NCIS
Season 6
Season 6 U.S. DVD cover
Starring
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes25
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseSeptember 23, 2008 (2008-09-23) –
May 19, 2009 (2009-05-19)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 5
List of episodes

The sixth season of the police procedural drama NCIS premiered on September 23, 2008. The new NCIS director Leon Vance (played by Rocky Carroll) became a regular cast character and Agent Gibbs's new team members were introduced: NCIS Agents Michelle Lee from Legal, Daniel Keating from Cybercrime, and Special Agent Brent Langer from the FBI.[1] Langer is killed in the first episode of the season. After the end of the second episode, McGee, Ziva, and Tony return to the team, while Lee and Keating are transferred back to Legal and Cybercrime, respectively.

The two-part episode "Legend" introduced the team who would later go on to appear in the spin-off TV series NCIS: Los Angeles.

Cast

Main

Also starring

Recurring

Guest appearances

Episodes

See also: List of NCIS episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code		U.S. viewers
(millions)
1141"Last Man Standing"Tony WharmbyShane BrennanSeptember 23, 2008 (2008-09-23)60118.03[2]
Gibbs struggles to deal with Vance's disbanding of the team while investigating a murder, only to discover that one of his newest team members may be a mole. Also Gibbs discovers that Ziva and McGee have been investigating different aspects of the same case all along.
1152"Agent Afloat"Thomas J. WrightDan E. Fesman & David J. NorthSeptember 30, 2008 (2008-09-30)60217.47[3]
Now stationed on the aircraft carrier USS Seahawk, following a transfer from the USS Ronald Reagan, Tony finds that a Navy lieutenant has committed suicide by jumping off the boat, leaving only his uniform on deck. When McGee and Ziva go to inform the Lieutenant's wife, they find that she was beaten to death just before he went on leave. Vance tries to convince Gibbs to pick an agent to replace Tony while Tony completes his term on the Seahawk. McGee finds that their victim's credit card was used three days after the Seahawk left port; Gibbs continues to ask Vance why he made Tony go to sea. Tony heads to where the credit card was used, only to find the dead Navy lieutenant where the card was found; Ziva and Gibbs head to Tony's location to help him with the investigation. McGee and Abby find that the killer was planning a biological attack on the Naval Ship; when they find Caplan, the man they have been searching for, he is in a coma, and is not able to tell where the killer is. After finding the killer, Gibbs tells Tony to grab his gear and that he is coming home; at NCIS headquarters, Vance says that it wasn't a punishment and Tony is back for good.
1163"Capitol Offense"Dennis SmithGeorge Schenck & Frank CardeaOctober 7, 2008 (2008-10-07)60316.29[4]
When two cyclists find a dead woman in a river at Rock Creek Park, the team discovers that the murdered lieutenant commander was having an affair with Senator Patrick Kiley, a former Marine officer who served with Gibbs. Kiley begs Gibbs to leave him out of the investigation, knowing it would ruin his career and marriage. Back at the crime scene, the team battle against an impending storm to collect evidence before it is washed away and are perplexed by Gibbs' strange behavior. Things become even more complicated when director Vance gets a troubling phone call and Gibbs is forced to involve Kiley. After finding out who made the calls to the director, Ziva poses as a petitioner to get his number and email address. Meanwhile Abby is furious when she discovers the cupcake Ziva gave her has been stolen and is determined to use her forensic skills to find the thief.
1174"Heartland"Tony WharmbyJesse SternOctober 14, 2008 (2008-10-14)60418.04[5]
A vicious attack on several Marines leaving one dead and another in critical condition leads the team to Gibbs' hometown, where the injured Marine is from. Gibbs, Ziva, and McGee head to Gibbs' hometown, only to find that everyone in town believed their victim was dead; Ziva and McGee meet Gibbs' dad, Jackson Gibbs (Ralph Waite) and discover the estranged relationship between Gibbs and his father. After questioning the suspect, Gibbs' car is blown up along with all the evidence inside but blood DNA left behind at the scene leads to a surprising revelation. Jackson tries to repair his relationship with Gibbs by showing he helped rebuild the car Gibbs wanted as a teenager and father and son finally make amends. In a flashback, it is shown that Gibbs met his future first wife, Shannon, at a train station; Jackson gives Gibbs the car he built for him.
1185"Nine Lives"Dennis SmithLinda Burstyn & Dan E. Fesman & David J. NorthOctober 21, 2008 (2008-10-21)60517.23[6]
Ziva is frustrated when she cannot get a ticket on the flight she wants to Israel; the team is called onto the case of a man who was stabbed to death in his garage. Tony and Gibbs go to question a retired marine, Kale, whose finger prints were found at the crime scene, but they find that the former marine is a key witness in a murder trial, and is under the protection of the FBI. McGee finds out that after the trial, Kale is going to be put in the Witness Protection Program by the FBI; Ducky finds that the murderer killed the victim by stabbing him in the thigh, lacerating his femoral artery. Tony begins snooping around Ziva's desk in order to find why she is going back to Tel Aviv; Abby finds inconsistencies in the story that Kale told the FBI. Gibbs and Tobias go after Kale when he seeks revenge against the killer of his team members; Gibbs and Tobias try to talk Kale down. Ziva heads to Tel Aviv, leaving Tony wondering why she is going.
