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Warning: Post contains spoilers
“NCIS New Orleans” season 7 episode 10 “Homeward Bound” finds Naval Petty Officer Dustin Langford killed while playing paintball. As such, Special Agents Dwayne “King” Pride (Scott Bakula), Hannah Khoury (Necar Zadegan), Quentin Carter (Charles Michael Davis), Tammy Gregorio (Vanessa Ferlito), and Sebastian Lund (Rob Kerkovich) of the NCIS NOLA team are called in to investigate. Bewilderingly, all of the paintball players and weapons are accounted for.
Even more perplexing, ballistics suggest a high-powered rifle, and a shooter firing from an elevated position around 500 yards. The only clues are a bullet casing from a .30-06, likely a hunting rifle, and blue paint from the shooter’s vehicle. When PO Langford’s background check comes back squeaky clean, the NCIS New Orleans team begins to cobble together a profile of the shooter based on scant information. Initially, Petty Officer Langford’s murder appears an isolated event. But expanding search results for similar shootings out to a wider radius as well as including injuries not just murders uncovers a string of similar shootings.
Pride plans to propose to his long-time partner, Rita Devereaux (Chelsea Field, and Scott Bakula’s real-life wife). Dwayne’s good friend and confidant Jefferson Parrish Coroner Loretta Wade (CCH Pounder) reassures King upon seeing the ring, “Well, that’s a ‘yes’.” However, Rita is offered a full-time position as an attorney with the ACLU. Unfortunately, the role is based out of St. Louis, MO.
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic struck New Orleans, Pride’s bar the True Tone, has served as a community food pantry. Dwayne’s half-brother, Jimmy Boyd (Jason Alan Carvell) has been responsible for running operations at the Tru Tone. When one of the regulars, Dan, goes missing, Jimmy teams up with Rita to find him. Like the investigation into Dustin Langford’s death, Rita and Jimmy embark on a search with little information. At the onset, the makeshift detective unit merely knows Dan’s first name. However, by canvassing the area and interrogating locals, Boyd and Devereaux discover Dan’s last name which leads to his ex-wife and an eventual profile of the now-homeless Dan. The pair make a great team, and at one point Jimmy even quips “After you, Nancy Drew.”
Jimmy featuring prominently into the plot of “NCIS New Orleans” S07E10 “Homeward Bound” is refreshing. Boyd has been notably absent for much of “NCIS NOLA” season 7, so it’s a treat to see Jason Alan Carvell reprising his role as Jimmy, one of the show’s most beloved characters.
Throughout “Homeward Bound,” there’s a theme of hardship and home or homelessness. PO Langford’s killer, Tanner Chambers, began a murderous rampage after being laid off from a factory job. In the wake of his hardship, Tanner channeled his anger into external blame directed at the government, big business, and liberal media.
Contrastingly, Dan, who Jimmy and Rita search for when he doesn’t show up at the Tru Tone for several days, copes with hard times differently. Diagnosed with hypothyroidism, Dan suffered from depression, eventually losing his job. Initially, Dan was defeated, but focusing on helping those around him brought comfort. Rather than becoming angry about losing his job, marriage, and home, Dan instead concentrated on doing what he could to help out the local homeless community. Similarly, Jimmy reveals to Rita that he was once homeless. Always the optimist, Boyd recalls that the breeze was nice during the spring when he slept in the park and plotted his next move.
There’s a lot of nuance in this exploration of destitution. Not only does “Homeward Bound” probe different ways of dealing with times of need, but it explores possible outcomes. While some like Jimmy ultimately land on their feet, others such as Dan or Tanner don’t. “Homeward Bound” also poses a potential new home for Pride and Rita. While Dwayne is supportive of Devereaux’s decision, he at first remains hesitant to tell her that he doesn’t want her to go. Predicting this, Rita had already turned down the ACLU job. “NCIS New Orleans” season 7 episode 10 provides a neat format that’s different from the typical police procedural. Infused with a complex look at hardships, it’s a thought-provoking, character-driven romp.
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