06x14
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Canada
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from Canada
seen from Canada
seen from United States
seen from Canada
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from Canada
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from United States
06x14
4x03 - "Singled Out" (My POV)
Original Release Date: 3rd October 2006
I do not speak English fluently, sorry for any mistakes.
SOURCE PHOTOS: Screenshots
MUSIC: Strict Machine by Goldfrapp The music that opens the episode
With Gibbs' return, Director Shepard offers Tony a real promotion with increased responsibilities: Leading his own NCIS team in Rota, Spain.
She tells him: Your performance these last four months has been exemplary. You have earned it. This creates a very personal dilemma for him: Should he advance his career or stay by Gibbs' side?
At the same time, we learn that Tony is already involved in an unofficial and covert mission related to "La Grenouille," also known as René Benoit, an international trafficker. Interestingly, promoting Tony to Europe would also turn him into a strategic asset for Jenny.
Tony hesitates to accept the promotion because he is worried about Gibbs: His memory is still screwed up. He called Ziva, Kate, yesterday. I just want to make sure he is a hundred percent before I leave. In other words, his loyalty to Gibbs takes precedence over his career.
This absurd exchange never fails to make me laugh: - Tony: What is my motto? - McGee: You will never date a woman that eats more than you do.
When Gibbs fully resumes his role as boss, Tony is forced back into being a regular special agent after having enjoyed months of greater autonomy and responsibility. It is not easy for him, especially as Ziva becomes more critical of him: You feel a little threatened, now that Gibbs is back. You have been whining like a little snitch all week.
But what really bothers Ziva is something else: Your new mystery girlfriend. Then why have not any of us met her? This is a subtle hint that she is more curious about Tony's personal life than she lets on. For a spy, I am surprised she did not dig deeper and uncover the identity of this mysterious woman herself, especially given her investigative skills.
Later, at the squad room, Tony glances at Ziva as she stretches, then lingers a little too long on her butt when she bends over.
- Ziva: We could be missing something. - Tony: Believe me, not from this angle.
Then, in survival mode, he quickly looks away, pretending to be suddenly interested in the television. But Ziva stands up and fixes him with a look that says: I saw you. And I know exactly what you just did.
It seems to me that this is the moment when Tony and Ziva, in a way, make peace and begin to rediscover their old rapport. The look she gives him is not one of annoyance, but rather the look of someone who has caught him in the act… and finds it amusing.
A few moments later, in Abby's lab, Ziva still throws him a playful jab. However, this time it is a lighthearted tease, quite different from the more curt remarks she was still aimed at him earlier in the episode.
- Gibbs: Do not apologize, DiNozzo. - Tony: Right. Sign of weakness. - Ziva: Not to mention annoying.
SOURCE PHOTOS: Screenshots
This evolution in their relationship is further highlighted a few scenes later when McGee suggests finding out what their child would look like: Gee, I wonder what would happen if you two hooked up.
What is striking is their immediate and unspoken reaction: neither of them objects or dismisses the idea. Instead, they both move straight toward the screen, almost instinctively, eager to see the result. And when they see their baby, their smiles say more than words ever could.
The subtext is revealing. McGee gives voice to a possibility that neither Tony nor Ziva is ready to express openly. Their reaction is neither embarrassment nor denial, but genuine curiosity. Then, sharing a knowing look, they ask McGee, Do Gibbs and the director. The joke cleverly redirects the conversation, but the fact that neither of them denies the implication remains, in my view, especially significant.
One detail that caught my attention is that when McGee pairs Tony and Ziva, the program generates a baby, whereas Gibbs and Jenny produce a teenager, just like the victim and her suitors. I wonder if there is any significance to that. My interpretation is as follows:
- Tony + Ziva = baby → a nascent, undefined relationship. - Gibbs + Jenny = teenager → a complex relationship shaped by history
Regarding Singled Out, Tim delivers the site's very romantic, almost fairy-tale sales pitch with such genuine sincerity that he almost sounds like their spokesperson: SO is designed to introduce successful men to a wide assortment of eligible women. Each night brings the promise of romance and a chance of finding your soul mate.
Tim's earnest delivery is what makes the scene so funny: Ziva's puzzled look and Tony's reaction say everything. The fact that he seems to actually buy into the promise makes Tony's - After this is over, you and I are gonna have a little talk - even more hilarious.
Gibbs turns to Ziva: Hey, we are doing this the old-fashioned way. So, Ziva, you still think being a geek makes for a good cover? And then she gets a taste of her own theory, going undercover as the victim's double in a slightly kitschy outfit. Her verdict is immediate: I look like a dork.
And Tony does not miss the opportunity to tease her. Watching her struggle with the role, he adds: Our girl is looking a little nervous now. I think we found her kryptonite. Our big bad spy does not do geek.