1196"Murder 2.0"Arvin BrownSteven D. BinderOctober 28, 2008 (2008-10-28)60617.26[7]
On the week of Halloween NCIS is assigned to investigate a series of murders by a serial killer who posts videos of the crimes on the internet. Videos of the murders of the first two victims, along with cryptic pictures, are online. After a third video is posted, a live stream from inside NCIS, a suspect is brought in but dies in Interrogation. Video of the death ends up on the web linking the crimes to a female singer. NCIS storms a garage but Gibbs realizes that it was a setup for them to kill the singer and a man who she appears to be holding at gunpoint is actually the real killer. Gibbs is given a Civil Service Award but is, typically, a no-show and Tony stands in to accept the award on his behalf. Meanwhile, Ziva discovers McGee has possession of photos she ordered him to delete.
1207"Collateral Damage"Terrence O'HaraAlfonso H. MorenoNovember 11, 2008 (2008-11-11)60718.75[8]
Gibbs and team are assigned a probie to help investigate a bank robbery at Quantico. The security guard is shot and killed in the heist but only $27,000 was stolen and all of it was burned in the getaway vehicle. After sifting through boxes of old case files, they discover several other robberies with the same modus operandi. It leads to the guard's son, a former convict, and his cellmate. Gibbs believe all parties will be at the guard's funeral, and with the probie's help the team captures them both. Meanwhile, Ducky helps restore Gibbs's faith in himself and his gut, which he lost after discovering Langer was a mole and he didn't see it. With his confidence renewed, Gibbs starts to believe that Agent Langer wasn't the mole in his unit, placing Langer's old FBI ID at a bar wall dedicated to fallen officers and agents, before turning his attention back to Agent Lee.
1218"Cloak"James Whitmore Jr.Jesse SternNovember 18, 2008 (2008-11-18)60818.00[9]
Gibbs sends DiNozzo and Ziva to try to break into a top-secret military facility, telling them that it is a test of the facility's defenses. When they are caught halfway through the break-in, it is revealed that the facility is in fact all a hoax, and that the mole set off the fire alarm and accessed the main computer, which had its keyboard laced with a radioactive substance. After returning from the operation, the director explains to the team that one of them is the mole, and explains about the radioactive trace. He scans the hands of Gibbs, Ducky, Tony and Ziva, before going to scan Abby's hands, which sets off the Geiger counter. Abby is placed into custody. Subsequently, Abby is revealed (though not to Lee) to have been in on the plan to catch the mole from the beginning. The team is monitoring Agent Lee to see if she contacts anyone, believing that the team no longer suspects her. After Lee makes a mark on a newspaper dispenser, she is brought into custody. Lee reveals that she was forced to trade secrets, and kill two people, because her daughter Amanda had been kidnapped, though Vance suspects the 'daughter' is a lie to elicit sympathy specifically from Gibbs. They let her go, and the episode ends with Gibbs concealed in the back of Lee's car saying "Looks like we're working together."
1229"Dagger"Dennis SmithReed Steiner & Christopher J. WaildNovember 25, 2008 (2008-11-25)60918.12[10]
Agent Lee becomes a reluctant participant in helping the NCIS team stop a top-secret defense plan from being stolen in hopes of finding her daughter Amanda. Lee is used as bait to capture her contact, Ted Bankston, who also tells of having a family member held captive. During the investigation, Amanda turns out not to be Lee's daughter, but her younger adopted sister, with Lee admitting she lied to win Gibbs' help. Bankston turns out to be the mastermind in the caper and takes Lee hostage, as Gibbs corners them on a bus. Gibbs receives minor wounds in the ensuing exchange. Ziva and Tony find Amanda strapped to a trigger plate connected to a bomb, and barely manage to free her safely. Upon learning that Amanda is safe, Lee gives Gibbs a signal to shoot and is shot and killed along with Bankston. Gibbs takes Lee's badge and gives it to Amanda as the team sorts out Lee's ultimate role in the plot.
12310"Road Kill"Thomas J. WrightSteven KriozereDecember 2, 2008 (2008-12-02)61018.52[11]
The team investigates the death of a petty officer who died in a car accident, but the agents suspect foul play. The petty officer's death was thought to be connected to a fight club. He was killed instead by a man who was blackmailed by a criminal using a female online profile to lure married men. When the man is found dead at the petty officer's home a fight club partner is the prime suspect, but it turns out that the next-door neighbor was behind the scheme. Tony engages in an online air-guitar contest that Ziva finds childish, but she takes to heart Tony's words of having choices and the episode ends with Ziva playing air guitar.
12411"Silent Night"Tony WharmbyGeorge Schenck & Frank CardeaDecember 16, 2008 (2008-12-16)61119.94[12]
