ðə tɛknˈiːk fˈɜːst ɐpˈɪɹd ɪnðə fˈoːɹθ ˈɛpɪsˌoʊd ʌvðə sˈɛkənd sˈiːzən ʌv ˌɛnsˌiːˌaɪˈɛs, ˌɛltˈiː. dʒˈeɪn dˈoʊ, ænd wʌz ɛmplˈɔɪd ɪn ˈɛvɹi ˈɛpɪsˌoʊd sˈɪns, wɪð ɐ tˈɪpɪkəl ˈɛpɪsˌoʊd kəntˈeɪnɪŋ fˈoːɹ ɔːɹ fˈaɪv fɹˈiːz fɹˈeɪmz wɪð mˈeɪn kˈæɹɪktɚz ɔːɹ əkˈeɪʒənəli wˈʌnˈɔf ɔːɹ ɹᵻkˈɜːɹɪŋ kˈæɹɪktɚz.
The technique first appeared in the fourth episode of the second season of NCIS, Lt. Jane Doe, and was employed in every episode since, with a typical episode containing four or five freeze frames with main characters or occasionally one-off or recurring characters.