The next scene makes me laugh. - A guy: Has anyone ever told you you are very attractive, Natalie? - Ziva: My brother.
What makes me laugh is that she does not say thank you, she does not flirt back, and she does not even seem particularly flattered. Instead, she immediately shuts him down with a completely deadpan answer.
She does not smile; she is out of her element. And that is what makes it so funny: Ziva can be incredibly charming when she chooses to be, but playing a geek requires a kind of social awkwardness she cannot fake.
Then the roles are reversed. - Ziva: There is something about your eyes. - A guy: I get that a lot. It is allergies.
A few moments later, Gibbs steps in: And do turn up the charm, Ziva David, you are a geek, not mentally deranged. The irony is that she is being coached by someone who is hardly known for his social skills.
Tony was probably watching the whole thing with amusement, already thinking of a quip, but unfortunately, we never got to hear it.
SOURCE PHOTOS: Screenshots
As Tony and Ziva continue their investigation, another scene highlights just how much trust Gibbs and Jenny place in Tony.
- Jenny: You should be proud of him. - Gibbs: DiNozzo? - Jenny: When you left, there were some rocky moments. He really held the team together. - Gibbs: It is what I trained him to do. - Jenny: I just thought you should know he excelled at it.
- Gibbs: Then give him his own team, Jen. - Jenny: You think he is ready? - Gibbs: I would not have quit if he was not. - Jenny: You should tell him that. - Gibbs: Oh, trust me. When DiNozzo thinks he is ready for his own team, you will know about it. Hell, the whole world will know about it.
The interrogation scene is a good example of Tony and Ziva’s growing professional dynamic as field partners. Sitting side by side, they play Good Cop / Bad Cop, communicating through subtle looks and adjusting their approach depending on the situation.
Tony relies on empathy and a more approachable approach, while Ziva uses intimidation and psychological pressure when necessary. Their styles are very different, but they complement each other naturally.
What stands out is that they have only worked together for a year, yet they are highly effective partners in the field. They do not always use the same methods, but they know how to adapt and work together.
This episode also marks an important step for Tony. Gibbs’ trust and Jenny’s recognition show that his four months as team leader were not simply a temporary replacement. He proved that he could hold the team together, even if he still has to define his own leadership style.
Episode rating on IMDB: 7.5/10
NCIS: S7E01 – Alternate Version (2/4) "Between Two Worlds"
SOURCE PHOTOS: Screenshots S7E04
Ziva continued gathering information. She reestablished contact with members of her father’s network.
Not all of them answered. Some demanded payment. Exorbitant sums.
Others refused outright. One gave an answer. Then disappeared.
She reached out to an old contact. The only option she had left.
There was no official backing for what she was doing. No authorization. No backup. Only fragments.
She contacted Gibbs discreetly. She told him only enough to keep him informed. Not enough to make him responsible.
He did not approve. But he did not stop her either.
An NCIS agent was missing. And she was the only one who could act quickly.
But that was not entirely true.
Rivkin had lied to her. And she had allowed herself to be deceived.
That was the part she found hardest to accept. Not his betrayal.
Her own blindness. She had been trained to see what others missed.
This time, she had seen only what she wanted to see. That realization stayed with her.
Ziva carried several quiet fears with her.
That the last image Tony had of her would be anger. That he had seen their argument as a final break.
That he had left thinking she despised him. She did not know what he believed.
The urgency was still there. Only the reason had changed.
She steadied her breathing.
Mission. Not personal. Personal meant losing control.
She was already in motion.
· · ─────────── ·✦· ─────────── · ·
Ziva financed part of the operation herself. Fragmented transfers. Intermediaries. Old channels from Eli’s network.
Without his knowledge ... for now.
She would deal with the consequences later. There was no other option.
Nothing clean. Nothing fully traceable. Every step depended on someone else.
And every intermediary could disappear or talk. She did not like uncertainty.
Ziva took a bus. Then she walked several kilometers. The meeting point was an abandoned house.
Once a holiday home. Now forgotten.
As a child, she had come here with Tali during the summers. The house had belonged to a distant relative.
After Tali's death, no one had used it again. It had been forgotten.
Which was exactly why she had chosen it.
Inside, cobwebs hung from the corners. Dust covered every surface. No one had been here for years.
On the old dining table, equipment was already laid out. Raphael had started preparing everything.
Ziva looked at the contents and set her own bag on the floor. He barely looked up when he heard her footsteps, then smiled.
- Ziva.
He came over and hugged her, a simple gesture, as if it were natural. She allowed it.
Raphael looked older than she remembered. A few gray strands had appeared at his temples.
- You still managed to pick the most welcoming place around.
Ziva gave a small smile in return. It did not reach her eyes.