The fingerprints of a presumed-dead petty officer and Vietnam War veteran, Ned Quinn (Peter Coyote), turn up at the scene of a double homicide. Claiming innocence, Quinn explains he was in the garage working for the victims when they were murdered. While fighting with metro police who want Quinn prosecuted immediately, the team discovers evidence linking a security guard to an emptied safe at the crime scene. Having been exposed, the guard shoots McGee with a taser and unsuccessfully tries to escape. Quinn, explaining that he went "undercover" after his apartment burnt down because he believed his wife and daughter would be better off with the service benefits from his presumed death, is convinced by Gibbs to rejoin his family for Christmas.
12512"Caged"Leslie LibmanAlfonso H. MorenoJanuary 6, 2009 (2009-01-06)61219.10[13]
While investigating the murder of a dead marine whose skeleton was found, McGee heads to a women's prison, hoping to retrieve a written confession from a prisoner convicted of similar crimes, but all hell breaks loose when the inmates riot and take over the prison. A guard is found dead during the riot and the inmates hold McGee and two guards as hostages, wanting only the murderer to be brought to justice. The warden issues a deadline for the inmates to surrender by sundown, forcing Gibbs and his team to race against the clock to not only uncover the true identity of the murderer but to also save McGee's life.
12613"Broken Bird"James Whitmore Jr.Jesse SternJanuary 13, 2009 (2009-01-13)61318.62[14]
When investigating the death of a sailor, a female bystander attacks Ducky and he is stabbed in the hand with the same murder weapon used to commit the first crime. Gibbs and the team delve into his past to find clues and uncover some disturbing secrets about his time as a doctor while serving in Afghanistan. Meanwhile the woman who attacked Ducky claims that he killed her brother, but is hiding behind diplomacy.
12714"Love & War"Terrence O'HaraSteven D. Binder & David J. NorthJanuary 27, 2009 (2009-01-27)61419.20[15]
The team investigates the murder of a Navy captain, uncovering possible treasonous acts that may have led to his death. Meanwhile, McGee meets a new love interest named Claire online but, unbeknown to him, it is actually DiNozzo.
12815"Deliverance"Dennis SmithDan E. Fesman & Reed SteinerFebruary 10, 2009 (2009-02-10)61518.03[16]
While investigating the death of a Marine, the team finds Gibbs' Marine ID number written in blood at the crime scene. It is revealed that he helped a Colombian woman 18 years ago while on a black ops mission in South America and that her son Tomas tried to contact him about a major blackmail scheme involving the theft of several crates of assault rifles from a Marine base. Mike Franks returns to help with the case while Gibbs is forced to relive his past.
12916"Bounce"Arvin BrownDavid J. North & Steven D. BinderFebruary 17, 2009 (2009-02-17)61618.06[17]
A Marine imprisoned for embezzlement because of a case DiNozzo worked on three years ago is released and the Navy lieutenant who was a witness against him is found dead. Tony is put in charge of the team because of Gibbs' rule #38 ("Your case, your lead") and they discover that the Marine was framed for embezzlement and now someone is trying to silence those who really did it. Gibbs' fondness for DiNozzo is shown when he tells him how proud he is of his senior field agent.
13017"South by Southwest"Thomas J. WrightGeorge Schenck & Frank CardeaFebruary 24, 2009 (2009-02-24)61718.27[18]
When NCIS agent Jack Patterson is killed in a drive-by, Abby feels responsible because she was supposed to meet with him. Using a painting he sent her and a business card of an NSA operative, the team discovers a woman in the desert who may have answers. Gibbs and Tony follow the local sheriff on horseback to the deserts of Arizona to find the woman. Back at the lab, the team uncovers the NSA agent's real identity and realize Gibbs, Tony and the woman are in danger. Meanwhile, Tony awaits a call that tells him how much he was left in his uncle's will.
13118"Knockout"Tony WharmbyJesse SternMarch 17, 2009 (2009-03-17)61815.84[19]
Gibbs digs into Vance's past after finding out that the Director has "borrowed" his team without prior notice for an investigation into the disappearance and murder of a friend, who is also a former Marine. It is revealed that Tony has been in a slump with women since his break-up with Jeanne Benoit.
13219"Hide and Seek"Dennis SmithDan E. FesmanMarch 24, 2009 (2009-03-24)61917.83[20]
A revolver is found in the effects of a Navy lieutenant commander's 12-year-old son. Gibbs and the team are dispatched to find out the origin of the weapon. Things get complicated when Abby finds brain matter on the weapon, revealing that it has been used in multiple murders, and the gun is linked back to the family. Meanwhile, McGee tries to replace Ducky's golf clubs.
13320"Dead Reckoning"Terrence O'HaraTeleplay by : Reed Steiner & Christopher J. Waild
Story by : David J. North		March 31, 2009 (2009-03-31)62017.23[21]
When shady CIA agent Trent Kort calls in his favor (from "Broken Bird"), Gibbs agrees to meet him at an abandoned warehouse. Upon Gibbs' arrival, he finds Kort with two dead men, claiming the men shot each other before his arrival. Gibbs and the team must work with Kort to put away one of NCIS's most-wanted, and they discover the man on the wall is just a cover for the real brain – the supposed accountant.
13421"Toxic"Thomas J. WrightSteven D. BinderApril 7, 2009 (2009-04-07)62117.81[22]
When a government scientist goes missing, Abby is recruited by the head of the project to carry on his work, but the team worries that she may meet the same fate as her predecessor.
13522"Legend (Part I)"Tony WharmbyShane BrennanApril 28, 2009 (2009-04-28)62216.70[23]

