16 Things About NCIS’ 200th Episode “Life Before His Eyes” 

1. While I thought the episode was just OK the first time I watched it, I liked it much more after the second time I watched “Life Before His Eyes.” Mark Harmon did a great job carrying this Gibbs-centric episode.
2. I loved seeing where Gibbs has his coffee every morning. The diner seemed a little too cutesy but I don’t care. I liked that little glimpse into Gibbs’ morning routine.
3. Right after the gun went off in the beginning of the episode, there was a quick flash of scenes. One of the images that jumped out to me the most was the one of Tony and Gibbs underwater in “Requiem.”
4. I liked that Tim had a secret and that he even worked to make sure no one figured it out. All moot since everybody knew, or so Dinozzo said. I knew Vance still loved him some McGee. He loves him so much he offered McGee a promotion. McGee said no to heading up the Cyber unit in Okinawa.
5. Kate and Tony end up together in this “What if” scenario. I’m completely happy with that. I loved that they had a baby. Just wish Sasha Alexander had actually made a fresh appearance during the episode.
6. The Tiva nod was funny too. Loved Dinozzo purposely getting this current Mossad agent’s name wrong, referring to her as Reva…Visa…Tiva…before Ziva tells him what her name actually is. The scene was way too short though. Would have loved to have seen more.
7. Too little Fornell. Too little Jackson Gibbs. Too little Ari. Would have loved to have seen Gibbs interact with them. I know Fornell and Jackson are still alive but it didn’t stop me from wanting more of them.
8. “Who knew Palmer had abs like that?” Gibbs’ comment about a shirtless Jimmy was awesomely hilarious. And I’m with the senior agent. I have no idea what Rolfing is. I had to look it up.
9. My Moments of Goodness from the episode were all the scenes Gibbs shared with his mom (guest star Clare Carey). The mother-son section of “Life Before His Eyes” was what got me the most emotional. I never saw it coming. Loved that she made his pie just the way he liked it. Loved that she told him she was proud of him. Loved that she told her son he needed to cut Jackson some slack. It all brought a tear to my eye; it was so touching, especially this exchange: “”I never wanted to leave you. Tell me you know that.” “Yeah, I know that.”
10. It was good to see Mackenzie Astin in this episode, although his character’s story was so very sad. I think it’s funny how Mackenzie guest-starred this week just as it was announced exactly what his older brother, Sean Astin, would be doing when he guest stars on the show. He’s going to appear in the same episode as Jamie Lee Curtis.
11. I liked the way Tony acted in the face of McGee’s news. Loved Tim’s reaction to Tony’s mature response: “Your sincerity is disconcerting.” I also liked the fact that Tony and Ziva were snooping together to figure out McGee’s secret.
12. Very interesting to see what would have happened to Gibbs had he not sniper’d the man responsible for the deaths of his wife and child. He would have fallen apart and isolated himself from everyone he knew. The show went out of its way to validate this murderous decision.
13. When Gibbs laid eyes on Shannon in the diner — emotional perfection. You see that he’s as in love with Shannon as he was when she was alive and they were married. I really enjoyed the scenes where he sat down with Shannon and Kelly.
14. And then we find out they, ultimately, weren’t meant to be. How freakin’ sad is that? Even if Gibbs made a different choice and he found a way to save Shannon and Kelly from getting killed, it didn’t matter. He never would have returned from war. He would have been the one killed. That image of Kelly and Shannon looking out the door and seeing the two marines there ready to give them the bad news was powerful and heartbreaking at the same time.
15. I seriously hope that this episode provided Gibbs with some peace of mind. That he can finally move on from losing Shannon and Kelly. And that he can accept what he did in Mexico was a necessary evil. And move on. I really want the show to move on from this story. I’m not sure it will because Scott Wolf’s Agent Stratton even mentioned it in interrogation the last time he was on this show. But this is a story I really hope they do not revisit.
16. I liked that last shot of Gibbs looking around NCIS and the squad room secure in the fact he made the right choices in his life. Those choices may have seemed wrong at the time; or they may have not been the most healthy of choices; but they all led him to where he is now. He’s leader of the best team at NCIS and he’s saved tons of lives and fought for justice for those who couldn’t. Good way to end the 200th episode. I’m looking forward to the next 200.

NCIS airs Tuesdays on CBS at 8/7c.