The Ultimate Jack Sloane Episode Of NCIS

"NCIS" has had more than its fair share of female characters come and go on the show. Some, like Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) and Ellie Bishop (Emily Wickersham), were introduced as fresh new characters with their own reason for being there, and others — like Dr. Samantha Ryan (Jamie Lee Curtis) — felt like they were introduced specifically as romantic interests for NCIS Special Agent in Charge Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon). 

Notably, NCIS Forensic Psychologist Jaqueline "Jack" Sloane seemed to fall somewhere in the middle. Maria Bello played Sloane on the series for a total of only four seasons, and during her time on the show, some fans felt the actress's talents were underutilized and undeveloped. On an r/NCIS subreddit, one fan of the character wrote about Sloane's strengths and weaknesses. "The character was interesting and could have gone good places," u/AmberKB wrote. "She could have challenged and added a good balance to the cast. But the character wasn't written well, and the forced chemistry with Gibbs irritated me." 

Interestingly, while some viewers evidently had issues with the character, others found a great deal of entertainment value in the role, particularly in one specific episode of Season 15.

For many fans of Jack Sloane on "NCIS," no episode showcases the character better than her first. In fact, even actress Maria Bello herself says Season 15, Episode 4 ("Skeleton Crew") is her favorite episode (via TV Insider). While plenty of other Sloane-centric entries in the series focus on heartbreaking moments between Sloane and her long-lost daughter, the psychologist's first episode tells audiences everything they need to know about her personality.

In her first episode, Sloane arrives on Gibbs' doorstep in the middle of a hurricane. Pleading to use a phone, Sloane intentionally neglects to inform her new co-worker that the two will be working in the same office for quite some time. Right from the get-go, you can see this woman has a lot of self-confidence and isn't afraid to say what she's thinking. Indeed, few other characters have ever strolled into Gibbs' house under false pretenses and lived to tell the tale.

When Gibbs discovers that Sloane is not just a doctor, but the new NCIS forensic psychologist, he seems visibly taken aback. After clearing her throat a couple of times, Sloane makes it clear that she's completely comfortable sharing both her personal and professional opinions with her co-workers. Bello imbues Sloane with such charisma and courage inside her first hour that it immediately excites viewers to see her character join the rest of the team.