Often, television surprises its audience in the best ways that also end up being the most unexpected. NCIS Season 19 Episode 11 titled All Hands is one such example of a perfectly executed surprise that not only leaned into its well-placed humor but also made the entire episode a Trekkie’s dream vision board.
For the better part of the military police procedural drama’s arc, a degree of fan obsession and fascination with the story has inexplicably persisted for the past 22 years. The series has survived two writers’ strikes, dips in ratings and viewership, the changing of the old guard, the rise of the streaming platforms, and the new binge-watching model to remain one of the most beloved series on television.
It is because of the project’s creative and innovative streak that the series stands out and continues to surprise its audience time and again.
NCIS proves why it is still so relevant and beloved
Of all the episodes that stand out in NCIS, the Star Trek-inspired story remains one of the best ones to date. The police procedural did not flinch one bit while using Star Trek: Next Generation as the foundation for one Season 19 episode. Titled All Hands, the arc of the story remains a fascinating example of how to humorously use a derivative concept without saturating it with overused content.
In Season 19, Episode 11 of NCIS, Agent Parker, who was previously an FBI Special Agent, used his overwhelming love for Star Trek to solve a mystery and save the day along with his ship’s whole crew. The episode came as such a wholesome surprise that All Hands quickly rose to the top of the charts as one of the most highly-rated episodes of the series.
The intermittent references to Star Trek in the plot and dialogues of the episode and the quirky Trekkie-inspired storyline enveloped the fans in a nostalgic feel that transported them back to the era of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It was a worthy tribute to an iconic series that elevated NCIS further beyond its current status.
Agent Parker’s Star Trek obsession saves the day!
All Hands was one of the best episodes to date, with an interesting twist and a refreshing new take on the established format of storytelling. Agent Parker, played by Gary Cole, used his wits, gusto, zealous know-how of the world of Star Trek, and humor to navigate his way through an impasse and find a solution that ended in a win for the home team.
For one, the civilian ship that made its appearance fairly early in the story was named Stargazer. The well-placed reference to TNG and Parker favoring The Original Series over the spin-off was noteworthy, too. The subsequent ambush, skirmish, and capture inherently reflected a Star Trek-inspired plot.
The mention of Tech Trolls, Deep Space Nine, and the original Star Trek theme song by Alexander Courage in the climactic finale delivered the perfect cherry-on-top ending to an already well-scripted story. In the end, it was Agent Parker’s quick thinking about blasting the Star Trek theme over the International Distress Frequency that helped McGee locate the Black Ops sailors and ultimately save the day!
NCIS is streaming now on Paramount+ and Prime Video.
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