- Thank you for coming.
There was genuine sincerity in her voice. His gaze swept the room.
- And how did you get here? he asked more quietly. - I walked from the bus stop.
He let out a soft whistle.
A beat of silence.
He nodded toward a cooler in the corner. She moved closer and opened it.
Inside was packaged food. She hesitated. She took whatever looked most edible.
As they ate, they went over the plan.
Raphael spoke in practical terms. Entry points. Timing. Extraction routes. He knew what he was doing.
Ziva listened without interrupting. There was no time to waste.
That night, she did not sleep. She sat with the plans spread out, going over them again and again. Nothing changed. And yet she kept checking.
Raphael said nothing when he noticed the light still on hours later. He simply left a cup of coffee near the table. Untouched.
He stepped outside and sat on the front steps. He lit a cigarette and watched the empty road. When it had burned down to the filter, he crushed it beneath his boot. When he returned, nothing had changed.
· · ─────────── ·✦· ─────────── · ·
Ziva did not move for a long moment. Her gaze stayed on the plans, then drifted away, briefly.
Her eyes returned to the same line. She was no longer reading it.
- You jeopardized your entire career, and for what? - For you. He was playing you, Ziva. - For some reason, you felt it was your job to protect me? - I did what I had to do. - You killed him. - If I had not, you would be having this conversation with him. But maybe that is the way you would prefer it. - Perhaps I would!
The words stayed with her. Not because she had meant them. She had not.
But because, for a moment, she had not denied them. They had been said while she was looking at him. And nothing had taken those words back.
That was what returned later. Not the sentence.
The moment it had been allowed to exist. And what it would have meant if she had truly believed those words.
That would have broken her. Not the decision. The consequence.
Raphael woke up abruptly at the sound of Ziva swearing.
He opened his eyes and saw her throw her phone onto the mattress. She stayed still for a second, fists clenched, eyes closed.
He sat up slowly and watched her.
- What is it? - One of my contacts just pulled out. He cannot get us across the border tonight. - That was expected. You knew there would be obstacles.
He stood and walked closer to her.
- Have you slept at all? - Yes.
He held her gaze. Ziva did not look away.
- Two hours. Enough. - Coffee?
Silence.
- We move as planned.
Raphael hesitated.
- Is this still what you want?
He looked at her more carefully now.
- You will have to face your father when he finds out.
Ziva’s expression hardened slightly.
- If you want to pull out, say it now.
He raised his hands slightly in surrender.
- I told you I would come. I keep my word. But you are pushing this too hard. You need more rest, or you are going to compromise the mission.
A beat.
- This is not just about an NCIS agent.
Ziva did not answer.
Raphael sighed.
- That is what I thought. - It is not what you think.
She set her weapon under her pillow and lay down, turning away.
They left before sunrise.
Neither of them spoke much during preparations.
Ziva checked her equipment twice. Raphael did not comment, but watched her quietly.
The delay had already changed the plan. There was no time to adjust it.
Still, she did not slow down.
· · ─────────── ·✦· ─────────── · ·
It took them three days to reach the Somali border. Ziva and Raphael crossed using false identities.
He knew the terrain. She knew the network.
They had worked together before.
Not often. But enough.
She knew what kind of man he was. Trust had been earned, not given.
They traveled light. One bag each. Weapons. Cash. A satellite phone. A change of clothes.
One of Ziva’s contacts had pulled out. They had fallen behind schedule.
In this region, delays came at a price.
The heat slowed everything. Even thoughts.
Ziva hated it. Not the heat. Not the exhaustion. The uncertainty.
this friendship is so cute
4x02 - "Escaped" (Poll)
SOURCE GIF: soaboutthosefrictionburns
What is your favorite scene from S4E02?
01. In his basement, Gibbs finds memories of Kelly: A strawberry shortcake box
02. Ziva and Michelle comment on McGee’s teeth
03. Tony insists on seeing Tim’s teeth when he spots Gibbs
04. Jenny tells Gibbs that she forgot to send his retirement paperwork
05. Gibbs visits Abby: "I knew it. I knew it. Of course you are back"
06. Tony sniffs men’s underwear while Ziva takes photos of him
07. Tony uses his cell phone trick to listen in on his colleagues
08. Tony and his campfires
09. Gibbs and Fornell drink a juice box
10. Gibbs finds a listening device in Tony’s dictaphone
11. Everyone returns to their usual roles, with Gibbs back as team leader
12. Another scene (Do not hesitate to share in the comments)
4x02 - "Escaped" (Clothes)
Ziva wore a BCBG Max Azria top.
SOURCE PHOTOS: Screenshots
06x25 - 04x06 - 09x05 - 17x01
credit: now deleted blog zivaziver