It feels like a week of television that was determined to move us to tears.
And make no mistake, if you tuned into some of these shows, you probably were tearful, whether it was the NCIS: Origins tribute to Ducky Mallard, 9-1-1’s powerful depiction of grief via Athena, or even digging into the layers of characters on Law & Order and NCIS: Tony & Ziva.
There were so many standout characters that deeply impacted us this week. So, let’s dive into our Characters of the Week below, and make sure to share any others you feel meet the criteria that didn’t make it to this list.
Athena Grant – 9-1-1
Regardless of your thoughts about the space adventure and how long it took, every moment led to 9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 4, an hour that belonged to Athena Grant.
The show has always employed flashbacks to give greater context to our characters. However, here they served a greater purpose, which was to show us a woman still grieving the loss of her husband and struggling to see a future for herself, all while chaos spiraled around her in the great unknown.
Angela Bassett carried the hour, combining quiet strength with raw vulnerability. Yet, some of the best scenes of the hour were those that saw Athena sit across from her younger self (beautifully brought to life by the illuminating Pepi Sonuga), confronting decades of pain and loss.
The result was deeply moving and emotionally charged exchanges that stuck with you long after the credits rolled.
As we noted in our review, Athena will never move on from her losses, as they shape her very being; however, she’s moving forward into this next phase of her life — a new phase not marked by tragedy, but with renewed strength.
Young Ducky – NCIS: Origins
Ducky has been the heart and soul of NCIS from the very beginning, and while the series has offered insights into how he became a medical examiner, it’s never gone into why he speaks to the dead the way he does.
NCIS: Origins Season 2 Episode 3 offered the insight needed in a powerful way.
Adam Campbell reprised the role he so wonderfully played in the flagship series, and he added a new layer to the friendship between Ducky and Gibbs while delving a little more into who he is.
As he realized he had thawed away the evidence, he was heartbroken. He wasn’t to know, and thawing the body was necessary to even get to the password to unlock the truth, but he still took it hard.
Much of that was because he wasn’t doing things his way, instead trying to follow the advice of his own mentor.
As he realized why he was such a great doctor to people, he figured out what he needed to do to be the medical examiner we would come to know him as.
Talking to the victims always felt like a way to respect the dead, but it’s so much more than that. Seeing Ducky’s face light up as he realized what he needed to do made me want to rewatch older episodes of NCIS.
I miss David McCallum so much, but Adam Campbell has captured the heart of Ducky’s character and offers a way to keep that memory alive.
Det. Vince Riley – Law & Order
Law & Order Season 25 has excelled in these character-driven episodes.
It’s taken a while to warm up to Det. Vince Riley, but Reid Scott owned Law & Order Season 25 Episode 6 as Vince reunited with his brother Matt (Ryan Eggold).
It was difficult for Vince to trust his brother since he burned him with a case before, but he was the only witness they had who had seen the suspect argue with the victim, showing violent tendencies.
Vince was torn between family loyalty and his job when his brother thought someone was following him. He assumed his brother was up to his old tricks, yet felt a gut punch when he learned Matt had been stabbed.
We saw a different side of Vince Riley in “Brotherly Love.” He realized how much his brother admired him, and how he loved him in return.
I hate that families always reconcile, though, as one person dies, but Reid Scott pulled out so much emotion as Vince kissed Matt goodbye for the final time.
Lucas Early – Chicago Med
A young boy, Lucas Early, came into the ED after a fall, but there was a lot more to the story than that.
Lucas was terrified of all of the hospital staff and kept screaming that they were monsters. It turned out that was literal — he had a perception disorder that made him see distorted faces that he interpreted as monsters.
Lucas was a foster child who his biological parents had abused, and this was heavy material for any young actor, but Days of Our Lives‘ Cary Christopher gave a heartbreaking performance.
The final scene in which he described the abuse he had suffered, explaining that if he made a “mistake,” his parents would tie him to his bed and refuse him food, was one of the most emotional in Chicago Med‘s 11-season history.
This kid was a brave, strong kid who had been through a lot, and his story was told with empathy and compassion, which is one of the things Med does best.
Tony DiNozzo – NCIS: Tony & Ziva
Tony DiNozzo has always carried himself with a specific charm. He’s the guy who deflects and distracts with humor, whose vulnerability is often buried behind a charming smile and a quip.
But, any fan of the character knows how much pain and depth lie beneath the surface, and NCIS: Tony & Ziva finally does the character justice by giving him the space (and Weatherly an incredible script that grants him the ability to show off his chops) to fully acknowledge some of the hurt and pain that lingers for the character.
It’s been hard to believe that Tony simply moved on from some of the hurt that the woman he loves most in the world caused him — the abandonment, the entire history regarding his daughter, and not even knowing about her in the early stages of her life — betrayal, secrets, distrust, and so much more.
Ziva faked her own death and left him taking care of their daughter alone. But finally, in a powerful, cathartic hour that only highlights why this spinoff is such a success — Tony gets to have a voice — a real one.
There was no sweeping things under the rug or implying that all of this pain and hurt was water under the bridge.
The series allows Tony to be brutally honest, raw, and vulnerable. It was painful, sure, but unquestionably real, and emotionally gratifying for both the character and viewers.
And it’s a necessary arc that adds dimension to a character who is often dismissed as just a comedic foil or jester.
Also, for Tony & Ziva to ever truly have their happy ending, the truth—the pain—had to come out. We go into this in even more detail in our piece, NCIS: Tony & Ziva Finally Gives Tony’s Character Arc the Spotlight It Deserves. Please check it out!
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9-1-1’s Aisha Hinds on Hen and Athena’s Big Moment, Teaming With Eddie, and Family Strength
We chatted with Aisha Hinds about the big moment between Hen and Athena during 9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 4 and much more. Check out our interview!
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9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 4 Closes the Space Era With Athena’s Emotional Reentry
9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 4 brings the space journey to an end, as Athena and Hen finally make it home in dramatic fashion. Our review!
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NCIS: Tony & Ziva Finally Got Their Happy Ending — Let’s Leave It That Way
NCIS: Tony & Ziva ended with a rare happy moment for its titular couple, and it shouldn’t return and ruin that.
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NCIS: Tony & Ziva Finally Gives Tony’s Character Arc the Spotlight It Deserves
Tony DiNozzo finally confronted his pain on NCIS: Tony & Ziva Episode 9, giving the character the emotional spotlight fans have long awaited.
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NCIS: Origins Season 2 Episode 3 Honors Ducky Mallard with a Beautiful Tribute — and It’s Pure Perfection
The nostalgia hits so good on NCIS: Origins Season 2 Episode 3 as Ducky makes his debut on the series in a heartwarming tribute episode!
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The post Characters of the Week: 9-1-1 and NCIS: Origins Honor Fan-Favorites with Stunning, Emotional Tributes appeared first on TV Fanatic.