Ep 3. Boom

After 15 seasons, NCIS Season 16 is back with its third episode "Boom." The episode opens with an explosion at a charity event where SecNav's daughter Sarah Porter is present and gets badly injured. The team arrives at the scene to find that the target was apparently not Sarah but instead, the secretary to a Navy Admiral. Agent Gibbs heads the investigation with a team of agents consisting of Agent McGee, Agent Bishop, Director Vance, and forensic specialists Kasie Hines and Jimmy Palmer.

As the team starts to investigate the case, they discover that the secretary, Jane Donovan, was not the real target. In fact, her husband, Lieutenant Commander Charlie Donovan, is the target because he is working on a top-secret project. This takes the team on the chase for the real culprit. The investigation leads the team to a rogue group of former navy seals who are planning to sell a highly sensitive weapon to a non-friendly country. The motive behind the group's actions is the fact that they believe the U.S. government has not given them the respect that they deserve.

Meanwhile, McGee is dealing with a personal crisis that has been plaguing him throughout the season. The crisis revolves around his concern for his family's safety. You see, in the previous season, we find out that McGee's wife, Delilah, was expecting their twins. With his twin children on the way, McGee is struggling to reconcile his work as an NCIS agent with his new role as a father. We see his anxieties and fears unfurl as he undergoes a baptism of fire trying to balance his work and family life, and both, of course, come to a head.

Another subplot in "Boom" is the new dynamic between Agents Torres and Quinn. Fans will remember that Torres was brought in to replace DiNozzo as the team's comic relief. In season 15, he was initially seen as an outsider, but as they worked with him, they began to accept him. In season 16, there is a new twist in Torres's character, which shows a more serious and gray side to him. The tension between him and Quinn (played by Jennifer Esposito), a character who made her first appearance in season 14, is palpable in this episode as both agents have different ways of handling their work.

One of the highlights of "Boom" is the performance of Diona Reasonover as Forensic Specialist Kasie Hines. Reasonover impressed fans when she joined the show in Season 15 after the departure of Pauley Perrette's Abby Sciuto. In "Boom," we see Hines deliver a pivotal discovery that sets the investigation in motion. Her character is still getting her feet wet in the world of crime scene investigations, but she is fierce, focused, and a valuable asset to the team.

The episode is directed by Michael Zinberg, a veteran television director who has worked on shows like Grey's Anatomy, The Good Wife, and The Blacklist. The story is written by Brendan Fehily, who has written for shows like CSI: Miami and Bones. He delivers a well-written script that is full of twists and turns, keeping the audience guessing until the very end.

Overall, "Boom" is a great episode that features excellent performances from the entire cast, compelling storylines, and a well-executed investigation. It delivers on what fans have come to expect from the long-running series, and it's an enjoyable ride for both new and old fans of the show.