Boo! A Halloween greeting or a phrase that connotes displeasure? Things are not always what they seem.
In three-card-monte and shell games, a con man fools his mark with misdirection. The swindler shuffles three cards or shells around quickly and, either by technique or sleight-of-hand, the cheater confuses the victim with multiple options and falsely directs his focus, thus winning the game and taking the dupe’s money.
On tonight’s early Halloween show, a similar situation occurs on NCIS’s “Shell Game,” when a kidnapped petty officer escapes her captor. As NCIS investigates the abduction, the team uncovers a connection to the petty officer’s missing husband.
Like peeking into the bag after saying “Trick or Treat,” there is that moment of curiosity as to what is inside…a yummy treat…or an unappetizing trick. So goes the same with tonight’s evidence. The options…
Is the situation an obvious kidnapping, or is the petty officer involved in something more nefarious, such as the disappearance of her husband?
Is her husband behind the misdirection to put blame on his wife or to cover his tracks in a criminal plan?
Or is there a third unseen “trick,” like in the shell game, and is someone behind the scenes, driving the outcome? Is something hidden in plain sight?
One thing is certain…whatever the dynamic, Gibbs (Mark Harmon) is not likely to be tricked when Navy Petty Officer First Class Kelly Ristow (guest star Emily Alabi) collapses into his arms if she, indeed, is up to something “scary.”
And what is up with the oddly-talkative TSA Agent Gregg Rogers (guest star Nick Puga)?
On a more colorful note, Abby (Pauley Perrette) knits gifts for the new team members. Wonder how Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) will look in bright cobalt blue…
Tony Gonzalez, former NFL player and studio analyst for “The NFL Today” on CBS returns as NCIS Special Agent Tony Francis.
Guest starring in tonight’s episode are Paul Schackman, Richard Fancy, Andrew Hawkes, Eric Petersen, Mariana Da Silva, Josh Latzer and Jonathan Del Arco (THE CLOSER and MAJOR CRIMES). “Shell Game” was written by Brendan Fehily and directed by Thomas J. Wright.
NCIS airs tonight (October 25) at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS in the U.S. and Global TV in Canada.