Family Secret (episode)

Family Secret is the sixteenth episode in NCIS Season 3 and the sixty-second episode of the entire NCIS series.
==Synopsis==
The team investigate when an ambulance carrying the body of a Marine who recently died in an accident explodes without warning. However, things take a turn when Ducky confirms that the DNA lifted from the body doesn't match the dead Marine, resulting in the team launching an investigation as to who could have been responsible for the ambulance's explosion and the reasons behind it.
==Prologue==
Jeff Beilsman and Seth Patterson emerge from a hospital morgue, wheeling the body of Lance Corporal William Danforth Jr. into the waiting ambulance while still talking about a woman that Jeff is interested in.
The drive is short-lived when Seth smells something with J.B. realizing that it's gas.
The two then turn around and see that the oxygen tank that is next to the body is on fire.
Immediately, the two paramedics flee the ambulance just as it explodes.
It then cuts to show that the ambulance is now completely engulfed in flames.
==Act One==
==Act Two==
==Act Three==
==Act Four==
==Trivia==
*This is the only episode of the entire NCIS series where Gibbs is seen headslapping himself.
*The scene of Ziva getting a headslap from Gibbs would later reappear in a flashback in Hiatus Part 2 (episode).
*This is also the first episode where Tony and Ziva learn of McGee's sister. She was officially introduced to the audience in Red Cell (episode).
*The bar where Miller and Danforth fought, the Gold Monkey, was likely a nod to the early 80s action show Tales of the Gold Monkey, created and executive produced by Donald P. Bellisario, the creator of NCIS.
*The song playing during the game of Basketball that Tony was playing is "Name of the Game" by Crystal Method.
*During the episode, Tony makes a reference to Gheorghe Zamfir, a Romanian pan flute musician who is best known for playing an expanded version of the traditional Romanian-style pan flute (nai) of 20 pipes to 22, 25, 28 and 30 pipes to increase its range, and obtaining as many as eight overtones (additionally to the fundamental tone) from each pipe by changing the embouchure. As such, Zamfir's nickname is "The Master of the Pan Flute" which is what Tony says to Gibbs while Tony is listening to music from McGee's iPod.
==Cast==
===Series Regulars===
Name 	Portrayed by 	Role
Leroy Jethro Gibbs 	Mark Harmon 	NCIS Special Agent in charge of the main NCIS Major Case Response Team.
Anthony DiNozzo Junior	Michael Weatherly	The Senior Agent of the main NCIS Major Case Response Team and also the second-in-command.
Ziva David 	Cote de Pablo 	A Mossad Liaison Officer to NCIS.
Abigail Sciuto 	Pauley Perrette 	NCIS's Chief Forensic Scientist.
Timothy McGee 	Sean Murray 	Junior Agent of the main NCIS Major Case Response Team.
Jennifer Shepard 	Lauren Holly 	NCIS Director.
Donald Mallard 	David McCallum 	NCIS's Chief Medical Examiner.
===Recurring Cast===
Name 	Portrayed by 	Role
James Palmer 	Brian Dietzen 	Ducky's assistant.
Cynthia Summer	Stephanie Mello	Jenny's secretary.
===Guest Cast===
Name 	Portrayed by 	Role
William Danforth Sr. 	Conor O'Farrell	William Danforth Jr's father and a former Marine.
Seth Patterson 	John L. Adams 	An EMT.
Kenneth Merrill 	Brandon Largent	A Corporal in the Marine Corps and who later donated a kidney to William Danforth Jr.
Wayne Dobson 	Michael Holden 	A Doctor at the Bethesda National Naval Medical Centre.
Jeff Beilsman 	Evan Helmuth 	Patterson's partner.
Corpsman (Family Secret)	Jeremy Brandt 	A man who appears in the episode.
Tina Larsen 	Ellen Hollman 	An NCIS Special Agent DiNozzo is seen IM'ing at the beginning of the episode.
  v - [ e] - dNCIS Season 3
♦ Kill Ari Part 1 (episode) ♦ Kill Ari Part 2 (episode) ♦ Mind Games (episode) ♦ Silver War (episode) ♦ Switch (episode) ♦ The Voyeur's Web (episode) ♦ Honor Code (episode) ♦ Under Covers (episode) ♦ Frame-Up (episode) ♦ Probie (episode) ♦ Model Behavior (episode) ♦ Boxed In (episode) ♦ Deception (episode) ♦ Light Sleeper (episode) ♦ Head Case (episode) ♦ Family Secret (episode) ♦ Ravenous (episode) ♦ Bait (episode) ♦ Iced (episode) ♦ Untouchable (episode) ♦ Bloodbath (episode) ♦ Jeopardy (episode) ♦ Hiatus Part 1 (episode) ♦ Hiatus Part 2 (episode)
Category:NCIS Episodes
Category:NCIS Season 3 Episodes
Category:NCIS Episodes written by Steven D. Binder
Category:NCIS Episodes directed by James Whitmore, Jr.
Category:NCIS Episodes featuring James Palmer
Category:NCIS Episodes featuring Cynthia Summer