10 Funniest NCIS Episodes, Ranked

When a casual television viewer thinks of an action-packed crime show like NCIS, 'funny' may not be one of the adjectives that come to mind immediately. For over 20 years, NCIS has dominated the network TV airwaves with military-based crime-solving. The cases can be anything from basic homicides involving military personnel to espionage and terrorism cases.

With topics like this, it would be easy to imagine a gritty show devoid of humor. However, that is not true of NCIS. NCIS has no shortage of wacky hijinks and has a cast of quirky characters. Even in episodes that skew toward serious topics, NCIS is able to insert some hilarious moments to create a perfect balance.

10 "Marine Down" is Funny But Holds Back

"Marine Down" is one of the first episodes of NCIS. The series was still finding its footing and shaping its identity. NCIS was still unafraid to be itself and inject some humor into the episode. The humor in "Marine Down" is purposeful and helps shape the character's identities and the team dynamics. One of the first team interactions takes place at a firing range, and team lead Special Agent Gibbs decides to tape Special Agent DiNozzo's hat and Special Agent Todd's PDA to the targets so they can practice avoiding hitting hostages. Unfortunately, both items perish in the crossfire.

A cool detail about this episode's humor is that it is more than just one-off moments. The incident at the shooting range creates a humorous thread that permeates the whole episode. Tony accidentally shoots the paper target hostage in the ear, and unfortunately, a similar incident occurs with a real hostage later in the episode. Despite the humor in "Marine Down" being funny, it's sparse compared to other episodes, and it's clear NCIS is playing it safe.

9 "Dead and Unburied" Draws Humor From its Case

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"Dead and Unburied" is quite an unusual episode. A murder victim is unburied from a shallow grave and placed in an unoccupied home, leaving the NCIS team with a baffling case. The investigation only grows more confusing when the victim is revealed to have two fiancés unaware of the other. This twist became a notable source of comedic moments for the episode. This culminates in the two women having a 'chick fight' in the NCIS bullpen.

DiNozzo is thrilled by this development and enlists McGee to film the fight. Gibbs breaks it up and continues to try to keep this bizarre investigation on track. This includes hilariously interrupting McGee showing the fight video to an eager Abby. Unfortunately for Gibbs, the case has no shortage of complicated twists and turns due to the victim's messy personal life. However, this provides no shortage of comedy for viewers. While the humor in "Dead and Unburied" may be a bit juvenile at times, it is still an enjoyable episode.

8 "Bounce" Shakes Things up For Viewers

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"Bounce" is the type of episode that throws seasoned NCIS viewers for a loop. In "Bounce" roles are reversed as NCIS 'Very Special' Agent Anthony DiNozzo takes the lead on the case and team leader NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs backs him up. Tony is normally the wisecracking yet effective team member who reports to the stone-faced and semi-mute Gibbs. Hilarity ensues with Gibbs on the same level as Agents Tim McGee and Ziva David.

Some of the highlights of "Bounce" include other non-team NCIS characters being truly baffled by the role reversal. Tony attempts to mimic some of Gibbs's funniest habits, such as appearing behind people when they're slacking off or talking about him and interjecting with a one-liner. However, he still gets one-upped by Gibbs like he normally does in these regards. What's even more amusing is how Gibbs takes on some of Tony's habits, including his quippy one-liners.

7 "Silver War" Centers its Humor Around Newcomer Ziva David

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"Silver War" is an episode that introduces one of NCIS' most notable comedic trends from the middle era of the series. "Silver War" reintroduces Mossad Officer Ziva David, this time as a main character. Ziva's transition from life as an Israeli spy to an American NCIS agent is rife with comedic moments primarily based on culture shock.

Ziva's character strikes the perfect balance between playful and deadly, making her comedic moments much more amusing. Seeing a highly trained spy misuse American words and phrases creates a lighthearted comedic bit that is used throughout her time in NCIS. Ziva's other adjustments to the United States also include her driving skills, which are more suited for high-speed chases and avoiding landmines than an American highway, much to the displeasure of her passengers.

6 "Smoked" is a Dark Episode but Still Funny

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"Smoked" has a brutal case for the NCIS team to solve, but still manages to be humorous. A mummified body is found in a chimney on Navy property and when the body is revealed to be a suspected serial killer, reoccurring character FBI Agent Tobias Fornell gets involved in the investigation. Gibbs and Fornell were once married to the same woman, so they have a snarky friendship that's a highlight of their crossover episodes.

One of the most notable aspects of "Smoked" is the topic of McGee's novel that has recently hit the shelves. Deep Six is based on the NCIS team, so McGee's characterizations of his friends and coworkers are causing some drama. For example, Tony and Ziva's novel characters are carnally attracted to each other and Assistant ME Jimmy Palmer is accused of being a necrophiliac. The humor of "Smoked" acts as a palate cleanser to prevent the gruesome nature of a serial killer episode from being too bleak for an average NCIS episode.

