Posted by Josh Lipovetsky in Welcome back to FilmInsight!
In the show NCIS, Dr. Mallard, aka Ducky, is the Medical Examiner. He is employed in the business of death, but in communicating with Ducky, you would never be able to tell. Dr. Mallard has a natural humor that he brings to his work, that cheers up all of his fellow teammates. He is also licensed in psychological analysis, another one of his specialties. Ducky is very serious about his work, and he is rarely one to make mistakes. In the rare case that he does, he is not afraid to admit it. One of his signature trademarks, is his knowledge of many past events. He is able to relate any death/situation, to another one with historical context. Many times, Dr. Mallard gets carried away in his own world, and needs to be brought back to earth to focus on the matter at hand. Despite all of the sidetracking, Dr. Mallard is one of the best ME’s out there, and he knows it.
Ducky is a very likable character on the show, through his vast knowledge of historical situations, to the way he speaks, you are sure to enjoy whatever Ducky is talking about. He is very compassionate to his ‘patients’, and he even communicates with dead bodies. When asked about this, Dr. Mallard said something along the lines of: “The bodies tell me a whole lot about the case, and I want to let them know that they are helping in solving the mystery of their own death”. Although he may have a lonely job, he never truly feels like he is alone.
Another excellent trait that Ducky has, is loyalty. As all NCIS members do, Ducky would put his life out on the line if his team needed him. He once went undercover as an agent to get more information on a case, even though that wasn’t his job! In communicating with other members of his team, Ducky is a very patient person; with himself, and with others. This isn’t the best trait to have when dealing with an inpatient man like Leroy Jethro Gibbs, but Ducky finds a way.’
Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard is a very interesting character, committed to his job, and he knows how to lighten the mood while working. His compassion, patience, and wisdom are his strengths. His weakness is the tendency to get caught up in his own world, and annoy his coworkers in the process. A heck of a character, I must say!
Now that we know who he is, let’s answer a basic questionnaire about what Ducky would do in certain situations:
Q1. Your best friend has just lost a loved one, how do you handle it?
A. Since Ducky is more in-tune with the emotions of others, he is a strong-compassionate type of person. Ducky would most likely comfort his friend verbally, giving him/her stories about life, and of past losses that he has suffered. He is very strong, like Gibbs, and would be a shoulder to cry on.
Q2. You just won $1,000,000 from a lottery ticket that you bought. How do you react?
A. Ducky is not particularly fond of money, he rarely talks about money, and he knows there are many things that are more important than money. If he won, he would probably treat himself with a part of the sum (he is a connoisseur of certain items, like golf clubs). The rest of the money would probably go to a charity, to the other team members, and to his family.
Q3. Your best friend has just achieved his or her dream goal. How do you show your support?
A. Ducky is a very calm person, so he wouldn’t jump and flail his arms around like a maniac. His best quality in terms of support, is just the ability to be there. He could show up for a friends celebration, and his presence would be felt. He wouldn’t need to do anything special, like buy some expensive gift that wouldn’t have much value anyway.
Q4. On your deathbed, how well did you live your life? Is there anything you would have done differently, given a second chance?
A. No, Ducky is one of the rare few, who live life like every day is their last. He has taken risks in life, and they have paid off in landing the perfect job for him. He attended conferences that interest him, loved his family, and appreciated the little things in life. Ducky lived the life that he always wanted.
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