Ep 4. Sea Dog

"Sea Dog" is the fourth episode of the highly popular American TV series NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service). The episode originally aired on October 23, 2003, and features a plot that revolves around the mysterious death of a naval officer who was involved in smuggling.

As the episode starts, the NCIS team is sent to investigate a dead body that was found floating in the Potomac River. The victim is identified as a naval officer named Lieutenant Dan Witten, who was stationed on the USS Enterprise. Initially, the cause of death is unknown, but upon examining the body, Dr. Donald Mallard (played by David McCallum) discovers that the victim had been shot in the back of the head.

As the team digs deeper into the investigation, they discover that Lieutenant Witten was involved in smuggling items on and off the USS Enterprise. The team is joined by an undercover NCIS agent, who had been posing as a sailor on the USS Enterprise to gather intel on the smuggling ring. Gibbs (played by Mark Harmon) assigns Tony DiNozzo (played by Michael Weatherly) to accompany the agent as he goes back to the ship to continue his undercover work.

Upon arriving on the USS Enterprise, DiNozzo and the agent are introduced to Petty Officer Blakely (played by Brian Dietzen), who is a member of the smuggling ring. The agent is able to make contact with one of the higher-ups in the ring, but things quickly go south when Blakely discovers the agent's true identity and attempts to kill him. In the chaos that ensues, DiNozzo is able to disarm Blakely and save the agent's life.

Back at NCIS headquarters, Abby Sciuto (played by Pauley Perrette) works to uncover more evidence that could help solve the case. She discovers that Lieutenant Witten had received numerous phone calls from a mysterious woman around the time of his death. The team is able to use this information to track down the woman, who is revealed to be Blakely's girlfriend.

The NCIS team confronts Blakely, who confesses to killing Lieutenant Witten after he became a liability to the smuggling operation. Blakely is taken into custody, and the case is closed.

As with most episodes of NCIS, "Sea Dog" is driven by the strong performances of its cast. Mark Harmon's portrayal of the stoic and determined Leroy Jethro Gibbs is particularly noteworthy, as is Michael Weatherly's witty and quick-thinking Tony DiNozzo. The episode also features guest stars Brian Dietzen and Pauley Perrette, who would both go on to become regular cast members in later seasons.

Overall, "Sea Dog" is an engaging and suspenseful episode that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Its portrayal of the inner workings of a naval smuggling ring adds an interesting layer of complexity to the case and allows the NCIS team to showcase their skills as both investigators and agents. Fans of the series will no doubt consider "Sea Dog" to be a classic episode that is still enjoyable to watch to this day.