Model Behavior is the eleventh episode of NCIS Season 3 and the fifty-seventh episode of the entire NCIS series.
Synopsis
When a supermodel participating in a reality TV program is found dead, the NCIS team investigate.
Prologue
The scene opens in a Marine barracks area where two women, Hannah Bresling and Natalie Vance, are both lying on their respective beds, asleep, while the third one, which has had its covers tossed, is surprisingly empty.
Up on the wall, a camera begins whirling and focusing on the girls.
In the control room, two men discuss the show with one remarking that he never gets tired of this with his colleague agreeing.
The man soon spots the third bed - which is empty.
He informs Staff Sergeant Michael McMannis, "We've got a loose one!"
He then hits a button on his keyboard.
Back in the room, the speakers begin playing the Reveille theme, causing both Natalie and Hannah to leap out of bed and scream at the cameras that neither can take much more of this and that it is also driving them crazy. The girls then notice the empty bed and begin wondering where Taylor Shane is.
Hannah believes that Taylor got lucky and escaped.
Natalie then hears something and tells Hannah they are coming, causing both girls to head for their lockers. Soon, they begin putting their trousers on while also rolling up the blinds.
Seconds later, McMannis, accompanied by a cameraman and soundman, enters the room.
Natalie waves at him, causing McMannis to accuse her of not just having waved at him there.
While Hannah stares out the window, McMannis heads over to Vance and begins chewing her out, stating that the only thing she is super at is looking like an idiot on TV. McMannis then tells her that he counts two of them there before demanding to know where princess number three (Taylor) is.
But something that Hannah has apparently seen has stunned her, and she whispers, "Oh my God."
At the sound of that, McMannis then approaches to see what is going on that has changed Hannah's mood.
The view then cuts to outside where, at the barbed-wire fence, Taylor is shown to be lying upside down, having been impaled on a fence, dead as her hair blows around in the breeze.
Act One
In a small room, numerous NCIS employees have gathered for an awards ceremony.
As one employee walks off, having received their award from Director Jennifer Shepard, her secretary Cynthia Summer announces that the next award is the Meritorious Civilian Service Award.
Jenny then asks for NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs to step forward.
As everyone waits for Gibbs, Cynthia hands Jenny a case concerning the medal with Jenny looking around for Gibbs but there's still no sign of him.
In the crowd, NCIS/Mossad Officer Ziva David wonders why Jenny went with the Elf cut.
NCIS Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo Junior corrects her, stating that it's the Pixie.
"I think she looks terrific", NCIS Chief Medical Examiner Donald Mallard remarks.
Ziva wonders where Gibbs is with Ducky remarking that in all the years he's known Gibbs that Gibbs has never been one to turn up at an awards ceremony.
"Even if he's the one receiving it, Ducky?", Ziva wonders.
"Especially if he's the one receiving it", Ducky replies.
The applause has died down and Cynthia calls for Gibbs again but there's no response.
In the audience, Abigail Sciuto tells NCIS Special Agent Timothy McGee to pay up, Abby having correctly predicted that Gibbs wouldn't show up.
McGee gives her a few dollars and wonders if she's got change for a 20.
"No", Abby replies.
Tony arrives to the top of the room and tells Jenny that her haircut is nice.
Jenny, on the other hand demands to know where the Hell Gibbs is.
Tony tells her that Gibbs is working on a case.
"What case?", Jenny wonders.
"The one that's preventing him from being here", Tony replies and states that he'll take the medal for Gibbs.
Cynthia then announces to the large crowd that Tony will be accepting the award for Gibbs which has everyone breaking into applause although they all look bored.
Tony attempts to thank everyone by giving them his speech but Jenny cuts him off by thanking everyone and announcing that the awards ceremony has been concluded.
As everyone makes to leave, Tony is dejected, claiming that he wrote a speech. Abby approaches him and gives him a hug.
Jenny arrives in her office, talking on her cell phone as she begins wondering where Gibbs is.
Seconds later, Gibbs enters, also on his cell phone and holding his coffee while remarking that he's right behind Jenny, causing Jenny to remark that she hates when he does that.