Gibbs and McGee fly to Los Angeles to work with the NCIS Office of Special Projects — Los Angeles team to solve the murder of a Marine, eventually discovering that the killing is linked to members of a terrorist sleeper cell residing in Los Angeles. The episode ends with OSP agent G. Callen (Chris O'Donnell) confronting a man who is revealed to be Michael Rivkin, Ziva's boyfriend and a fellow officer of the Israeli Mossad.

Note: The episode introduces the team of the NCIS spin-off titled NCIS: Los Angeles.
13623"Legend (Part II)"James Whitmore Jr.Shane BrennanMay 5, 2009 (2009-05-05)62316.72[24]
Having found that Rivkin is in Los Angeles searching for the same terrorist cell, the NCIS team redouble their efforts to stop Rivkin while attempting to arrest a live member of the cell. Unfortunately, Rivkin complicates things by putting the terrorists to sleep (killing them) before NCIS can catch up to them. Back in D.C., Tony is forced to question Ziva's loyalty to NCIS in the aftermath of Rivkin's appearance in LA.
13724"Semper Fidelis"Tony WharmbyJesse SternMay 12, 2009 (2009-05-12)62416.20[25]
After a security breach at the SECNAV's residence leads to the death of an ICE agent, Gibbs and the team are forced to work with ICE and the FBI to find his killer. Meanwhile, Tony finally comes face-to-face with Michael Rivkin and attempts to arrest him for operating on U.S. soil and for killing the cell handler and the ICE agent. The two get into a tough brawl which ends when Rivkin tries to stab Tony with a piece of glass, forcing Tony to shoot Rivkin in self-defense.
13825"Aliyah"Dennis SmithDavid J. NorthMay 19, 2009 (2009-05-19)62516.51[26]
Despite Ziva's efforts to help him, Rivkin dies in hospital from his injuries, with Ziva blaming Tony for his death. After Ziva's apartment is destroyed in an explosion, Gibbs, Vance, DiNozzo and Ziva travel to Israel, having been summoned there at the request of Eli David, the enigmatic head of Mossad and also Ziva's father. McGee and Abby are in Washington working on the laptop found in the wreckage of Ziva's home, discovering Ziva had vital intel on their current operation and did not share it with the rest of the team. After Ziva admits that she cannot trust Tony because he killed Rivkin, and with her loyalties torn between Mossad and NCIS, Gibbs decides to leave Ziva in Tel Aviv, where it is later shown that she has once again returned to Mossad and is embarking on a mission to stop a terrorist cell. The episode ends in a cliffhanger when it is shown that Ziva has been captured by the Somalian terrorists that Rivkin had been investigating, and terrorist leader Saleem Ulman is torturing her for information on NCIS.

