Why is 'NCIS' Season 18 Episode 3 not airing this week? Here’s what you can expect when hit CBS show returns
Just last week, 'NCIS' aired the milestone 400th episode that delved into the thrilling case that kickstarted the friendship between Ducky and Gibbs. So in a way, it is fitting that the show is taking a breather before we dive into the mayhem promised by the next three episodes airing this year, starting with Episode 3 that is intriguingly titled 'Blood and Treasure'.
But why is the hit CBS show taking a break after just two episodes into Season 18? If you are wondering why and when we will get to see Episode 3, we've got you covered. What's more, we have spoilers for what to expect once the show is back on Tuesday, December 8, on CBS.
According to the network, the upcoming episode won't be airing this Tuesday, December 1, because the show is going on hiatus for Thanksgiving week. Yup, so it is time to put away those remotes and plan your holiday festivities at home, and over Zoom, if you aren't with family already.
And yes, sadly, we still have to keep wondering about why Gibbs shot McGee in the season's cold open because the show hasn't caught up with our current 2020 timeline yet. In fact, showrunners Steve Binder and Frank Cardea have already hinted that the first five episodes of Season 18 -- aka all the episodes that will air before the winter break -- will be set in the near past, around the same time that Gibbs and Fornell went on their mission.
We might get a few teases about the McGee-Gibbs confrontation story arc along the way but you can expect a concrete resolution only in the episodes that will air after the winter break in 2021. But that means we also don't have to deal with any pandemic storyline on the show till 2021.
But that is all way in the future. The very next episode of 'NCIS' that fans will be able to see on December 8 will feature a very intriguing story involving a "2 million dollars" treasure.
In the trailer released for the episode, Bishop seems thrilled at the amount of money they are tracking down, right after forensic scientist Kasie Hines tells Gibbs that the victim "swallowed a treasure map" but that didn't save him from being killed. But the map is also a vital clue to tracking down the killer. Kasie points out that since the killer is going after the treasure the team's best bet is to follow the money -- the "treasure" indicated by the map.
What makes the case more intriguing is that the two million might be up for grabs -- that's right. Bishop says that getting excited about the money is useless because they'll just have to give it up. But McGee, who seems to be doing some research on his computer, tells the team that they "might" be able to keep it -- suggesting he has figured out a loophole. Torres grins at Bishop and says what every good Jack Sparrow wannabe wants to say in these circumstances, "Finders keepers, baby!" Besides this fun modern-day treasure hunt, we will also dive deeper into what Gibbs and Fornell are up to as they get "deeper into their search for the opioid kingpin".
'NCIS' Season 18 Episode 3 will air on Tuesday, December 8, at 8 pm on CBS.