Ep 11. Spinning Wheel

At the start of the thirteenth season of NCIS, the team is still reeling from the loss of Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, who left to care for his daughter. To make matters worse, the team is plagued by a new director, Jennifer Esposito, who isn't too pleased with Gibbs and his crew “doing their own thing.” She even puts Gibbs on probation.

In episode 11, titled Spinning Wheel, the team is faced with a case that involves the public affairs officer of a Navy Seal who has been kidnapped. Although the team has dealt with a lot of kidnappings in the past, this case feels odd somehow. There are no ransom demands or any leads regarding the motives behind the abduction.

Moreover, the victim, Lieutenant Commander Matthew Dean, has a clean record. There is no evidence of enemies or anyone who would want to hurt him. Despite the lack of intel, the team manages to find a clue from the victim's GPS. This clue eventually leads them to the victim's car, which was stolen and abandoned. But, the team doesn't find any other evidence that could shed some light on who could have kidnapped Matthew.

As the investigation continues, the team zeroes in on a woman who had been in close contact with Matthew before he disappeared. Her name is Rachel, and she claimed to be Matthew's ex-girlfriend. Gibbs and the team question her, but Rachel denies having anything to do with the kidnapping. She even tells them that she cares for Matthew and wants to help in any way possible. The team keeps her under surveillance, but she doesn't seem to be involved in the kidnapping or have any information that can help the case.

Meanwhile, Bishop is grappling with a secret. She's been hiding the fact that she's pregnant and hasn't told anyone about it yet. She's trying hard to keep it hidden, but finally confides in Abby about her situation. Abby eventually tells Gibbs, who is supportive of Bishop's decision to keep the pregnancy hidden.

After desperately searching for clues and leads, the team finally gets a break when Rachel comes back to the scene with fresh evidence. Her new information leads the team to a fisherman who was involved in the kidnapping. When the team arranges for his arrest, they discover that he acted alone, kidnapping Matthew to avenge the death of his son. He was angry with the Navy for putting his son in harm's way and wanted to make a statement.

Spinning Wheel is a captivating episode that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. It's full of twists and turns, and each clue puts the team a step closer to solving the case. The episode is also significant for Bishop's storyline, which is sure to play a significant role in later episodes of the season. The episode portrays the strong bond between agent and also shows how difficult it can be to keep secrets in a team-oriented environment.