NCIS: Season 3
Season three of NCIS, comprising twenty‑four episodes, continues the series’ overarching saga of a naval criminal investigative team confronting a broad spectrum of high‑stakes cases. The season maintains the show’s blend of crime, drama, and action‑adventure as the agents tackle incidents ranging from murder investigations and espionage operations to acts of terrorism and the theft of submarines. Under the direction
Season 3 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- NCIS follows a team of special agents led by experienced investigators Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Alden.
- The principal cast includes Sean Murray, David McCallum, Mark Harmon, and Brian Dietzen.
- Created by Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill, the series blends crime, drama, and action‑adventure.
- The show’s cases span murder, espionage, terrorism, and stolen submarines, establishing high‑stakes stakes for the team.
Season overview
Season three of NCIS, comprising twenty‑four episodes, continues the series’ overarching saga of a naval criminal investigative team confronting a broad spectrum of high‑stakes cases. The season maintains the show’s blend of crime, drama, and action‑adventure as the agents tackle incidents ranging from murder investigations and espionage operations to acts of terrorism and the theft of submarines. Under the direction of seasoned investigators Leroy Jethro Gibbs and his partner Alden, the core team—portrayed by Sean Murray, David McCallum, Mark Harmon, and Brian Dietzen—pursues each complex case while navigating the procedural challenges of naval jurisdiction. Created by Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill, the series remains a TV‑14 program that emphasizes both the personal dynamics of its investigators and the broader national security implications of their work. Throughout the season, the agents’ investigative expertise is tested repeatedly, reinforcing the series’ reputation for combining meticulous forensic work with dramatic storytelling set against a military backdrop.
Episode Guide
Season 3 Progress Shield
Kill Ari (1)
Sep 20, 2005
After the terrorist's attack, the NCIS team are shocked and are trying to cope with Kate's sudden death, each in their own way. Now, their mission is to collect all the possible in
Kill Ari (2)
Sep 27, 2005
Still stressed over Kate's death, Gibbs is even more hurt when Ari kidnaps Ducky and decides to play with his mind. Gibbs sends Tony to follow Ziva, and after Jenny and Gibbs are a
Mind Games
Oct 4, 2005
Gibbs is ordered to talk to a convict that is about to be executed, in order to discover information about the place where he hid his victims, but when the plan doesn't work, the t
Silver War
Oct 11, 2005
When a corpse of a man is found inside a tomb that comes from the Civil War, the team discover that the victim, a Sergeant, was buried alive. During the investigation, Abby tracks
Switch
Oct 18, 2005
When an officer is shot to death on the freeway, the NCIS team take on the investigation. The first lead, a fact that the victim was leading a double life, take them to a possible
The Voyeur's Web
Oct 25, 2005
The NCIS team take up a strange case - a Marine's wife was murdered live on the Internet. The investigation reveals that two housewives were running a live Internet sex site and no
Honor Code
Nov 1, 2005
When a six-year-old boy informs the NCIS team that his father was kidnapped, the team discover that the missing father is actually a Lt. Commander working on a secret project named
Under Covers
Nov 8, 2005
When bodies of two hired assassins are delivered to the NCIS team, Ziva and Tony go undercover assuming the victim's identities in order to find the person who hired the assassins
Frame-Up
Nov 22, 2005
Tony is accused of murdering a woman whose body was found at Quantico and the team must prove his innocence.
Probie
Nov 29, 2005
While on duty, McGee kills a man who is later discovered to be an undercover police officer. When Jen decides to approve the investigation on McGee, the NCIS team are forced to pro
Model Behavior
Dec 13, 2005
A supermodel dies while filming a reality show on a Marine base, and the NCIS team must discover who is the model's murderer. They discover a love triangle between the model and th
Boxed In
Jan 10, 2006
While looking for smuggled weapons at a shipyard, Tony and Ziva disappear and it's up to NCIS to find them. Abby tries to find them by tracking down their GPS chips, but they seem
Deception
Jan 17, 2006
When a Lt. Commander in charge of a shipment of fuel rods for nuclear power stations disappears, the NCIS team are called in. The team must solve the case in time, before the perso
Light Sleeper
Jan 24, 2006
The NCIS team investigate the murder of two Marine wives, and must find the murderers before they attack their next target, another woman.
Head Case
Feb 7, 2006
While discovering an illegal automotive chop shop, the NCIS team stumble upon a severed head of a Marine, hidden in one of the cars from the shop. When they find possible suspects,
Family Secret
Feb 28, 2006
When an ambulance explodes while carrying the remains of a Marine's body that was killed in a car crash, the NCIS team are called in to investigate what actually happened. The inve
Ravenous
Mar 7, 2006
When Marine dog tags are found in a national forest by a group of teens, the NCIS team are called in to investigate. While searching for the campsite of the Marine, the team find o
Bait
Mar 14, 2006
The NCIS team must stop a teenage student from detonating a bomb attached to his body, while he's taking the other students hostage at a Quantico base high school. Gibbs tries to s
Iced
Apr 4, 2006
Gibbs and the team are called in when a couple of kids stumble upon the body of a missing Marine in a frozen lake. As the NCIS team search the frozen lake bed for clues, they come
Untouchable
Apr 18, 2006
When a Pentagon cryptographer is found dead, the NCIS team have to discover whether she was or wasn't a Pentagon mole, and if she committed suicide. As the investigation continues,
Bloodbath
Apr 25, 2006
While working on a regular murder case with the rest of the NCIS team, Abby is almost killed by evidence from the case. Soon it becomes clear that the murder was staged, and that s
Jeopardy
May 2, 2006
The NCIS team must protect Ziva when a suspect dies in custody, and her tactic might be the reason why the person died. Things become much more dangerous when the suspect's brother
Hiatus (1)
May 9, 2006
While working on an assignment, Gibbs is seriously injured in an explosion, and taken to a hospital, where he recalls his painful past, which he has always hidden from others. The
Hiatus (2)
May 16, 2006
The NCIS team must work on an assignment against a terrorist group without Gibbs, who is still recovering from the explosion. Gibbs has to fight with memory loss, while he's visite