If it was a joke in canon, the only way they could've kept their jobs after breaching protocol, the episode did a terrible job of showing it. They should've had them make comments that they'd only be able to make if they were listening but they left it at not listening for hours. Ziva pushing Tony out of the way doesn't make up for that - and people are forgetting about Rivkin and the fact that Dinozzo spearheaded Ziva's rescue from Somalia.

The writers screwed the pooch with their lack of follow-up on that very critical breach of protocol.

Just found this story. Athenalarissa thank you for your comment about people forgetting Ziva running, and pushing Tony down to save him. Too much has been made of turning down the mikes in this episode. They all did things to each other.

Good.

Well done.

They only turn in down so there no proof they did anything and if they did get fired and want to be mean they have enough to put both Gibs and tony in jail

It should've happen like this. That's all I'm gonna say, beside that I love your story!

Thank you for sharing this. I always felt that this major breach should have been addressed on the show and was seriously upset about it. Good job.

If only this is what had really happened on the show...but no, not to be. Thanks for your take on the suitable conclusion for the episode.

Great story! I loved it.

I think that was one of the better dead air stories I've read. I would've loved to have seen it expanded with the consequences of what happened. Especially Tim and his thinking he could get a job in the private sector and Ziva and what would happen with her dad.

Excellent take on this episode! The writer or writer of this particular episode should have been shot, it was such a horrible breach of protocol and completely out of character for McGee, who certainly knew better. Great story!

Liked how Abby caught those two out and Gibbs got rid of them.

And this is how the whole thing should have been handled. Loved it.

On the all dead air stories the memory is selective forgetting how Ziva jumped and pushed Tony when the bomb exploded