The words “self-driving car” don’t exactly scream “must-see TV.” They conjure images of tedious tech demos and Elon Musk tweets, not the gritty world of naval criminal investigations. Yet, here we are, with the NCIS team tackling a murder mystery with a distinctly futuristic twist in “Out of Control.”
This Monday, the team finds itself staring down a case involving a seemingly autonomous vehicle turned murder weapon. Is it a software glitch, a hacking conspiracy, or something far more sinister? The possibilities are…well, they’re probably limited to the usual procedural tropes, but the techno-thriller veneer might just be enough to spice things up.
More intriguing, perhaps, is the continuing saga of Agent Parker’s visions. The man is haunted by Lily, a figure from his past, and these spectral encounters seem to be less about cheap scares and more about exploring Parker’s inner demons. It’s a potentially rich vein for character development, assuming the writers don’t veer into predictable “troubled cop” territory. Will Parker finally confront his past, or will he just keep muttering to himself and scaring McGee?
While the self-driving car angle might feel like a gimmick, it offers a chance for NCIS to engage with the anxieties of our increasingly automated world. The show has always had a knack for ripping its plots from the headlines, and this episode seems no different.
NCIS airs Monday, December 9 at 9:00 PM ET/PT on CBS and will be available to stream on Paramount+.
“Out of Control” is written by Scott Williams and Steven D. Binder and directed by Diana Valentine.
