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The Best Episodes of NCIS Season 20

Every episode of NCIS Season 20 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of NCIS Season 20!

Binge this in 16h 2m•Peaking at 8.1/10

From murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, a team of special agents investigates any crime that has any connection to Navy and Marine Corps personnel, regardless of rank or position.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    NCIS Season 20 Episode 1 - A Family Matter (I)
    7.7/10(525 votes)

    #1 - A Family Matter (I)

    S20:E1

    Special Agent Alden Parker is still on the run with his ex-wife Vivian, so the team investigates who from his past might have a personal vendetta against him in hopes of clearing Parker's name. The crossover continues on NCIS: Hawai'i S02E01 Prisoners' Dilemma (II).

    Director:Tawnia McKiernan
    Writer:Scott Williams

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  2. NCIS Season 20 Episode 2 - Daddy Issues
    7.5/10(449 votes)

    #2 - Daddy Issues

    S20:E2

    McGee’s personal life and professional life intersect when a dad from his children’s school is linked to a break-in at a government storage bunker.

    Director:Michael Zinberg
    Writer:Christopher J. Waild

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  3. NCIS Season 20 Episode 3 - Unearth
    7.6/10(458 votes)

    #3 - Unearth

    S20:E3

    When a dead body is found at an ancient burial site that is thought to be cursed, the team tries to determine the motive and the symbolism behind the crime.

    Director:Diana Valentine
    Writer:Yasemin Yilmaz

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  4. NCIS Season 20 Episode 4 - Leave No Trace
    7.6/10(452 votes)

    #4 - Leave No Trace

    S20:E4

    Agent Knight's past resurfaces when her ex-boyfriend, a National Parks Service agent, teams up with NCIS to investigate a campsite murder.

    Director:William Webb
    Writer:Chad Gomez Creasey

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  5. NCIS Season 20 Episode 5 - Guardian
    7.8/10(425 votes)

    #5 - Guardian

    S20:E5

    Agent Parker steps up to protect Director Vance after a terrifying home invasion.

    Director:James Whitmore Jr.
    Writer:Marco Schnabel

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  6. NCIS Season 20 Episode 6 - The Good Fighter
    7.1/10(438 votes)

    #6 - The Good Fighter

    S20:E6

    When an NCIS agent turns up dead and Kasie goes unaccounted for, the team must work quickly to find the killer.

    Director:José Clemente Hernandez
    Writer:Kimberly-Rose Wolter

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  7. NCIS Season 20 Episode 7 - Love Lost
    7.4/10(434 votes)

    #7 - Love Lost

    S20:E7

    NCIS must investigate the Secretary of the Navy when her husband claims she tried to murder him.

    Director:Rocky Carroll
    Writers:David J. North, Brendan Fehily

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  8. NCIS Season 20 Episode 8 - Turkey Trot
    7.3/10(447 votes)

    #8 - Turkey Trot

    S20:E8

    After an unknown shooter causes chaos at an annual Thanksgiving 5K, time is of the essence for the NCIS team to find the culprit.

    Director:Lionel Coleman
    Writers:Scott Williams, Diona Reasonover

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  9. NCIS Season 20 Episode 9 - Higher Education
    7.7/10(423 votes)

    #9 - Higher Education

    S20:E9

    NCIS investigates the death of a college student who was killed while running across the street and had connections to McGee’s wife, Delilah.

    Director:Claudia Yarmy
    Writer:Katherine Beattie

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  10. NCIS Season 20 Episode 10 - Too Many Cooks (I)
    8.1/10(531 votes)

    #10 - Too Many Cooks (I)

    S20:E10

    NCIS agents from Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and Hawai’i, all in D.C. to attend the retirement party of a beloved Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) professor, find themselves jointly investigating his shocking suicide. The crossover continues on NCIS: Hawai'i S02E10 Deep Fake (II) and NCIS: Los Angeles S14E10 A Long Time Coming (III).

    Director:Michael Zinberg
    Writer:Christopher J. Waild

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  11. NCIS Season 20 Episode 11 - Bridges
    7.7/10(415 votes)

    #11 - Bridges

    S20:E11

    Parker discovers he's a victim of identity theft while investigating the unusual murder of a Navy ensign.

