NCIS 10/31/2006 (S04E06) "Witch Hunt"

[dswallow]

I suppose as far as Halloween episodes go, this one wasn't too bad; at least it sort of fit in OK and didn't seem like they were forcing the Halloween theme in somehow.

It seemed like Ziva reverted to misusing a lot of English again. I hadn't noticed that happening recently.

<insert obligatory Abby costume commentary>

[PeteEMT]

As part of the NCIS Fanfest we had a set tour and saw the Dress/Shoes that Abbey wore this ep. After paying Marilyn's estate, that costume was quite expensive.

[drew2k]

I can't believe Gibbs and Ziva didn't pick up on how the "sister" kept butting in and was preventing the wife from talking to NCIS. Other than that, good episode.

[Amnesia]

After paying Marilyn's estate, that costume was quite expensive.What are you talking about? What does Marilyn's estate have anything to do with anything?

[balboa dave]

What are you talking about? What does Marilyn's estate have anything to do with anything?That was THE dress. They paid 10K for permission to use it and her likeness.

[Graymalkin]

I don't think Marilyn had quite that many tattoos, though. :)

[JimSpence]

What? There was a plot last night? I got lost in how good Abby looks all dressed up. :)
Her scenes were the best. I didn't know that the dress was THE dress. She really looked like Marilyn.

Now back to the show. What? There was a show? Yeah, it was all Abby.

Marilyn Monroe (http://imdb.com/gallery/mptv/1171/Mptv/1171/758-334.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Monroe,%20Marilyn)

[Amnesia]

That was THE dress. They paid 10K for permission to use it and her likeness.Why would they pay money to use the dress? They could have just used a replica.

And why would they have to pay money to use "her likeness"? She's a public figure---people are allowed to dress up like her for Halloween. Did they have to pay Custer's estate? Cleopatra's? The snow elf's?

[Joeg180]

Why would they pay money to use the dress? They could have just used a replica.

And why would they have to pay money to use "her likeness"? She's a public figure---people are allowed to dress up like her for Halloween. Did they have to pay Custer's estate? Cleopatra's? The snow elf's?


I'm still trying to collect on the snow elf, since it is still in litigation that is all I can comment on :)

The sister bugged me from the start.

[Jonathan_S]

It seemed like Ziva reverted to misusing a lot of English again. I hadn't noticed that happening recently.
Well, not knowing "scuttle butt" is a bit more believable that some of her other mistakes.

The part that slightly bothered me (and only because I'm from the DC area) is the misuse of the toll transponder to track the car. McGee stated that the transponder was used for HOV tolls.
The route shown was from the beltway (I-495) out 66. The beltway doesn't even have HOV lanes, and while parts of 66 do, they aren't toll based.
The DC area only has one toll road, the dulles toll road/greenway, which runs roughly west north west from Tyson's Corner, past Dulles Airport, and out to Leesburg. That is the only place the smart tag toll transponder would be read, so you couldn't track a vehicle the way the show said.

And I know that getting even mildly annoyed about that kind of geographical mistake is silly, but I still wanted to mention it.

[dswallow]

Well, not knowing "scuttle butt" is a bit more believable that some of her other mistakes.

The part that slightly bothered me (and only because I'm from the DC area) is the misuse of the toll transponder to track the car. McGee stated that the transponder was used for HOV tolls.
The route shown was from the beltway (I-495) out 66. The beltway doesn't even have HOV lanes, and while parts of 66 do, they aren't toll based.
The DC area only has one toll road, the dulles toll road/greenway, which runs roughly west north west from Tyson's Corner, past Dulles Airport, and out to Leesburg. That is the only place the smart tag toll transponder would be read, so you couldn't track a vehicle the way the show said.

And I know that getting even mildly annoyed about that kind of geographical mistake is silly, but I still wanted to mention it.
Technically there's no reason not to put transponders up on the highways to be able to track vehicles that happen to have them. That always seemed a good way to me for them to collect traffic data to use to determine new road routes based on where individuals actually traveled.

Of course, to consider that the reasoning, you'd still need to equip the vehicles with the transponders, and an area that doesn't have much in the way of toll roads to begin with isn't going to have a high penetration of transponder users.

[Idearat]

Technically there's no reason not to put transponders up on the highways to be able to track vehicles that happen to have them. That always seemed a good way to me for them to collect traffic data to use to determine new road routes based on where individuals actually traveled.


Here in CA they did just that, outfitted many non-toll roads with the readers for the transponders people got for paying bridge tolls. Supposedly the data is "anonymized" from these roadside detectors and only used to measure traffic flow.

