Choke Hold (episode)

Choke Hold is the fourth episode of NCIS Season 12 and the 262nd episode of the entire NCIS series.
==Synopsis==
While patrolling a park at night, two police officers come across a Naval research scientist sitting on a bench, the scientist having been garroted which eventually kills her. As such, the NCIS team are called in to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death although things quickly get complicated when SECNAV Sarah Porter later assigns the NCIS team to a joint terrorism task force with FBI agent Leia Pendergast as the leader of the task force. There's just one problem, though: the suspect that NCIS are searching for is also wanted by the Russian government led by someone well known to the team.
==Prologue==
The episode opens with a recap of what happened in the Season 12 premiere episode, Twenty Klicks (episode) and ends with NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs pinning a photograph of terrorist, Sergei Mishnev to a wall in his basement with Gibbs also telling his boss, NCIS Director Leon Vance, "Not if we find him first", revealing that Gibbs is planning on finding Mishnev who managed to apparently survive Gibbs fatally shooting Mishnev during their first confrontation.
In a park, Bilik asks his partner, Verma if he saw a kid's face when Bilik flashed his cuffs?
"She was 12 and sneaking a smoke in the park", Verma says before stating that was probably her first.
Bilik states that thanks to him, she'll think twice before sneaking a second one.
"You're welcome, health care system", Verma says.
They then spot upon spotting a woman sitting on a bench.
Verma flashes his light over at the bench and informs the woman that the park is closed and that she is to move along.
"Hey", Bilik calls, producing his handcuffs. "Unless you wanna put your hands together for old Simon and Garfunkel here, move along".
They then approach the woman.
Bilik then flashes his light, revealing that there's blood on the woman's chest with Bilik remarking that she's been strangled.
Pressing a button, Verma calls it in, stating "Unit 20-21, reporting an ADW in Town Centre West" before stating that they request medics and back-up.
Bilik remarks that someone got the woman good.
The woman then breathes, startling Bilik who tells his partner, Verma or Dave that she's still alive.
"Expeditie medical assistance", Verma says.
Bilik meanwhile kneels back and tries to assure the woman that it's okay, that everything's gonna be fine and that they're gonna help.
He attempts to touch her but the woman jerks away, stating, "Don't touch me".
Bilik looks stunned.
It then cuts to the blood-soaked ID card which shows that the woman is Sofia Glazman and that she is also a laboratory researcher at the Office of Naval Research.
==Act One==
==Act Two==
==Act Three==
==Act Four==
==Act Five==
==Trivia==
*The term, "Choke hold" is a general term for grappling hold that critically reduces or prevents either air (choking) or blood (strangling) from passing through the neck of an opponent. The method itself was previously used in the NCIS Season 3 episode, Untouchable (episode) where the killer used a choke-hold to render his target unconscious before shooting her in the head.
*As Tony DiNozzo pointed out, the use of a motorized garrote was originally popularized in the action thriller film The Counselor.
==Cast==
===Series Regulars===
Name 	Portrayed by 	Role
Leroy Jethro Gibbs	Mark Harmon 	Special Agent in charge of the NCIS Major Case Response Team.
Anthony DiNozzo 	Michael Weatherly 	Senior Special Agent and second-in-command of the NCIS Major Case Response Team.
Timothy McGee 	Sean Murray (actor)	Special Agent of the NCIS Major Case Response Team.
Abigail Sciuto 	Pauley Perrette 	Chief Forensic Specialist for the NCIS Major Case Response Team.
James Palmer 	Brian Dietzen 	Assistant Medical Examiner for the NCIS Major Case Response Team. Despite being credited, Dietzen does not appear in this episode.
Eleanor Bishop 	Emily Wickersham 	NCIS Probationary Agent.
Leon Vance 	Rocky Carroll 	Director of NCIS.
Donald Mallard 	David McCallum 	Chief Medical Examiner for the NCIS Major Case Response Team.
===Recurring Cast===
Name 	Portrayed by	Role
Sarah Porter 	Leslie Hope 	SECNAV- Secretary of the Navy.
Anton Pavlenko	Lev Gorn 	Russian Counsellor.
===Guest Cast===
Name 	Portrayed by 	Role
Dave Verma 	Zoran Korach 	Metro Police Officer.
Bilik 	Corey Mendell Parker	Metro Police Officer.
Renata Atal 	Mette Holt 	The killer.
Ishmael Havana 	Michael Ensign 	Doctor.
Leia Pendergast 	Stephanie Jacobsen 	FBI Agent.
Sofia Glazman 	Tamara Belous 	The main murder victim.
Nelly Benin 	Victoria Barabas 	The main suspect.
Barry (Choke Hold)	Eric Michael Baugh 	Uncredited role.
  v - [ e] - dNCIS Season 12
♦ Twenty Klicks (episode) ♦ Kill the Messenger (episode) ♦ So It Goes (episode) ♦ Choke Hold (episode) ♦ The San Dominick (episode) ♦ Parental Guidance Suggested (episode) ♦ The Searchers (episode) ♦ Semper Fortis (episode) ♦ Grounded (episode) ♦ House Rules (episode) ♦ Check (episode) ♦ The Enemy Within (episode) ♦ We Build, We Fight (episode) ♦ Cadence (episode) ♦ Cabin Fever (episode) ♦ Blast from the Past (episode) ♦ The Artful Dodger (episode) ♦ Status Update (episode) ♦ Patience (episode) ♦ No Good Deed (episode) ♦ Lost in Translation (episode) ♦ Troll (episode) ♦ The Lost Boys (episode) ♦ Neverland (episode)
Category:NCIS Episodes
Category:NCIS Season 12 Episodes
Category:NCIS Episodes written by Christopher J. Waild
Category:NCIS Episodes directed by Terrence O'Hara
Category:NCIS Episodes featuring Sarah Porter
Category:NCIS Episodes featuring Anton Pavlenko