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The Worst Episodes of NCIS

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

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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 Worst Episode
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    NCIS Season 23 Episode 18 - Bad Impressions (2)
    6.6/10(393 votes)

    S23:E18

    The team races to help one of their own who has been framed for murder and caught in a widening conspiracy that could compromise national security.

    Director:James Whitmore Jr.
    Writer:Marco Schnabel

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  2. NCIS Season 18 Episode 11 - Gut Punch
    6.8/10(618 votes)

    S18:E11

    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

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  3. NCIS Season 19 Episode 14 - First Steps
    6.9/10(507 votes)

    S19:E14

    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

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  4. NCIS Season 6 Episode 18 - Knockout
    7.0/10(913 votes)

    S6:E18

    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

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  5. NCIS Season 20 Episode 6 - The Good Fighter
    7.1/10(469 votes)

    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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  6. NCIS Season 18 Episode 1 - Sturgeon Season
    7.2/10(660 votes)

    S18:E1

    Gibbs and Fornell attempt to track down the leader of a drug ring who supplied drugs to Fornell's daughter.

    Director:Michael Zinberg
    Writer:Scott Williams

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  7. NCIS Season 21 Episode 9 - Prime Cut
    7.2/10(419 votes)

    S21:E9

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

    Director:Diana Valentine
    Writers:Marco Schnabel, Chad Gomez Creasey

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  8. NCIS Season 1 Episode 4 - The Immortals
    7.3/10(1357 votes)

    S1:E4

    The NCIS team investigate 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 an 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

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  9. NCIS Season 2 Episode 3 - Vanished
    7.3/10(1036 votes)

    S2:E3

    The NCIS team are 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

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  10. NCIS Season 4 Episode 21 - Brothers in Arms
    7.3/10(861 votes)

    S4:E21

    Director Shepard makes a huge mistake by meeting a man alone to inform her about La 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

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  11. NCIS Season 5 Episode 11 - Tribes
    7.3/10(859 votes)

    S5:E11

    After a young Muslim Marine is murdered near his Mosque, Ducky refuses to perform an autopsy due to his religious beliefs. The NCIS team try 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 own bug.

    Director:Colin Bucksey
    Writer:Reed Steiner

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  12. NCIS Season 10 Episode 15 - Hereafter
    7.3/10(742 votes)

    S10:E15

    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

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  13. NCIS Season 14 Episode 5 - Philly
    7.3/10(683 votes)

    S14:E5

    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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. NCIS Season 14 Episode 9 - Pay to Play
    7.3/10(652 votes)

    S14:E9

    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

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  15. NCIS Season 17 Episode 6 - Institutionalized
    7.3/10(589 votes)

    S17:E6

    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

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  16. NCIS Season 19 Episode 6 - False Start
    7.3/10(559 votes)

    S19:E6

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

    Director:James Whitmore Jr.
    Writers:Christopher J. Waild, Katherine Beattie

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  17. NCIS Season 19 Episode 8 - Peacekeeper
    7.3/10(501 votes)

    S19:E8

    NCIS investigates the case of a Navy reservist whose body is found in a beat-up car at the end of a gun range.

    Director:Rocky Carroll
    Writers:Scott Williams, Margaret Rose Lester

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  18. NCIS Season 20 Episode 8 - Turkey Trot
    7.3/10(482 votes)

    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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  19. NCIS Season 22 Episode 8 - Out of Control
    7.3/10(400 votes)

    S22:E8

    NCIS investigates a murder related to a car that begins driving on its own.

    Director:Diana Valentine
    Writers:Steven D. Binder, Scott Williams

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  20. NCIS Season 23 Episode 3 - The Sound and the Fury
    7.3/10(370 votes)

    S23:E3

    When a petty officer’s death is connected to a blackmail investigation, the team is forced to work with Special Agent Sawyer on the case, which takes a terrifying turn for Torres. Meanwhile, Knight is offered an opportunity to train with NCIS Elite.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Scott Williams

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  21. NCIS Season 1 Episode 17 - The Truth Is Out There
    7.4/10(1099 votes)

    S1:E17

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

    Director:Dennis Smith
    Writer:Jack Bernstein

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  22. NCIS Season 1 Episode 22 - A Weak Link
    7.4/10(1092 votes)

    S1:E22

    Gibbs' team investigate 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

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  23. NCIS Season 2 Episode 8 - Heart Break
    7.4/10(995 votes)

    S2:E8

    A strange case for Gibbs and his team opens when a Navy Commander dies after successful surgery. While researching the commander's past, the team find out that he collected a lot of enemies lately.

    Director:Dennis Smith
    Writers:Frank Cardea, George Schenck

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  24. NCIS Season 2 Episode 16 - Pop Life
    7.4/10(969 votes)

    S2:E16

    NCIS start an investigation after Petty Officer Manda King is found dead in a bartender's bed. The suspect is the owner of a competing club where Manda's sister sings.

    Director:Thomas J. Wright
    Writer:Frank Military

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  25. NCIS Season 2 Episode 18 - Bikini Wax
    7.4/10(968 votes)

    S2:E18

    A Petty Officer that just returned to her job is found dead in the backstage of a bikini contest. The team find out that she possibly had a stalker behind her back.

    Director:Stephen Cragg
    Writer:David J. North

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Bad Impressions (2)" is the worst rated episode of "NCIS". It scored 6.6/10 based on 393 votes. Directed by James Whitmore Jr. and written by Marco Schnabel, it aired on 4/28/2026. This episode scored 0.2 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Gut Punch".