NCIS Recap: McGee Plays the Long Game as an Old Rival Returns and a Deadly Plot Unfolds
It was the dinner party from hell on this week’s NCIS, and Special Agent Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) found himself caught between raspberry sauce, resentment, and a rival who might be deadlier than he lets on.
The April 14 episode, titled “Killer Instinct,” kicked off with a poetic twist — literally. A smug cafe-goer who stiffed his server was immediately apprehended by an armed NCIS REACT team. That man, Paul Morton (Morgan Peter Brown), also known as “The Poet,” turned out to be a lethal contract killer — and NCIS’ latest catch.
But capturing the Poet was just the beginning. His ties to the death of Lt. Commander Willis quickly led to deeper questions: Who hired him? And who’s next?
A Chilly Dinner Invitation Heats Up
As NCIS digs deeper, Deputy Director Gabriel LaRoche (Seamus Dever) returns to the scene. LaRoche’s presence brings friction, especially for McGee, who has long suspected the politically savvy official of playing a role in burning Agent Torres’ undercover identity with the Nexus cartel.
To make things worse, McGee’s wife Delilah (Margo Harshman) — who once attended CMU with LaRoche — seems perfectly charmed by him. She even accepts a dinner invitation to the LaRoche home without consulting Tim. But the dinner table soon becomes ground zero for espionage, accusations, and a fake blood moment that would make any stage actor proud.
A Killer With a Taste for Diamonds
The investigation intensifies when Kasie (Diona Reasonover) uncovers that The Poet used high-end jeweler Gemma Wood (Michelle Lukes) as a middlewoman for his contracts. Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) goes undercover as the assassin to rattle Gemma’s cage. With help from Knight (Katrina Law) and a well-placed bug, they learn that Gemma isn’t the client — she’s just the go-between. But someone far more dangerous is now cleaning up the mess.
That danger becomes real when Gemma’s shop security guard is found murdered — his throat sliced by a diamond-tipped saw. And the trail leads straight to LaRoche, whose photo turns up in Gemma’s safe.
McGee’s Gambit: Dinner, Deception, and Dessert
Back at LaRoche’s home, the awkwardness reaches boiling point. Over coq au vin and raspberry-drizzled soufflé, McGee fights the urge to confront LaRoche — until Delilah “accidentally” spills sauce on him, giving him an excuse to snoop. In LaRoche’s office, McGee finds a file filled with his own personal data and a sticky note with the word “Nocturne” — a clue that will prove pivotal.
The calm ends when the new assassin arrives, cutting the power and phones. With his wife now in danger, LaRoche finally admits to McGee that he did, in fact, author a critical report about the NCIS team’s overly familial bond — a report that cost McGee the promotion he once wanted. But now, he sees that loyalty and teamwork might be what keeps them alive.
In a twist worthy of a spy novel, McGee poses as The Poet, shoots LaRoche (safely vested thanks to Vance’s foresight), and helps take down the assassin — revealed to be none other than the demanding diamond customer from Gemma’s shop.
A New Mystery Brews
The episode ends not with closure, but with a challenge. After learning that the anonymous email tipping off NCIS about The Poet came from a Department of Defense system called “Nocturne,” McGee connects the dots. When LaRoche offers a handshake at HQ, Tim grips it tightly and delivers a quiet, menacing warning: “Nocturne. I’m coming for you.”
The game is far from over.
Stray Observations:
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McGee’s simmering rage and quiet plotting may be the most intense we’ve ever seen him. That final handshake? Cold. Commanding. Possibly a new era for McGee.
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The Nexus cartel, the Atlas train transporting nuclear materials, and the involvement of mob boss Carla Marino (Rebecca De Mornay) suggest a multi-episode arc with high stakes.
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Knight attempting to sell the engagement ring from her fake wedding to Torres? Peak chaotic energy.
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Delilah remains one of the best side characters in the NCIS universe — smart, sassy, and always ready to cover for her man… even if it means wasting perfectly good raspberry sauce.
With three episodes left this season, NCIS is clearly playing the long game — and so is Timothy McGee.
