NCIS New Orleans: 10 Best Episodes According To IMDb

The original NCIS series has remained one of the most-watched series on television since it debuted. It’s launched two successful spinoffs and attempted more. All of the series are built around a case of the week format that sees investigators solve crimes related to the military – however small those connections may be.

The second spinoff NCIS New Orleans brings a unique flavor to the franchise. It focuses more on the team as a family and their own connection to the culture of the city. Many of its best episodes aren’t the best because of the cases, but because of the stories provided for the characters spotlighted within. According to IMDb (on a scale of one to ten), these ten episodes are currently the best of the series. With the series currently airing its sixth season, the ratings could still change.

10 No Man’s Land S2E15 (8.2)

Leading off the top ten is one from season two that was heavier on mystery than most. The hour felt a little bit like a Bourne movie but ended on a sweeter note.

When a man saved another during a hostage situation on a train, the team discovered the hero was a military veteran who was supposedly killed overseas. As it turned out, the man had been severely injured, but saved by a woman he met. They fell in love and started a family, but the dangers of his previous life followed him. He continued using his unique skills. It was a more cinematic storyline than most episodes of the series have, which is probably why it’s so loved by fans.

9 Billy And The Kid S2E10 (8.2)

This particular episode was less about the case of the week and more about the relationship between Lasalle and Pride. The actual case of the week provided flashbacks to the very first time the two worked a case together.

Pride met Lasalle while Lasalle still worked for the local police. They met as a result of a man’s death during Hurricane Katrina. Lasalle was a very different person then, focused on the case at hand and his own self-interest. The influence of Pride changed him over the course of a single case. That led to him getting his job with NCIS. “Billy And The Kid” showcased his character development and gave great insight into how Pride worked with agents in the past.

8 How Much Pain Can You Take S1E22 (8.2)

This is the only episode from the first season to make the list. It doubles as an episode about a fan-favorite villain and one that delves into the mind of Lasalle. Picking up immediately after the events of the previous episode, Pride’s nemesis Baitfish targeted Lasalle’s girlfriend Savannah.

Unfortunately for Lasalle, Baitfish murdered Savannah. While he’s not supposed to work the investigation, he couldn’t help himself, wanting revenge for her. The hour leads to an arc of self-discovery for Lasalle as he worked through his grief over the next season of the show.

7 Desperate Navy Wives S5E12 (8.3)

Episodes centered on Gregorio are always a good time, and this one certainly combined elements of the show’s usual mystery-drama with a bit of levity. Gregorio, as the only woman available in the episode, went undercover as a new Navy wife.

When the show lost Percy in season four, it meant they lost their best undercover operative. As a profiler, Gregorio was the next best thing. The hour allowed the writers to explore the friendship between Gregorio and Sebastian, with the latter as the voice in the former’s ear. It also meant the writers got to showcase more of her profiling skills, leading to a win-win.

6 Bad Apple S6E03 (8.3)

It’s a rare episode of NCIS New Orleans that leaves its titular city. To be fair, it was only Pride that left the city, and he did it to visit his daughter and look into an old case.

The case that occupied much of the episode was actually the first he worked with medical examiner Loretta Wade – not an NCIS case. It gave the audience the chance to see what Pride was like long before he became the leader he is. As a bonus, it also gave them a chance to catch up with longtime recurring characters Laurel Pride.

5 The Third Man S2E23 (8.3)

As season two neared its end, the conspiracy aspect of the series was kicked into high gear. This episode began a team up with Homeland Security that would eventually change the dynamic of the series. 

The death of a Navy master diver was very nearly pinned on his friend on board the boat. Pride was the only one to see through the man’s PTSD to discover that he wasn’t hallucinating when he recounted me in diving gear ambushing them. That man would later recur as a bartender at Pride’s new business venture, but it was the reveal that the episode’s case was tied to a larger plot to harm the city that kicked off a longer arc.

4 Convicted S6E09 (8.4)

The first of the highest-rated of the series is this season six episode. Most of the episodes ranked so high hail from recent seasons. This one revolved around fan-favorite Chris Lasalle – even though he left the series three episodes prior.

The team discovered the man responsible for the death of Lasalle would likely never be convicted because of one very convincing witness. A push to get justice for Lasalle resulted in an investigation into the drug dealer that killed him – who also turned out to be the leader of a cult. It was an episode meant to provide closure for fans, but it also provided an interesting twist.

3 Boom-Boom-Boom-Boom S6E07 (8.4)

This episode had the questionable luck of being the one to follow Lasalle’s death. Clearly, the writers did a good job of handling the fallout from the loss of Lasalle or fans and critics wouldn’t have ranked it so highly.

The episode provided a relatively standard case of the week for the series (but with a massive explosion), an effort to get the storyline back to normal after a loss. While working the case, however, each character was given the chance to process Lasalle’s death. Pride and Loretta, in particular, were spotlighted with their connection going back the longest. It might not have completely satisfied fans angry at the character’s loss, but it certainly went a long way to provide a balm on the wound.

2 Crab Mentality S5E15 (8.4)

The NCIS franchise is known for its case of the week format, but this particular episode did a great job of combining that with a longer arc. Most of the episode’s focus landed on Hannah Khoury.

When Pride received a promotion at the beginning of season five, Hannah became the agent in charge of his team. It took nearly a dozen episodes before the show really delved into her backstory, but this one provided a lot more depth to the character. The episode saw her blackmailed for her role in a previous operation as the team struggled to track down a suspect. “Crab Mentality” showed fans that the writers were able to find a balance between including her and still allowing Pride to maintain his dynamic with the team.

1 Sleeping With The Enemy S2E24 (8.4)

Though this episode has the same rating as the previous three entries, it also has the most ratings of the four, making it officially the top-ranked episode of the series. The season two finale picked up where “The Third Man” left off, creating several changes to the series.

Meredith Brody appeared for the last time, putting herself undercover to take down the member of Homeland Security she was dating, who also turned out to be the bad guy they were looking for. Her actions placed NCIS under investigation in season three and led to her character leaving the series for good.

Likewise, the episode addressed the tension between Sonya Percy and Chris Lasalle, seeing each of them admit they had feelings for one another, but refusing to act on it for the good of the team. As a result, their working relationship would provide a tense through-line for season three as well. 

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