Family (NCIS)

Infobox Television episode
Title =Family
Colour =
Series = NCIS
Season = 5
Episode = 02


Caption = The team unknowingly interrupts a ransom transfer.
Airdate = October 2, 2007
Production = 096
Writer = Steven D. Binder
Director = Martha Mitchell
Guests = Owen Beckman as Nicholas Barnes Rick Otto as Adrian Nelson Margaret Easley as Sara Nelson
Episode list = Episode chronology
Prev = Bury Your Dead
Next = Ex-File"Family" is the 96^th episode of the drama television series, "NCIS", and the second episode of its fifth season. Originally aired on October 2, 2007, the episode was written by Steven D. Binder and directed by Martha Mitchell.

ummary

After a Petty Officer is killed, the NCIS is called to the scene to investigate. Special Agent Gibbs and his team arrive at the scene, where they quickly determine that the Marine had been shot with a shot-gun at short range and was not the driver of the crashed car. Further down the hill, they find a dead woman, a former con artist by the name of Heidi Campisano, sustaining injuries that indicated she was the driver.

Back at his laboratory, Ducky discovers that Heidi was in fact beaten to death, while her injuries from the car crash were post-mortem. He also finds out that she had given birth shortly before she died. This initiates a search for the baby as Gibbs' team continues to look for the killer by looking through her ties with the men she had conned. They find Nicholas Barnes, a young mechanic, who she apparently lied to in order to get his car and money. His father tells Gibbs that Nicholas had been at their mechanic shop all morning, during which the accident took place.

When McGee finds deposits made by a man named Adrian Nelson to Heidi's bank accounts, the team pays him a visit. Both Nelson and his wife tell Gibbs that they don't know Heidi. While in front of his wife, Nelson claims to never have slept with Heidi but he later admits to Gibbs that he did know her and that she was stealing his money. Abby analyzes Nelson's DNA and confirms that he is the father of Heidi's baby. However, she further informs the team that Heidi was not the mother of the baby but was merely acting as a surrogate mother. Nelson's wife was actually the mother of the baby. The team realizes the Nelsons had lied to them. When tracking them down via the dust found in the Marine's car, Gibbs and his team arrive at an abandoned paper mill, only to learn that the baby had been kidnapped and they had spoiled the ransom transfer.

In the meantime, they find out that the brakes in Heidi's car were recently replaced but the mechanic had put the old brakes, which were due to fail, back in. This leads them back to Nicholas Barnes and his father. It turns out that the father was behind the kidnapping and the murder of Heidi, whilst forcing Nicholas to lie to the NCIS. The team finds Nicholas at the Nelsons' home, where he is arrested and the baby is handed to the Nelsons.

In a side storyline, Ziva and McGee notice Tony's change of behavior after Jeanne's departure. Concerned for her partner, Ziva attempts to help him by trying to get him to talk to her. A hurt and angry Tony snaps at Ziva, reminding her that she had fallen in love with the "dead man walking." Later on in the episode, Tony apologizes and the two make up. In the aftermath of the case, Tony puts Jeanne's note, which she left for him in "Bury Your Dead", in the fire and decides to let her go after she asked him to choose between her and NCIS.

Response

On its original airdate, the episode attracted 16.42 million viewers (which was more than the 13.7 million viewersGough, Paul J., " [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i763c32cb2310df694d04ed6c26889970 Fox on top with 'House'; 'Dancing' still strong] ", "The Hollywood Reporter", September 27, 2007. Retrieved on September 27, 2007.] obtained by the fifth season premiere) with 3.6% rating and 10% share in the 18 to 49 years old demographics, finishing first in the Tuesday 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm timeslot.Kissell, Rick, " [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117973251.html Nice start for ABC comedies] ", "Variety", October 3, 2007. Retrieved on October 4, 2007.]

References

External links

* [http://www.tv.com/ncis/family/episode/1126179/summary.html NCIS: Family] - TV.com