It never hurts to approach a holiday from a different angle.

Cupid appeared to be murdering sailors on NCIS Season 17 Episode 15.

Of course, that wasn't the case, but the truth was even stranger.

It even involved Phil Brooks, Gibbs' only non-work friend, last seen causing chaos for Gibbs and Fornell on NCIS Season 16 Episode 4. 

Don Lake, who plays Phil, made his mark as part of Christopher Guest's ensemble in such satirical works as Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and A Mighty Wind.

That's why it's enjoyable to have him providing some offbeat humor occasionally on NCIS.

Gibbs needs to laugh like everyone else, and Phil certainly fills that role for him, without ever meaning to. 

This time out, Phil had found love again, through a dating app.

The only problem was that the woman he was dating, a JAG lawyer, was connected to three dead men, two of whom she met through the app and the third her late husband.

It was a stretch to have Phil paired up with Stacy, played by Daphne Zuniga, of Melrose Place fame (the good one, not the reboot).

But opposites attract, I guess. Stacy seemed to enjoy being worshipped by Phil, up until Gibbs and company started putting ideas in his head.

Like her maybe being a black widow.

Sure, suspicious deaths appeared to follow Stacy around. And yes, apparently she was pretty good with a bow and arrow.

Gibbs should have stuck to his guns and just had Phil stay away from Stacy while they investigated her.

But they needed a hair sample to compare to the hair which Kasie had found on one of the arrows. Which meant sending Phil in undercover on a date with Stacy.

It was a hoot as Stacy's disparaging remarks about Gibbs were broadcast on the open mike that Phil was carrying and McGee and Gibbs struggled to keep straight faces.

You just knew things were going to end badly because Phil was an accident waiting to happen. How could he possibly explain digging through Stacy's purse and pulling out her brush?

Naturally, she was innocent, and Phil had ruined their relationship for absolutely no reason.

With Stacy no longer a suspect, they needed another connection between the two men shot through the heart,

Kasie's discovering meth in both their systems ended up being a red herring, as their "dealer" was only pushing a useless virility supplement. So the men were poisoning themselves for nothing.

Was it more than a little convenient that a remorseful Phil went over to beg for Stacy's forgiveness only to stumble into an abduction by a stalker of whom she was unaware? And that he was on the phone with Gibbs when that happened?

Of course, it was. But it was the only way to get Phil and Stacy back together. And they made a great team while stalling Tom with accounting bullshit until NCIS could get into position to rescue them.

Still, I'd be shocked if they're still an item the next time Phil comes to visit.

But for now, they were in better shape than any of the couples within the squad.

It was to be expected that Torres and his heightened sense of self-importance would come back before he was fully healed. Comparing himself to Wolverine proved that.

So Ellie had to keep her partner/secret crush from doing something stupid and getting himself further hurt or even killed.

Happy Valentine's Day.

It must have killed Nick that a health-food salesman got away from him in a pursuit. It was a good thing that Bishop had him covered.

At least by the rescue mission, Torres was able to admit that he came back too soon and went home to rest rather than handicap the team.

It would have been the perfect day for Bishop and Torres to come out as a couple, confirming what every one of their teammates already suspected.

But no. The will-they-or-won't-they drags on instead.

The Gibbs-and-Jack storyline was even lamer.

Jack got chocolates and flowers with no card. So she had a secret admirer (insert squeal here).

Everyone assumed it was from Gibbs because everyone is convinced that she and Gibbs "have a thing," in Torres' words. Just like everyone is convinced you and Ellie have a thing, Nick.

Only Gibbs isn't a flowers-and-chocolates kind of guy. He would pick up a quirky piece of artwork instead.

As a result, she looked silly when she thanked Gibbs for the gift about which he knew nothing.

It was heartening to see that Kasie could take time out of the search for a double murderer to help Jack with her admirer mystery.

The solution to the mystery was weak, with an incompetent delivery person mixing up the orders for Jack Sloane and Sloane Jackston, who just happen to work in the same building.

But at least Jack's gift was from her biological daughter Faith. So there's hope there.

What was worthwhile was the serious talk between Gibbs and Phil about dealing with loneliness. At least we know Gibbs hasn't given up.

He even debated using the dating app on the new phone that Phil got for him. But throwing that into the fire was much more Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

To check out Gibbs' past relationships, watch NCIS online.

Did you enjoy Phil's visit?

Did Torres learn his lesson?

When did McGee turn into a married old man?

Comment below.

Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.