Guest star, Christopher Lloyd, best known for his exceptional comic timing (TAXI, the BACK TO THE FUTURE franchise, the ADDAMS FAMILY franchise) takes a dramatic turn on tonight’s NCIS.
When Joe Smith (Lloyd) is picked up for theft, breaking and entering and obstruction of justice, Gibbs (Mark Harmon) may be the only person to believe Joe’s story. The elderly man claims he served aboard the U.S.S. Arizona when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The Arizona was hit four times and almost half of the day’s casualties were aboard the Arizona. Counted among the almost twelve hundred crewmen on the real-life Arizona, tonight’s fictional account reveals that Joe’s estranged brother was among those who perished in the attack. It is unclear if Joe is trying to steal credit for his brother’s sacrifice or if there is a snafu in the Navy’s records. When no record can be found to establish that Joe served aboard the vessel, NCIS tries to verify his identity and his being stationed on the ship. Unlike today when siblings are discouraged from serving together, in World War II, it was not unusual for brothers to request being stationed together. Twenty-three sets of brothers died aboard the U.S.S. Arizona.
The verification is necessary for Smith to request the Arizona as his final resting place. At least thirty survivors have been cremated and buried with the ship’s wreckage after their deaths since the Navy established the policy in 1982. Following a full military funeral, some have had their ashes scattered, while others have had their remains placed in an urn and Navy divers place the urns under the ship’s gun turrets. The only things standing between Joe’s wish are the Navy, red tape and an arrest warrant.
Although tonight’s episode, “The Arizona,” is not listed on the press site as the season finale, production on the show (along with most others) was shut down ahead of schedule due to COVID-19. If this is the final episode of the season, the plot’s premise is one to bring a powerful close to another outstanding season.
Other guest stars include Oeter Nyrbuj, Jessica Tuck, Sebastian Sozzi, Dawn Matthews, Sofie Calderon, Damian Joseph Quinn and Zachary Cowan. “The Arizona” was written by Gina Lucita Monreal and James Whitmore, Jr.
NCIS airs tonight (April 14) at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS in the United States and on Global TV in Canada.
