Spoilers ahead of NCIS: Origins episode 8
"Sick as Our Secrets" was an eye opening episode of NCIS: Origins as we got a closer look at Bernard "Randy" Randolf's home life and personal struggles. The case of the week, centered on the murder of a priest in a Catholic church, highlighted Caleb Foote's acting abilities as he played Randy slowly beginning to snap under the weight of the immense guilt he's been carrying.
The episode began in the early morning with Randy in his infant son's room. The young father has spoken often about his family and the time he and his wife have been having with their colicky child. However, there was a tension in the scene that set the tone of the storytelling for the rest of the episode. Piece by piece the dots were beginning to connect from Randy's reaction to Father Bobby's guilt over potentially being the reason for Father Larkin's murder because Larkin took his confessional time for him to the flashback of Randy being the one to clean the van Shannon and Kelly were killed in before Gibbs saw it.
The rising anxiety apparent in Randy, combined with an incredible action sequence where he went a bit too far with a thief, culminated in a hotel room confession to Father Bobby that anyone could have predicted if they followed the breadcrumbs the writing was leaving behind.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that Randy was supposed to be the one guarding Kelly and Shannon the night they died so he has survivor's guilt. #NCISOrigins
— Americans Undercover (@AmUndercover2) December 3, 2024
Randy had been the agent assigned to Shannon and Kelly's protection detail. He, however, called his supervisor because he and his wife had been up for days trying to care for their son who'd been suffering from colic. They truly thought something more might be wrong with him and, under the circumstances which included a severe lack of sleep, Randy didn't believe that he was fit to be protecting anyone. Mitchell was assigned to the detail in his stead.
Ever since the murders, Randy has had a hard time looking at his child because it makes him think of the son Mitchell left behind. Father Bobby pointed out that if Randy had gone on to his assignment that it could have been his child without his dad but it's still a difficult truth for Randy to swallow. He has no idea how things might have turned out had he not called his supervisor but he does know Mitchell would be alive and that's what's been eating at him.
"Sick as Our Secrets" didn't include a scene of Randy telling Gibbs what he's been withholding from him but it may come out now that he's been able to speak about it with Father Bobby. As for what Gibbs' reaction might be like, it's hard to see him blowing up at Randy for choosing to be with his son, a decision that he would have made if it was his daughter. But if this secret is confessed again, it may depend on when Gibbs is told, by whom, and why.
Stay tuned to Americans Undercover for NCIS franchise coverage. New episodes of NCIS: Origins air Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS. Next day streaming is available on Paramount+. Follow us on X for livetweet threads and more content!