Modern Family,' NCIS Top Week 24". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
19. Kondolojy, Amanda (March 27, 2012). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'American Idol', 'NCIS' Top Week 27 Ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
20. Bibel, Sara (April 3, 2012). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: NCAA, 'American Idol,' 'The Voice,' 'Big Bang Theory' and 'NCIS Top Week 28 Viewing". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
21. Kondolojy, Amanda (April 17, 2012). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'American Idol', 'NCIS' Top Week 30 Viewing". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved April 17, 2012.
22. Kondolojy, Amanda (April 24, 2012). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'American Idol', 'Modern Family' Top Week 31 Viewing". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved April 24, 2012.
23. Kondolojy, Amanda (May 8, 2012). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'American Idol', 'The Big Bang Theory' & 'NCIS' Top Week 33 Viewing". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
24. Bibel, Sara (May 15, 2012). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'American Idol' & 'NCIS' Top Week 34 Viewing". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
25. Kondolojy, Amanda (May 22, 2012). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'American Idol', 'NCIS' Top Week 35 Viewing". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved May 22, 2012.

General references

• "Shows A-Z – ncis on cbs". the Futon Critic. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
• "NCIS Season 9 episodes". TV Guide. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
• "NCIS Season 9 Episode Recaps". Retrieved March 29, 2012.

External links

• Official website
• List of NCIS season 9 episodes at TV.com