For instance, "Dead Man Walking" shows the multidimensional nature of Ziva David (Cote de Pablo), and "Truth or Consequences" sees Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) at his best. Whether the team lead was Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) or Alden Parker (Gary Cole) in the last few years, NCIS fostered an environment where its characters could demonstrate their strengths. This has allowed the show to produce some truly stellar storylines, culminating in some memorable NCIS moments.

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1 "Bête Noire"

Season 1, Episode 16

Being the show's first season, there are plenty of noteworthy episodes to choose from. That said, "Bête Noire" is one of the most memorable to watch. This episode stands out among the others because it contains a shocking twist for the team that puts some of its most crucial in danger.

The episode sets up the plot arc that will continue to play out for seasons to come involving Ari Haswari, a Mossad double agent. The episode introduces NCIS antagonist Ari: the half-brother of Ziva David. "Bête Noire" was one of the first NCIS episodes to establish a plot arc that would develop over multiple episodes in following seasons.

2 "Call Of Silence"

Season 2, Episode 7

"Call of Silence" is considered one of the best episodes in the entire NCIS series. It's a memorable episode because it features an emotional World War II storyline. The episode demonstrates the true abilities of Gibbs and his team when the MCRT comes into with a WWII veteran and Medal of Honor recipient who confesses to the murder of his friend 60 years ago.

Gibbs helps to clear his name (and his conscience) when he takes him back to that day and helps him what happened. The veteran is able to recall that he was just protecting the rest of his group, and it's a moment that shows how pure of heart Gibbs can be. The episode featured the decorated World War II veteran and actor Charles Durning, who received three Purple Hearts.

3 "Kill Ari Part II"

Season 3, Episode 2

"Kill Ari Part II" is another episode of major significance to the franchise. It sees the resolution of the shocking death of Kate Todd (Sasha Alexander) and the introduction of Ziva David. Kate was killed by Mossad agent Ari Haswari when he shot her in the head at the end of season 2.

In "Kill Ari Part II," Ziva kills Ari Haswari - after she realizes he has betrayed Mossad - to protect Gibbs. The episode lays the foundation of Ziva's character and establishes that the team can trust her. It resolves an arc for Kate Todd when Ziva avenges her death, and ultimately it leads to Ziva replacing Kate on the team.

4 "Dead Man Walking"

Season 4, Episode 16

"Dead Man Walking" is one of the saddest episodes of NCIS. The team investigates a murder with a big twist: their victim is still alive. A Navy lieutenant knows that someone has exposed him to radiation poisoning, and Gibbs' team assists. The team witnesses the man's health fade as the episode progresses.

It's a beautiful episode for Ziva David's character, who recognizes the man from her running route as the runner who wears an orange beanie. It's an affecting episode that shows Ziva's tenderness despite her deadly Mossad skills. The episode takes an emotional turn when the poison is confirmed to be lethal.

5 "Requiem"

Season 5, Episode 7

"Requiem" is the most powerful episode in season 5, and it's one of the essential Gibbs episodes to watch before NCIS: Origins. The episode explores Gibbs' backstory when a friend of his late daughter comes to NCIS Headquarters looking for his help. The episode sees Gibbs in harrowing physical and emotional circumstances.

At one point, the pair is being chased and Gibbs reverses the car he's driving into a body of water to avoid gunfire. The car quickly begins to sink and, for a moment, it looks like they won't make it. But thanks to an epic scene where Tony DiNozzo breaks Gibbs and his daughter's friend out of the car, and then performs R, they both come around.

6 "Heartland"

Season 6, Episode 4

This episode is filled with glimmers of the young Jethro Gibbs. In "Heartland," Gibbs returns to his hometown of Stillwater, Pennsylvania. The team is investigating an attack on two Marines and one of them happens to be from Gibb's heartland.

The episode sees Gibbs reunite with his estranged father, Jackson Gibbs (Ralph Waite). Confronting his hometown causes Gibbs to experience flashbacks from his past that reveal key moments of his development, like meeting his future wife, Shannon. The flashbacks in "Heartland" - along with other key moments from Gibbs' past that were briefly exposed on the flagship - will certainly set up the NCIS: Origins story.

7 "Truth Or Consequences"

Season 7, Episode 1

The season 7 opener "Truth or Consequences" is another one of the most popular episodes of the entire series. Tony and McGee (Sean Murray) are taken captive after tracing Ziva to Somalia. It's a shocking opener to the season because while viewers were expecting to see Ziva being tortured, it was Tony when the season opened.

Due to dire circumstances that push the characters to their limits, it's a pivotal episode for Tony's character. While under a truth serum, Tony reveals that he can't live without Ziva, making it an essential Tony & Ziva episode to watch before the Tony & Ziva spinoff. It also flexes Gibb's Marine sniper skills when he shoots the captor who's holding Tony, McGee, and Ziva captive in the head, freeing his team with his Marine skills.

8 "Baltimore"

Season 8, Episode 22

In "Baltimore," Tony revisits his days in the Baltimore Police Department's homicide squad when his former partner is murdered. Tony takes a trip down memory lane, ing the events that led him to become an NCIS agent. The episode witnesses flashbacks that detail the agent's past.

"Baltimore" was a favorite for season 8 because it recalled Tony's early days, including his first encounter with Gibbs. The episode lays out why Tony had to stop working with the Baltimore PD, and it reveals how Gibbs recruited Tony to the MCRT. It's an essential episode for the development of Tony's character, and the full picture of how Gibbs' core team was formed.

9 "Till Death Do Us Part"

Season 9, Episode 24

As the season finale to the show's ninth season, "Till Death Do Us Part" is a major episode that shakes up all of NCIS when NCIS Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) goes missing. The team is able to locate Vance, but back at NCIS, they discover the real danger. There is a bomb in Vance's car that's meant to blow up NCIS and the Navy Yard.

In this episode, Gibbs and his entire team are at risk, making it a climax for the season. In the episode's emotional conclusion, Dr. Mallard (David McCallum) is called to autopsy the bodies, but the shock of the loss causes him to suffer a heart attack. Ducky's collapse on the beach signaled that no NCIS character was safe heading into season 10.

10 "Shabbat Shalom"

Season 10, Episode 11

"Shabbat Shalom" is a pivotal episode for Ziva David and NCIS Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll). It witnesses the loss of major familial NCIS characters Eli David (Michael Nouri) and Jacqueline "Jackie" Renée Vance (née Thomas). The episode continues a trend that sees characters in major NCIS roles lose their significant others.

In an emotional moment for her character, Ziva finds her father has been killed. It marks the beginning of a revenge arc for her character that plays out through season 10. It's a traumatizing episode for key of the team as they experience the loss that can come with the job. It's a must-watch episode for the franchise that develops major characters, albeit heartbreaking.