DVD special features

References

  1. ^ Michael Ausiello (August 12, 2008). "'NCIS' Exclusive: Meet Gibbs' New Team!". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 27, 2009. Retrieved March 22, 2009.
  2. ^ Gorman, Bill (September 30, 2008). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, September 22–28". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 6, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  3. ^ Gorman, Bill (October 7, 2008). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, September 29 – October 5". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 6, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  4. ^ Gorman, Bill (October 14, 2008). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, October 6–12". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 6, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  5. ^ "CBS Makes It Three in a Row" (Press release). thefutoncritic.com. October 21, 2008. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved July 16, 2010.
  6. ^ Seidman, Robert (October 29, 2008). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, October 20–26, 2008". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on September 4, 2010. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  7. ^ Seidman, Robert (November 4, 2008). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, October 27 – November 2". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 7, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  8. ^ Seidman, Robert (November 25, 2008). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, November 10–16". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 7, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  9. ^ Seidman, Robert (November 25, 2008). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, November 17–23". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 7, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  10. ^ Seidman, Robert (December 3, 2008). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, November 24–30". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 7, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  11. ^ "CBS Posts Year-To-Year Gains for the 4th Consecutive Week Leading the Network To Its 10th Straight Win" (Press release). thefutoncritic.com. December 9, 2008. Archived from the original on February 8, 2013. Retrieved July 16, 2010.
  12. ^ Seidman, Robert (December 23, 2009). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, December 15–21". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  13. ^ ""The Mentalist" Delivers Its Largest Audience Ever" (Press release). thefutoncritic.com. January 13, 2009. Archived from the original on February 3, 2013. Retrieved July 16, 2010.
  14. ^ Seidman, Robert (January 21, 2009). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, January 12–18". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on February 13, 2009. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  15. ^ "Weekly Program Rankings (Jan. 26-Feb. 1)". ABC Medianet. ABC Medianet. February 3, 2009. Archived from the original on February 20, 2009. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  16. ^ Seidman, Robert (February 18, 2009). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, February 9–15". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on September 22, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  17. ^ Seidman, Robert (February 24, 2009). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, February 16–22". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 5, 2009. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  18. ^ Seidman, Robert (March 3, 2009). "Top CBS Primetime Shows February 23 to March 1, 2009". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 8, 2009. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  19. ^ Seidman, Robert (March 24, 2009). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, March 16–22". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on February 1, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  20. ^ Seidman, Robert (March 31, 2009). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, March 23–29". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 6, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  21. ^ "Specials, Sports and Series Lead CBS To Its Fifth Consecutive Win in Viewers and 22nd in 28 Weeks This Season" (Press release). thefutoncritic.com. April 7, 2009. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved July 16, 2010.
  22. ^ Seidman, Robert (April 14, 2009). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, April 6–12". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 5, 2009. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  23. ^ Seidman, Robert (May 6, 2009). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, April 27 – May 3". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 5, 2009. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  24. ^ Seidman, Robert (May 12, 2009). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, May 4–10". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on May 28, 2009. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  25. ^ Seidman, Robert (May 19, 2009). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, May 11–17". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 5, 2009. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  26. ^ Seidman, Robert (May 27, 2009). "Top CBS Primetime Shows, May 18–24". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
General references


Wikiquote has quotations related to NCIS (season 6).
Categories