So It Goes is the third episode of NCIS Season 12 and the 261st episode of the entire NCIS series.
Synopsis
When a man is killed, the NCIS team soon uncover a potential connection to Ducky's estranged childhood best friend. Ducky and Bishop travel to the UK to interview the victim's family and co-workers as Ducky finds himself reflecting on the choices he made in the past and how they've affected his life while back in D.C., Gibbs, Tony and McGee continue investigating the murder.
Prologue
Act One
Act Two
Act Three
Abby after she, McGee and Gibbs have discovered a potential victim on the list who's still alive.
Act Four
Act Five
Major Events
Trivia
- The song "Time of the Season" is a song by The Zombies, featured on their 1968 album, and based on the hair styles, indicates that the flashback can be/was in 1968.
- One of young Ducky's speeches is filled with several amusing ironies, such as him stating he finds bow ties unfashionable, getting annoyed by vendor who telling story and that he hates working with dead bodies (up to this point, he has only ever been known as an M.E. who seems to love his job and wears a trademark bow tie). One of the more obscure ironies is when Maggie suggests he starts wearing a bow tie because he shouldn't go around looking like Doctor Who. During presumably 1968, when the flashback is set, the Doctor Who at the time was the second Doctor, portrayed by Patrick Troughton, who frequently wore bow ties in the role. Also, during the Matt Smith era, bow ties became the most distinctive feature of The Doctor's style and in fact, "Bow ties are cool!" was one of his catchphrases.
- Bishop is sent to England, when only two episodes before in the episode “Twenty Klicks” but in this episode Gibbs says that only Senior Field agents had clearance to go abroad.
- McGee is chided by both Gibbs and Tony for acting like an "overprotective big brother" toward Abby. In real life, Pauley Perrette (Abby) was born in March 1969, more than eight and a half years before Sean Murray (McGee), who was born in November 1977.
Cast
Series Regulars
| Name | Portrayed by | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Leroy Jethro Gibbs | Mark Harmon | Special Agent in charge of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Anthony DiNozzo | Michael Weatherly | Senior Special Agent and second-in-command of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Timothy McGee | Sean Murray (actor) | Special Agent of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Abigail Sciuto | Pauley Perrette | Chief Forensic Specialist for the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| James Palmer | Brian Dietzen | Assistant Medical Examiner for the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Eleanor Bishop | Emily Wickersham | NCIS Probationary Agent. |
| Leon Vance | Rocky Carroll | Director of NCIS. Despite being credited, Carroll does not appear in this episode. |
| Donald Mallard | David McCallum | Chief Medical Examiner for the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
Guest Cast
| Name | Portrayed by | Role | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maggie Clarke | Alice Krige | ||
| Young Donald Mallard | Adam Campbell | ||
| Young Angus Clarke | Adam Croasdell | ||
| Young Maggie Clarke | Gareth Godfrey | Matt Burns | |
| Peter Velo | Alastair Duncan | ||
| Eddie Kowolski | Glenn Taranto | A man who appears in the episode. | |
| Zachary Bucket | Cleo Anthony | Navy Commander. | |
| Refet Ramadani | Nicholas Massouh | Navy Chief Petty Officer. | |
| Samuel Colpepper | Peter Elbling | The murder victim. | |
| Vendor | Simon James | ||
| Young Woman (So It Goes) | Dustin Quick | ||
| Friend 1 | Megan Aimes (as Megan Salmans) | Young Ducky's Friend | |
| Friend 2 | Garrett William Henson | Young Ducky's Friend. Uncredited role. | |
| Burt Moore | Johann Urb | U.S. Park Police Sergeant. Archive footage. Uncredited role. |