When they were put up another added feature of the trasnsponders was revealed. Turns out that while they beep when read at the bridges, when read by the roadside detectors they don't beep. According to reports, the feature wasn't put there to allow the readers to read the transponders surreptitiously, but to keep people from thinking they were being charged while driving down the road.

So I wouln't be surprised that a vehicle could be tracked by their transponder.

[Jonathan_S]

At least at the moment the transponder detectors appear to only be installed on the actual toll road, 495 and 66 don't have detectors.
Although you're both right there isn't any technical reason they couldn't be installed, they just haven't been.

[drew2k]

Since we're already sidetracked ... :D

I-495 is the DC Beltway, but is also the Long Island Expressway. These two highways are NOT the same!

How can there be more than one interstate with the same road designation in the U.S.?

[dswallow]

Since we're already sidetracked ... :D

I-495 is the DC Beltway, but is also the Long Island Expressway. These two highways are NOT the same!

How can there be more than one interstate with the same road designation in the U.S.?
As I recall the Interstate numbering system uses 2 digits for unique roadways; three digit roadways are regional and can be reused in other regions and are typically indicative of bypasses for the roads with the last 2 digits.

[dswallow]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_highway

See the "Primary routes" and "Three-digit Interstates" sections.

[drew2k]

As I recall the Interstate numbering system uses 2 digits for unique roadways; three digit roadways are regional and can be reused in other regions and are typically indicative of bypasses for the roads with the last 2 digits.Thanks - that explains the Baltimore Beltway, 695, and DC Beltway, 495, running off of I-95. I can kind of see that then for the L.I..E. ...

[busyba]

Thanks - that explains the Baltimore Beltway, 695, and DC Beltway, 495, running off of I-95. I can kind of see that then for the L.I..E. ...
What Doug said was correct.

As for the LIE, that I-495 does actually connect to I-95. I-495 runs all the way from Eastern Long Island, through Manhattan, through the Lincoln Tunnel into New Jersey, and then terminates at I-95. There's an interruption in the road between 2nd avenue and 9th avenue where 495 ceases to exist for a while, and the part of 495 that's west of Queens is not called the LIE anymore (just like the Northern State Parkway turns into the Grand Central Parkway at the Nassau/Queens border) but it's all technically one roadway.

[dimented]

You guys know of any thread where they are talking about the latest episode of NCIS?

:D ;) :D

[drew2k]

What Doug said was correct.

As for the LIE, that I-495 does actually connect to I-95. I-495 runs all the way from Eastern Long Island, through Manhattan, through the Lincoln Tunnel into New Jersey, and then terminates at I-95. There's an interruption in the road between 2nd avenue and 9th avenue where 495 ceases to exist for a while, and the part of 495 that's west of Queens is not called the LIE anymore (just like the Northern State Parkway turns into the Grand Central Parkway at the Nassau/Queens border) but it's all technically one roadway.A roadway I've never taken west of Manhatttan! ;) (If I leave NY, it's never through Manhattan - always AROUND it!)

[Graymalkin]

You guys know of any thread where they are talking about the latest episode of NCIS?

:D ;) :D

Heh. Good one. :up:

[Graymalkin]

A roadway I've never taken west of Manhatttan! ;) (If I leave NY, it's never through Manhattan - always AROUND it!)

Yeah, I've tried driving through Manhattan (Lincoln Tunnel to Midtown Tunnel). Even at 4 a.m., it's still a huge PITA. And during the day when there's traffic...

[Amnesia]

Back to the episode, did Ziva get a chance to see Tony and McGee standing around ga-ga over Abby's outfit?

[Graymalkin]

I don't think she did, because if she did, she would've said something.

And poor McGee, losing his chance with the ice princess! I feel his pain. :)

[dimented]

I don't think she did, because if she did, she would've said something.

And poor McGee, losing his chance with the ice princess! I feel his pain. :)


Yea, that sucked. I don't think I would have been able to choose work over the Ice Princess had I been in his shoes. :)

[busyba]

I know it was already fairly obvious that McGee and Abby had hooked up in the past, but I believe that this was the first time there was a line essentially confirming that fact.

[TIVO_GUY_HERE]

Loved how Gibb smashed the Roomba..

[dianebrat]

Loved how Gibb smashed the Roomba..

If he had one at the house he'd go through them like he goes through cell phones at the office :)

I don't consider him a real "technology-friendly" kinda guy

Diane

[Graymalkin]

Yeah, he doesn't use any power tools to craft his boat, does he? I've never seen 'em.

[SoldOnTiVo]

Back to the episode, did Ziva get a chance to see Tony and McGee standing around ga-ga over Abby's outfit?


I don't think so, but the double slap-behind-the-head from Gibbs was great. :D