    Director:Lionel Coleman
    Writer:Chad Gomez Creasey

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  12. NCIS Season 20 Episode 12 - Big Rig
    7.4/10(407 votes)

    #12 - Big Rig

    S20:E12

    When an old pal of Torres’ comes to him, disheveled and bloodied for guidance amidst an undercover FBI operation and then disappears, NCIS helps track him down.

    Director:Rocky Carroll
    Writer:Marco Schnabel

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  13. NCIS Season 20 Episode 13 - Evil Eye
    7.6/10(436 votes)

    #13 - Evil Eye

    S20:E13

    In preparation for a role, a world-renowned actress shadows the NCIS team as they investigate a decapitation case.

    Director:Michael Zinberg
    Writers:Brendan Fehily, Kimberly-Rose Wolter

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  14. NCIS Season 20 Episode 14 - Old Wounds
    7.4/10(422 votes)

    #14 - Old Wounds

    S20:E14

    Parker grapples with his emotions when a conman from his past turns up as a prime suspect in the murder of a Navy officer transporting millions of dollars’ worth of opioids.

    Director:Diana Valentine
    Writers:Scott Williams, Brian Dietzen

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  15. NCIS Season 20 Episode 15 - Unusual Suspects
    7.8/10(384 votes)

    #15 - Unusual Suspects

    S20:E15

    NCIS investigates the death of a ride-share driver who was found after a car accident.

    Director:James Whitmore Jr.
    Writer:Katherine Beattie

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  16. NCIS Season 20 Episode 16 - Butterfly Effect
    7.7/10(387 votes)

    #16 - Butterfly Effect

    S20:E16

    The NCIS team jumps into motion to investigate who is responsible for a potential bioterror attack at a strip mall parking garage.

    Director:Tawnia McKiernan
    Writer:Christopher J. Waild

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  17. NCIS Season 20 Episode 17 - Stranger in a Strange Land
    7.4/10(412 votes)

    #17 - Stranger in a Strange Land

    S20:E17

    NCIS works to solve the murder of a Marine private who appears to have been killed for helping an Afghan refugee.

    Director:James Whitmore Jr.
    Writer:Chad Gomez Creasey

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  18. NCIS Season 20 Episode 18 - Head Games
    7.7/10(376 votes)

    #18 - Head Games

    S20:E18

    The NCIS team digs deep to investigate a Navy Lieutenant who’s accused of trying to murder her husband but has no memory of the attack.

    Director:Michael Zinberg
    Writer:Sydney Mitchel

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  19. NCIS Season 20 Episode 19 - In the Spotlight
    7.7/10(355 votes)

    #19 - In the Spotlight

    S20:E19

    Agent Knight goes viral for saving a mother and child from a potentially fatal car accident.

    Director:Rocky Carroll
    Writer:Yasemin Yilmaz

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  20. NCIS Season 20 Episode 20 - Second Opinion
    7.8/10(366 votes)

    #20 - Second Opinion

    S20:E20

    NCIS works to solve the murder of a senator’s daughter who has a rebellious reputation and large online following.

    Director:Tawnia McKiernan
    Writer:Marco Schnabel

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  21. NCIS Season 20 Episode 21 - Kompromat
    8.0/10(390 votes)

    #21 - Kompromat

    S20:E21

    When a suspicious murder occurs in the classified section of the National Archive, NCIS must investigate a string of Russian spy encounters that may be linked to the crime.

    Director:Lionel Coleman
    Writer:Scott Williams

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  22. NCIS Season 20 Episode 22 - Black Sky
    8.0/10(368 votes)

    #22 - Black Sky

    S20:E22

    Agent Torres finds himself in prison as the team tries to stop an impending terror attack on U.S. soil.

    Director:Diana Valentine
    Writers:David J. North, Brendan Fehily

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Season 20 Ratings Summary

"A Family Matter (I)" is the best rated episode of "NCIS" season 20. It scored 7.7/10 based on 525 votes. Directed by Tawnia McKiernan and written by Scott Williams, it aired on 9/19/2022. This episode is rated 0.2 points higher than the second-best, "Daddy Issues".