NCIS‘ seventh season premiered Tuesday and the series debut of NCIS: Los Angeles followed. It was, beyond a shadow of the doubt, the greatest two hours of television in the history of humanity.
In NCIS, Gibbs, DiNozzo, and McGee (Sean Murray) travel to Africa to rescue Ziva (Cote de Pablo) from the clutches of terrorists. It was a Dinozzo centered episode and it give plenty of airtime to television’s most underrated actor, Michael Weatherly.
The relationship between Dinozzo and Ziva advanced about an inch. There’s is the slowest moving romance in the history of television and it’s awesome. Once they hook up the show is over so they can move as slow as they want.
Gibbs (Mark Harmon) is seeming to grow closer to Director Vance (Rocky Carroll). In fact, one may even say there’s becoming friends.
Land of Punt was disappointed when our girl Jenny Shepard (Lauren Holly) was killed. We had a huge crush on Director Shepard and enjoyed her relationship with Gibbs. However, in a season and an episode Director Vance has become a fascinating character and we appreciate his presence.
The episode was short on Abby (Pauley Perrette). Dr. Mallard (David McCallum) was hardly in it and there was no Palmer (Brian Dietzen).
Bottom line, NCIS is back and it still has it’s energy. We are looking forward to an outstanding season.
As you would imagine, NCIS: Los Angeles has a different vibe and a different dynamics amongst it’s cast.
Immediately, you realized that the show will center around Callen (Chris O’Donnell) with a strong emphasis on Hanna (LL Cool J).
Callen is a lot like Gibbs only instead of losing a family he’s an orphan. And of course Callen is much younger.
Hanna looks like he’ll be brawn of the show and Callen’s glorified sidekick. That’s fine because the characters have great chemistry. Even with that said, Hanna is engaging and very likable. His character appears to have a wealth of experience from his days as a Navy Seal.
The periphery characters need some work but two really stand out. Kensi Blye (Daniela Ruah) is not only interesting but drop dead gorgeous. She lit up the HD screen every time she was on. Beyond her dashing good looks, Blye is an intelligent and capable agent. Needless to say, we’re looking forward to seeing more of her.
The show was nearly stolen by Henrietta ‘Hetty’ Lange (Linda Hunt). Part boss, part operations manager, and part mother Hetty is becomes the focus of every scene she’s in. She’s simply captivating.
The other three characters, Dominic Vaile (Adam Jamal Craig), Eric Beal (Barrett Foa), and ‘Doc’ Getz (Peter Cambor) need some work. Getz especially has us scratching our head. Why does the show need a operational psychologist when utilizing a psychologist is out of character for all the characters? Vaile and Beal might just need more airtime.
It appears that NCIS: Los Angeles will focus on Callen going undercover and conning the bad guys more so than investigating a murder. The spin-off also seems to employ more cutting edge technology than the original–much to the chagrin of McGee.
Another difference is the set. NCIS: Los Angeles has an infinitely more interesting set than the original. It’s almost a character unto itself.
After one episode, NCIS: Los Angeles was very good. We can’t wait until this good show finds it stride.
10-07-09/21:34 p.m.
We were a bit off with ‘Doc’ Getz. Land of Punt misunderstood the function of an operational psychologist. His skills are used more for investigative purposes than “touchy-feely” counseling. This makes ‘Doc’ much more interesting than we first estimated.
Popularity: 2% [?]
These shows suck. 30 Rock and True Blood rule!
It’s refreshing to read a blog that doesn’t feel the need to agree with the critical whims that guide our tastes at the start of a new television season. Readers of LOP know of your affinity for comfort-food television, and that is one of your charms as a writer and connoisseur of mass media. It’s why we love you. You champion what’s already in front of us and obvious to even the elderly.
We need you to remind us not to lose our way and not to give in to the ever-shifting tides of taste.
While I would be inclined to agree that there are plenty of people touting the virtues of the under-watched and over-awarded 30 Rock, and that True Blood may in fact be television royalty (or at the very least a county-level appointed position that can get you out of a couple of parking tickets at the mall), is there nothing safe and formulaic that may be flying under our radar?
We have learned that your cause is not the champion of the mediocre, but instead a moral compass of the consistent. To not like change and to not have someone yelling in your face about what you should be watching is a much-appreciated change of pace. We like it here in the Land of Punt. We’ve got your back, and we promise not to cower to what the rebels of the world think ‘rule’.
I really like O’Donnell and Hunt not sold on LL yet.