Detour (NCIS)

[1] Ducky and Palmer are called out to investigate the mysterious suicide of a Navy Lieutenant, but are kidnapped on the way back to NCIS headquarters.

Executive producer Gary Glasberg asked Binder to "think of an episode about what happens when [Ducky and Palmer] leave the crime scene with the body and all the little details of what happens in their van.

"[2] According to Binder, "The core of this episode came from a simple question: what happens on a typical day when Ducky and Jimmy Palmer drive off from a crime scene?".

The tour back to the NCIS base has never been shown before, but "this time we do – though the drive home isn’t exactly typical", Binder continues.

[4] Douglas Wolfe from TV Fanatic gave the episode 4.0/5 and stated that "This week's Ducky and Palmer Show was a welcome change from the usual NCIS storyline.