Frame-Up (NCIS)

Infobox Television episode
Title = Frame-Up
Colour =
Series = NCIS
Season = 3
Episode = 9
Airdate = November 22, 2005
Production = 055
Writer = Laurence Walsh
Director = Thomas J. Wright
Episode list = Episode chronology
Prev = Under Covers
Next = Probie

"Frame-Up" is the ninth episode in the third season of the drama television series "NCIS".

Plot

Female legs are discovered on Navy property and all scientific evidence points to Tony DiNozzo as having been physically in contact with the legs, including leaving a bite mark. The FBI, led by Fornell, has to investigate. Abby, the forensic technician processing the evidence, is distraught that her work would lead to Tony's conviction if the case went immediately to trial and she suffers doubt when her beloved forensics is obviously leading to a miscarriage of justice. Abby is aided in her work by Chip, her much despised assistant. Tony's interrogation by FBI Agent Sacks is a study in nonchalance and grim humour.

Agent Sacks becomes fed up with Tony's irresponsible answers to questions and leaves in disgust. Tony, alone in the interrogation room with nothing to do, entertains himself by playing an imaginary set of drums. The drumming provides the soundtrack to a film sequence showing the gathering of evidence against Tony, the tension ratcheting up. When it ends, we see Fornell telling Gibbs that the evidence is overwhelming and that he would be remiss if he did not take Tony into custody, as it would look like a cover-up. Tony is taken to jail where he is visited by Gibbs, bearing pizza.

This leads to a much-watched scene where Tony converses with a silent Gibbs who acts as Tony's sounding board. At the end, Gibbs reassures Tony by beckoning him to the bars of the cell and providing him with a headslap, which comforts Tony. Gibbs has not spoken throughout the entire scene but we know what he thinks. The intensity of the scene is increased because Tony engages in a mock self-interrogation which reveals much about Tony's background and dysfunctional family life. It is a notable piece of acting by Harmon and Weatherly. Whilst the FBI continue to gather evidence against Tony, his team-mates continue to try to work out which, of many possible enemies, has framed Tony. Forensic science eventually redeems itself, revealing the accomplice to the frame-up.

The ultimate revelation of the real villain as Abby's horrid assistant leads to a stampede to her lab, because they realize that Abby is in peril, yet again. The team races in, guns ready, only to find that the evil Chip has been trussed up with duct tape by a disheveled Abby, who merely pleads, in an "I-told-you-so" tone of voice, to be allowed to revert to working alone.

This episode is also noticeable for including a cameo by real-life NCIS director David Brant, who briefly appears as himself, as an NCIS special agent about to retire (as he was about to do in real life).

Abby's assistant, "Chip", is played by Michael Bellisario who also played a character in JAG, a sister show. His character in JAG is Mikey Roberts, a Midshipman in the United States Naval Academy and LtCmr Bud Roberts' Brother.