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The Worst Episodes of NCIS

Every episode of NCIS ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of NCIS!

From murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, a team of special agents investigates any crime that has a shred of evidence connected to...
Genres:CrimeDramaAction & Adventure
Network:CBS

Worst Episodes Summary

"Gut Punch" is the worst rated episode of "NCIS". It scored 6.9/10 based on 540 votes. Directed by Rocky Carroll and written by Christopher J. Waild, it aired on 4/6/2021. This episode scored 0.0 points lower than the second lowest rated, "First Steps".

  • Gut Punch
    6.9/10540 votes
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    #1 - Gut Punch

    Season 18 Episode 11 - Aired 4/6/2021

    Vance assigns McGee, Torres, and Bishop to Covid compliance duty at a foreign affairs summit, where they discover a link to another NCIS team's murder case.

    Director: Rocky Carroll

    Writer: Christopher J. Waild

  • First Steps
    6.9/10429 votes
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    #2 - First Steps

    Season 19 Episode 14 - Aired 3/7/2022

    As NCIS investigates the cause of death of a reservist Navy SEAL surgeon, they're forced to bring Vance's daughter to help with a highly dangerous mission.

    Director: Michael Zinberg

    Writer: Yasemin Yilmaz

  • Knockout
    7.0/10828 votes
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    #3 - Knockout

    Season 6 Episode 18 - Aired 3/17/2009

    The death of a boxer leads Vance to borrow the NCIS team and start investigating his death, while Gibbs digs into Vance's past.

    Director: Tony Wharmby

    Writer: Jesse Stern

  • The Good Fighter
    7.1/10389 votes
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    #4 - The Good Fighter

    Season 20 Episode 6 - Aired 10/24/2022

    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

  • Sturgeon Season
    7.2/10586 votes
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    #5 - Sturgeon Season

    Season 18 Episode 1 - Aired 11/17/2020

    Gibbs and Fornell attempt to track down the leader of a drug ring who supplied drugs to Fornell's daughter. Also, the team deals with the case of a missing cadaver from the NCIS autopsy room.

    Director: Michael Zinberg

    Writer: Scott Williams

  • Turkey Trot
    7.2/10403 votes
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    #6 - Turkey Trot

    Season 20 Episode 8 - Aired 11/21/2022

    After an unknown shooter causes chaos at an annual Thanksgiving 5K, time is of the essence for the NCIS team to find the culprit. Also, Kasie joins Knight for Thanksgiving lunch at Knight’s sister’s house.

    Director: Lionel Coleman

    Writer: Scott Williams, Diona Reasonover

  • Prime Cut
    7.2/10292 votes
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    #7 - Prime Cut

    Season 21 Episode 9 - Aired 4/29/2024

    After discovering the remains of a Marine captain, the NCIS team travels to Texas to interrogate the suspected killer.

    Director: Diana Valentine

    Writer: Marco Schnabel, Chad Gomez Creasey

  • The Immortals
    7.3/101,161 votes
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    #8 - The Immortals

    Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/14/2003

    The NCIS team investigates when a seaman's body is found at the bottom of the sea in his dress whites, with a ceremonial sword. They discover that he was addicted to a MMORPG. Now, the team must figure out how involved he was in the game and how far he would go to get revenge on his arch enemy, another sailor.

    Director: Alan J. Levi

    Writer: Darcy Meyers

  • Vanished
    7.3/10899 votes
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    #9 - Vanished

    Season 2 Episode 3 - Aired 10/12/2004

    The NCIS team is called in to investigate when a perfectly functioning Marine helicopter is found in the middle of a crop circle.

    Director: James Whitmore Jr.

    Writer: Frank Cardea

  • Brothers in Arms
    7.3/10769 votes
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    #10 - Brothers in Arms

    Season 4 Episode 21 - Aired 4/24/2007

    Director Shepard makes a huge mistake by meeting a man alone to inform her about Le Grenouille, as their meeting turns into a murder of the informant. Now the NCIS team must gather all the existing info and try to finally hunt down their enemy.

    Director: Martha Mitchell

    Writer: Steven D. Binder

  • Tribes
    7.3/10759 votes
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    #11 - Tribes

    Season 5 Episode 11 - Aired 1/15/2008

    After a young Muslim Marine is murdered near his Mosque, Ducky refuses to perform autopsy due to his religious beliefs, so the NCIS team tries to talk to the father of the deceased, and they send McGee to plant a bug in the Mosque, only to discover that the FBI already planted their bug.