5 "Witch Hunt" is a Hilariously Bizarre Halloween Episode

"Witch Hunt" is an NCIS Halloween episode, and with it comes spooky hijinks and holiday-themed comedy to the episode. The kidnapping of a Marine daughter on Halloween forces the NCIS agents into high gear. Despite the stakes being high, that doesn't mean that "Witch Hunt" doesn't make use of the holiday setting for some hilarious moments. Even as the team rolls out to the crime scene, Ducky and Jimmy arrive in an egg-covered Medical Examiners van and reveal that Ducky has chased down and trapped the kid pranksters in the van for the whole ride. He even forces them to clean the van at the crime scene.

Halloween costumes play a big role in the episode, and both witnesses and characters can be found in costumes. From a zombie witness to Forensic Scientist Abby Sciuto shocking her coworkers as Marilyn Monroe, the costumes and their comedic consequences take the episode to the next level. One of the costume-based highlights of the episode is the meta-moment where the NCIS team raids a Halloween party and is mistaken for partygoers with mistakenly spelled CSI uniforms.

4 "Detour" Features an Unusual Comedy Double Act

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"Detour" takes Medical Examiner Donald 'Ducky' Mallard and his assistant Jimmy Palmer out of Autopsy and into grave danger. The medical examiners are hijacked and taken hostage with the body of a murder victim and forced to perform an autopsy under the watch of the victim's criminal buddies. Without their gun-toting friends and coworkers, Ducky and Jimmy must put their heads together to escape. This situation produces some hilarious moments.

The two medical examiners are a bit macabre due to their profession, so there are several gallows humor moments in "Detour" with Ducky and Jimmy at the forefront. This includes them flipping a fingerbone (instead of a coin) to see who drives the van and Ducky being honored by Jimmy's wish to operate on Ducky's brain once he passes away. When it comes to their conspiring to escape from their captors, Jimmy's inexperience with danger and Ducky's anxiety with the situation create a hilarious dynamic that pairs well with an intense dilemma.

3 "Devil's Triangle" Has a Fantastic Comedy Relationship Dynamic

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"Devils Triangle" brings together one of the best comedic trios in NCIS, which consists of NCIS Special Agent Gibbs, FBI Special Agent Tobias Fornell, and their ex-wife, IRS Agent Diane Sterling. Diane comes to her ex-husbands to ask for help tracking down her current husband who has gone missing. Anytime that Gibbs, Fornell, and Diane share the screen, it is an undeniably great comedic experience.

The bickering between Diane and her two ex-husbands during the investigation is hilarious, as they share strong personalities and great sarcasm skills. Gibbs team members are undeniably entertained by the dynamic between the unconventional trio, especially when Diane goes off on one of her signature rants. Diane Sterling makes a great addition to any episode and is one of the most popular recurring characters in NCIS.

2 "Devil's Trifecta" Sees Hilarious Characters Return

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Diane Sterling returns again to NCIS, but in "Devil's Trifecta" she returns as an IRS Agent for a three-way joint investigation alongside the FBI and NCIS. With Gibbs and Fornell representing their respective agencies, hilarity is ensured for "Devil's Trifecta". The episode begins with Fornell surviving a shooting and killing his attacker, who turns out to be a Navy sailor. The cause for the attempt on Fornell's life turns out to be due to Diane masquerading as 'Agent Fornell' while investigating an IRS fraud case. As a result, they must investigate the case together.

No punches in "Devil's Trifecta" when it comes to banter and one-liners. One of the episode's most hilarious moments sees Dianne sharing a rare vulnerability with McGee, and they fall asleep talking on his couch. When Gibbs and Fornell arrive in the morning and see McGee and Diane asleep in a suggestive position, all hell breaks loose. For the rest of the episode, Fornell is incensed at McGee and rumors are swirling around the NCIS office about Diane and McGee.

1 "What Lies Above" is the Funniest NCIS Episode

"What Lies Above" is arguably the most boldly comedic episode of NCIS. The episode begins with McGee's apartment being burglarized and him killing one of the intruders while the other escapes with his fianceè Delilah's external hard drive. Her role as a Department of Defense employee means that recovering the hard drive is a priority. However, a new motive for the burglary soon became apparent that has ties to a prior crime that occurred in the apartment.

The comedic moments in "What Lies Above" are sourced from McGee not telling Delilah about a triple homicide that had occurred in the apartment years prior. The NCIS team all have varying opinions on whether should or shouldn't tell Delilah about this grisly fact. The issue grows more severe when the mummified body of a famous criminal is discovered under the floorboards of McGee and Delilah's bed. A horrified McGee is stunned by this discovery and the sheer hilarity of this shocking NCIS plot twist is one of the funniest decisions the NCIS writer's room has ever made.