NCIS - Saviors - Review: "The return of Jeanne Benoit"

Various familiar faces returned on last Tuesday's NCIS. While Tony saw his ex-girlfriend again after eight years, Gibbs received another visit from his doctor.

The episode opens in Togu, South Sudan, where a team of doctors is attacked by gunfire, leaving three dead and two doctors missing. NCIS Special Agent Stan Burley contacts the DC office, telling them he sent the bodies to Ducky for autopsy. The doctors were part of the International Doctors Group (IDG), a Doctors Without Borders type of doctors giving those in need a helping hand. When Tony and Bishop head over to IDG and ask to speak to either of the two Dr. Woods, who founded the organisation, Tony is surprised when the female Dr. Woods is Jeanne Benoit. David Woods, who was in South Sudan, is Jeanne's husband, but she hasn't been able to reach him ever since receiving a 911 text. After a quick history lesson and everybody saying "Jeanne Benoit, really?", the feelings are put aside and the focus is back on the case. Gibbs decides to send back-up to Stan and it's speculated that one of the ethnic groups that are fighting over territory are probably behind the kidnapping. Meanwhile, Jeanne helps identify the bodies that are burned beyond recognition, and it turns out the missing doctors are her husband Dr. Woods and Joni Ryan. Gibbs is surprised to see Dr. Cyril Taft in the squad room, who reveals that Joni is not only a good friend of his, but also a surgical tech that assisted on Gibbs' surgery.

Gibbs tells Tony they are going to South Sudan, to which Taft protests. Stubborn Gibbs insists on going himself and even agrees to take Jeanne along, but then he collapses at his desk. With Gibbs in the hospital, it is McGee who tags along with Tony and Jeanne. On their way to South Sudan, Tony asks Jeanne how she met David and she tells him she met him a few months after Tony and Jeanne last saw each other (in episode 5.14 "Internal Affairs"). She met David during her time with Doctors Without Borders and they married a year later before founding IDG together. Meanwhile, Ducky identifies puncture wounds on the victims' feet that were delivered after they died. In Sudan, Tony, McGee and Jeanne join Stan in going through the crime scene again, where they find a woman named Bahar with a machete. She thinks the team is too late to find the doctors alive. Tony assures Jeanne he won't rest till they find David. The team briefly get more back-up from a SEAL team, but they are needed somewhere else. Meanwhile, an engraving on the machete helps Abby identify the tribe responsible for taking the doctors. The leader of the tribe, General Ajak Gadet, was injured a few days ago, so the doctors were taken to save his life.

The team later comes across burned earth and a bloody glove that belongs to one of the doctors. Gibbs, who is back at work after his collapse, has a feeling where the tribe is going, so Tony, Jeanne, McGee and Stan go there. Gibbs was right, but the quartet is obviously outnumbered. Fortunately, they are able to create a diversion and Gibbs has made sure there is back-up from the sky. David and Joni are rescued and everyone is alive. On their way back, Jeanne thanks Tony for saving David's life and kisses him on the cheek.

Meanwhile, Dr. Taft works to identify the cause of Gibbs' collapse. All tests return normal, so Taft believes his collapse is stress-related. He suggests Gibbs should talk about it with a therapist, but Gibbs believes his job is the only therapy he needs. Therefore, he returns to work shortly thereafter. However, his eyes later get blurry again so Gibbs visits Taft again. Gibbs asks him when he returned after his son died, and Taft reveals that took him a year and a lot of talking. Gibbs agrees that talking might help, but he does not want to go to a therapist so he suggest Taft as his listener. At the end of the episode, Taft comes to Gibbs' basement to tell him that there was some scar tissue on his chest, which makes it feel like he's having a heart attack. Still, Gibbs will have to talk about his trauma. Taft says that Gibbs is still alone at the end of the day despite his team's support. He also asks Gibbs what he is really afraid of, because everyone is afraid of something.

It was so good to see Jeanne again! The way she looked at Tony when she first saw him again said everything. There were much more subtle looks between the two of them and of course there were some big conversations. I liked how we saw a serious Tony again and I also really enjoyed McGee's support. The relationship between Tony and McGee was a lot like brothers in this episode and that's just the way I like to see it. I hope Jeanne returns down the road. Some sources say she will return this season, others say nothing is locked in yet. I am glad there was closure between Tony and Jeanne even though there are clearly some unresolved feelings for one another. I also enjoyed seeing Stan Burley again. Of course, this episode was about Gibbs as well. It was great to see the show address his health issues again. Obviously Gibbs is still as stubborn as ever, but I'm glad he seems to be opening up to Taft. Hopefully we will se more Taft as well, and I like how this episode again showed that he has both humor and serious moments.

What did you think of "Saviors"? Did the long-awaited return of Jeanne Benoit meet your expectations? Do you think she and Tony have full closure? How do you feel about Jeanne kissing him? What do you think Gibbs is afraid of? And lastly, are you glad that Gibbs is opening up to Taft? I hope to hear your thoughts and theories in the comment section below.

NCIS airs its next episode Tuesday at 8/7c. Here is a promo for the episode:

About the Author - Daniel van der Veer

Daniel van der Veer is a Dutch university student studying Psychology. On SpoilerTV he is a reviewer of NCIS, The 100, Madam Secretary and Quantico. He also enjoys LOST, Arrow, NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, Nikita, The Blacklist, Scorpion and How To Get Away With Murder.

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