She turns around to face Gibbs and remarks that Tony has his award with Gibbs stating that Tony can keep it.
As she touches her hair, Jenny tells Gibbs that some things never change.
"Depends on your definition of change", Gibbs states.
"My definition?", Jenny says. "I expect you to be there the next time I'm handing you an award".
"DiNozzo didn't tell you?", Gibbs says. "I'm working a case".
"Along in my office?", Jenny wonders as she heads around to her desk.
Gibbs stands his ground, telling Jenny that it's high-profile and he thought she'd want to hear about it before it hit the news.
"I'm listening", Jenny says as she sits down at her desk.
Flipping over his notepad, Gibbs reveals that there's a dead celebrity at Quantico which has Jenny wondering who. Gibbs reveals that it's someone named Taylor Shane.
Jenny looks shocked before remarking, "The supermodel?".
Still glancing at his notepad, Gibbs reveals that Shane was found hanging from an OCS security fence this morning. Jenny wonders why Gibbs isn't there.
"I just got the call five minutes ago", Gibbs states.
"Oh and the award ceremony started thirty minutes ago", Jenny sarcastically announces, glancing at her watch.
Gibbs remarks that he likes to keep a head start on things and that he'll keep her informed.
Jenny stops him, telling Gibbs that the press are going to be all over this and that she'd appreciate it if he could go easy on them.
"Telling me how to do my job, Director?", Gibbs asks.
Jenny states that she isn't and that she's just reiterating Gibbs's previous point.
"Which was?", Gibbs demands, impatient.
"I know you", Jenny replies.
With that, Gibbs leaves while inside the office, Jenny picks at her hair.
A while later, the team have arrived at Quantico with Gibbs ordering them to break out the gear. As he heads off, Ziva wonders about Boot Camp Babes.
Tony tells her that it's reality TV at its finest and that it's three, rich babes learning what it's truly important in life.
"Defending their country?", Ziva asks.
"No, firing machine guns while wearing bikinis", Tony states.
Act Two
Act Three

Ziva and Gibbs after seeing footage that showed murder victim, Taylor Shane walking with Marine Staff Sergeant Michael McMannis.
Act Four
Trivia
- In this episode, Tony says that his father disowned him for some reason. In real life, Michael Weatherly's father did, in fact, disown him because he wanted to take up acting and his father was a rich trading company manager.
- This episode was filmed on November 15 which also happens to be the birthday of Sean Murray who plays Timothy McGee but it aired on December 15th.
- Ducky tells Gibbs that Noah Keller's left arm was broken in the fight with his killer but upon closer examination, it's shown that that it is clearly an x-ray of Keller's right arm instead of his left.
- The subtitles on the Region 2 DVD show that Tony says "Gibbs is going to go completely and utterly ape-" instead of "Gibbs is going to go completely and utterly ape". It's presumed that the word was sh**.
- The license plate on the Medical Examiner's van is the same license plate as on Ari's SUV in "Kill Ari, Part II." In both episodes, the plate number reads "742—TJA."
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 | The Mossad Liaison Officer to NCIS. |
Abigail Sciuto | Pauley Perrette | NCIS's Chief Forensic Scientist. |
Timothy McGee | Sean Murray (actor) | 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. |
Guy Ross | Kent Shocknek | A reporter. Previously appeared in the Season 1 episode One Shot, One Kill (episode). |
Cynthia Summer | Stephanie Mello | Jenny's secretary. |
Guest Cast
Name | Portrayed by | Role |
---|---|---|
Tom Crawley | John Pleshette | Taylor Shane's legal guardian and also the one responsible for killing her and her boyfriend, Noah Keller. |
Michael McMannis | Jeffrey Pierce | A Staff Sergeant and a liaison to the reality TV show "Bootcamp Babes." |
Hannah Bresling | Mini Andén | A model participating in "Bootcamp Babes." |
Natalie Vance | Judi Shekoni | Another model participating in "Bootcamp Babes." |
Cindy Sanchez | Wendy Braun | A reporter. |
AV Tech | Gomez Warren | A Tech overseeing the filming of "Bootcamp Babes". |