DOA On TV November 17, 2024

 

 NCIS: Origins

In episode six Incognito, Petty Officer Greg Piccolo is found dead in his apartment with salacious love letters from a pen pal lying near the body.  According to these, he was supposed to meet his fantasy girl, but he ended up dead.  Complicating things is the fact he works with top secret documents.  A co-worker of Piccolo’s points out that microfiche with Tomahawk missile plans have been replaced with blank fiche pages.

There never was a girl, but the team finds they can get to the person who is now selling the plans for 30k.  They just need to send Lala and Gibbs incognito into a private club, working closely with the FBI to get them in and out safely as they go in unarmed.

It’s Lala’s story this week as she is feeling boxed in at home and at work by the expectations of others.  She’s uncharacteristically emotional in many scenes, but this isn't as we’ve come to know her,  usually she’s got a hard tough shell.  That crumbles a bit this week.   There’s a bit of sexual tension between Lala and Gibbs and Lala and a guy from a bar.  She has issues this week alright.

This is Gibbs’ first time out in the field undercover, and he is anything but relaxed.  He’s almost robotic, in fact.  Better luck in two weeks, everyone, when the next episode airs.

Survivor

The last nice person in the game got popped this week,  Sol Yi. 

Targeted by the low snake Genevieve for getting her pal Rome out, she managed to get the vote for Sol through, though Sue and Kyle also had their names tossed about.  It’s frustrating the other players still see Genevieve as a quiet unassuming girl.  Other than that, there was a good four part challenge with the first four to lose also losing their vote at tribal, with a chance to earn it back.  The last four players still in the challenge at the end went head to head, or rather foot to foot trying to stay on increasingly narrow bits of wood without dropping. It looked painful!

 

Matlock

In episode six Sixteen Steps, Julian and Olympia are getting a chance to re-try a case where a baby formula manufacturer was responsible for the poisoning death of a nine month old.  The last time they tried the case it failed.  They feel it was partially because the mothers of the baby were not put on the stand.  This time, the warmer snugglier of the pair has agreed to testify.  When she falls ill from the stress of the upcoming trial, her wife who is very hard and angry and self protective says she will testify.  You can see in the practice sessions with Olympia and her team that the woman will not engender sympathy, particularly as the defending attorney is determined to make the mothers seem neglectful and responsible.

 

Somehow, they need to find a way to get her to show how this affected her, and when Olympia talks to Matty about her daughter, she sees a way. 

The team does find the answer to how the formula was contaminated, but it is the testimony of the mom talking about her child and walking sixteen steps back and forth at night when he’d wake that is so heartbreaking.

 

Great British Baking Show

Things are more competitive than ever in the tent, and Illiyin’s cake top just slid right off.  I felt so bad for her.  She left the tent this week.  Here’s a case where all the contestants are wonderful, so I’m happy to see any of them win.

 

Downton Abbey The Motion Picture

 I wanted some comfort TV this week so I finally watched Downton Abbey The Motion Picture (awkward title).  The King and Queen will be stopping at Downton for one night and the household and staff are beside themselves trying to prepare.  No need, it seems, as the Royal staff come with the King and Queen, from a Housekeeper to valets, to a chef.  Downton staff are rudely told to stay out of the way.  With a bit of plotting schemed up by Mr and Mrs Bates, the Royal staff is supplanted at the last with household staff and all is successful.  

There are side stories for Edith, Mary, Violet and Thomas. 

Lovely to see them all back.