    Director: Colin Bucksey

    Writer: Reed Steiner

  • The Missionary Position
    7.3/10688 votes
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    #12 - The Missionary Position

    Season 9 Episode 20 - Aired 4/10/2012

    Following the murder of a Marine, Tony and Ziva join Ziva’s longtime friend and mentor in Columbia in a search for a missing Marine Lieutenant and Navy Chaplain. Meanwhile, Jimmy Palmer decides who will be his best man.

    Director: Arvin Brown

    Writer: Allison Abner

  • Hereafter
    7.3/10675 votes
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    #13 - Hereafter

    Season 10 Episode 15 - Aired 2/19/2013

    On leave from NCIS while still grieving the loss of his wife and his kids’ mother, Director Vance discovers unexpected personal information that causes him to question everything.

    Director: Tony Wharmby

    Writer: Nicole Mirante-Matthews

  • Philly
    7.3/10619 votes
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    #14 - Philly

    Season 14 Episode 5 - Aired 10/18/2016

    When a missing MI6 Officer is linked to a murdered petty officer, Gibbs sends Quinn and Bishop to Philadelphia to work with MI6 Officer Clayton Reeves. Also, Quinn painfully recounts the NCIS case that made her leave field work.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Pay to Play
    7.3/10590 votes
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    #15 - Pay to Play

    Season 14 Episode 9 - Aired 12/6/2016

    The NCIS team investigates a series of escalating threats against congresswoman Jenna Flemming, while Director Vance oversees her temporary protection detail.

    Director: Arvin Brown

    Writer: Cindi Hemingway

  • Institutionalized
    7.3/10525 votes
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    #16 - Institutionalized

    Season 17 Episode 6 - Aired 11/5/2019

    After a petty officer’s son is found murdered at his “welcome home from prison” party, evidence suggests Kasie’s lifelong best friend, Dante Brown, is the suspect.

    Director: Tony Wharmby

    Writer: David J. North

  • False Start
    7.3/10482 votes
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    #17 - False Start

    Season 19 Episode 6 - Aired 11/1/2021

    NCIS investigates the death of a beloved Navy commander who trained some of the top athletes in the country.

    Director: James Whitmore Jr.

    Writer: Christopher J. Waild, Katherine Beattie

  • Peacekeeper
    7.3/10426 votes
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    #18 - Peacekeeper

    Season 19 Episode 8 - Aired 11/29/2021

    NCIS investigates the case of a Navy reservist whose body is found in a beat-up car at the end of a gun range. Kasie weighs the pros and cons of buying a gun.

    Director: Rocky Carroll

    Writer: Scott Williams, Margaret Rose Lester

  • Big Rig
    7.3/10364 votes
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    #19 - Big Rig

    Season 20 Episode 12 - Aired 1/23/2023

    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. Also, McGee prepares to be a contestant on a popular game show

    Director: Rocky Carroll

    Writer: Marco Schnabel

  • Old Wounds
    7.3/10378 votes
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    #20 - Old Wounds

    Season 20 Episode 14 - Aired 2/13/2023

    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

    Writer: Scott Williams, Brian Dietzen

  • The Truth Is Out There
    7.4/10953 votes
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    #21 - The Truth Is Out There

    Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 3/16/2004

    When the body of a sailor is found after a party in an illegal night club, the team investigates a number of possible leads - including blackmail and accidental death.

    Director: Dennis Smith

    Writer: Jack Bernstein

  • A Weak Link
    7.4/10952 votes
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    #22 - A Weak Link

    Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 5/18/2004

    Gibbs' team investigates the death of a SEAL during a training exercise, and come to suspect that it wasn't an accident, but a murder.

    Director: Alan J. Levi

    Writer: Jack Bernstein

  • Heart Break
    7.4/10869 votes
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    #23 - Heart Break

    Season 2 Episode 8 - Aired 11/30/2004

    A strange case for Gibbs and his team opens when a Navy Commendar dies after successful surgery. While researching through commander's past, the team finds out that he collected a lot of enemies lately and tracks down a ensign making him the prime suspect. Soon Abby realizes that they got the wrong man...

    Director: Dennis Smith

    Writer: Frank Cardea, George Schenck

  • Pop Life
    7.4/10852 votes
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    #24 - Pop Life

    Season 2 Episode 16 - Aired 3/1/2005

    NCIS starts the investigation after petty officer Manda King is found dead in the bartender's bed. The suspect is the owner of the competing club where Manda's sister sings.

    Director: Thomas J. Wright

    Writer: Frank Military

  • Bikini Wax
    7.4/10847 votes
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    #25 - Bikini Wax

    Season 2 Episode 18 - Aired 3/29/2005

    A petty officer that just returned to his job is found dead in the backstage of the bikini contest. The team finds out that she possibly had a stalker behind her back...

    Director: Stephen Cragg

    Writer: David J. North