First of all, let’s get this out of the way: to Dorv, Ryan, and cj, I have heard you. Actually, the entire neighborhood has heard you. For those of you not in the know, apparently to some I approached the first part of the NCIS spin-off launch episode from an already negative bias. I walked in convinced I wouldn’t like it, and I walked out proven correct.
Okay, I get it. So, over the course of the past week I did my penance. I searched deep within myself, to find that place in my heart where no outside influences reach, where even a bad experience last week couldn’t affect how I perceived the second half of the episode this week. And, I’m happy to report that I arrived at a better place; I found my Zen. It was hidden, but it was there. Somewhere behind the huge chunk that is my son (he’s about to turn one!), I found a sunny place that, most likely, has been reached by his giggles and waddles, and as a result, put me in a great TV-watching mood.
And you know what?
I will hunt you all down for that.
No, I’m only kidding, although I still didn’t enjoy the second half of the episode any better than I did the first. Here’s what was good: nothing about the last hour spelled spin-off. I actually think that it was a bit of a failure on the part of the writers to create an atmosphere where the undercover agents seemed like no more than pawns for Gibbs and Co. to navigate around the board. Possibly, the reason is because, unlike with JAG, the new series intends to show agents doing exactly what Ziva and DiNozzo have done a thousand times before: going undercover. On JAG, it was reasonable to watch as the lawyers called in Naval Investigators to solve a case; here, what sense did it make for Gibbs’ team to still be working with an undercover unit, when his team could handle it? The newness that was evident last week was simply lacking this time around.
We did get to know the cast of characters a bit better, and besides for LL Cool J, that wasn’t a good thing. Special Agent Lara Macy (Louise Lombard) is a poor woman’s version of Lt. Virginia Cooper (Patti D’Arbanville) from New York Undercover, and I kept on praying that she’d just go away. And, Dorv, while you were correct in assuming that Macy and Gibbs only go back to one incident 18 years ago, it’s a biggie that, in all likelihood, would be something that colored both of them ever since: Macy was the investigating officer when Gunny Gibbs shot and killed the man who killed his wife and daughter. It had to be something big, and it also apparently had to be resolved in two seconds, so that Gibbs could reasonably reappear when the spin-off needs him next. Talk about poor story craftsmanship.
Operational Psychologist Nate Getz (Peter Cambor) got to me, because he’s not an analyst, and yet there he was in the thick of the investigation. It seemed like he was cast merely because the creators felt that they needed X number of characters for a series, while a typical undercover unit only has Y agents. They turned to him as if he was Dr. Cal Lightman from Lie to Me (ugh), guru of facial ticks, divining intent through a video screen. Whether or not its actually something these agencies employ, the whole concept felt very weakly supported to me.
Special Agent Sam Hanna (LL Cool J) was still the man, and McGee can’t hold a candle to how Hanna handles the touch-video monitor. I would seriously like to see him added to the original show. Tech Operator Eric Beal (Barrett Foa) got his geek on with McGee a little, something that could be funny in one-off situations going forward, but I didn’t get the impression that he would have much of a voice on the new show.
And Chris O’Donnell (Special Agent G. Callen) just rubbed me the wrong way. I still feel as if the creators were trying to create some super-agent out of the former Robin, and I just don’t get that from O’Donnell. I also couldn’t help but feel a little bad for the actor if this is where his career trajectory has taken him.
And, what about my title, right? Well, for any of you who watch Greek, you’ll surely have recognized it’s newest sexual experimenter, Rebecca Logan (Dilshad Vadsaria), popping up tonight as Shakira Zayd. All I can say is, she bombed two nights in a row. She has nothing permanent to do with either NCIS franchise, but I couldn’t let the opportunity go by without mentioning how her entrance was the straw that broke the camels back for me last night. Plus, it can’t hurt to mention lesbians in your title.
The one glimmer of hope came at the end of the hour, when Callen was shot. Sure, it could be the cliffhanger that gets us to tune in come this fall. But, it could also be an easy way for the creators to brush the whole thing under the rug; O’Donnell’s character dies, no spin-off, the end. I expect to be yelled at for being so negative, but one can always hope.
Look: I’m not offended by the idea of a spin-off, although I worry that it will draw creative juices away from the original. What bothers me is the constant cannibalization of healthy properties for larger profits. I just don’t like the idea that, as long as a conceit can somehow, in some way, be tied to a success, we viewers will follow the progeny along like sheep. Of course, that’s exactly what we do, and if the spin-off does air this fall, I will likely try it. But that’s my prerogative, and the idea that the networks think that they can simply manipulate viewers like puppets is what really gets to me.
As its own show, with no connection to NCIS, I think I would have taken to this new idea a bit better. Instead, I was of course colored by my feelings about how this game is played. Hopefully, unlike with Private Practice, this new NCIS will stand on its own two feet. But if Gibbs ends up having to come in and put out fires, you will be hearing from me!
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on May 06, 2009 @ 14:00 EST5EDT
First off, if it does get picked up as a spin-off, Macy has got to go. I got the feeling she was chosen so the show can say it has a woman in a postion of power, but this woman (whether it is the character or the actress, I can’t tell) is just ridiculous. Also, when watching the psychologist talk about how a clearly nervous guy was “agitated”, evident to him by body language and mannerisms, I couldn’t help but think that Reid from Criminal Minds may have some competition in the stating-the-obvious contest.
I disagree about Rebecca Logan, though. While I can’t stand her on Greek, I thought she did a reasonable job here. And I also don’t think Chris O’Donnell was that bad. However, would I watch the show? Remains to be seen, but if it continues like these two episodes, highly doubtful.
*POST AUTHOR*
I think it’s not a question of how bad Chris O’Donnell was; the issue is how bad the character is that’s been created for him. The super-agent is a persona that works in “B” movies, but over the long haul of a television series, it will quickly grow wearisome. It just started early for me.
I think we’ll just agree to disagree on Callen, however:
I really think you’re right about these episodes as a backdoor pilot. At the very least, it was much more in the vein of how Private Practice was spun off much more so than NCIS (And while I’ve given up on Private Practice, I don’t necessarily think that the comparison here is necessarily a bad thing). In this case, as with PP, this experience seemed much more like an introduction to a new set of characters than the introduction of a new series.
Part of the trouble with this is the B Story (Over the whole two parter, because it played much less in first 30 minutes of last night’s installment) was so much more interesting than the A. I’d think that most fans, like me, are both big fan’s of Ziva’s and some are Ziva/Tony ‘shippers. So, we were left throughout both of these episode wondering WTH was going on.
The bigger question is: Can this work as a Spin Off? I think its got a chance, but don’t know. Some changes will need to be made. I’m not the biggest fan of Macy, and as she seemed a secondary character to Hanna and Callen, maybe that’s where the change is made (Both of our examples, NCIS and PP, made changes to character or actor before their debut, so there is a precedent). But this back door pilot gives them the chance to tweak what they don’t think worked.
Finally, to get back to Macy/Gibbs. I actually like the way it played out. Their backstory did have the weight to it to make it count. It was resolved quickly, at least in TV terms, but I’m fine with that. I think bringing it to the point it was at was more workable for any future interaction than no resolution. This is clean and get it out of the way, that there is still history, but less animosity.
*POST AUTHOR*
I wonder about the methodology of this spin-off. JAG brought NCIS agents into one of its episodes, as NCIS did here. Grey’s Anatomy, on the other hand, spent one (or two) of its episodes following Addison to California. The only time the show utilizes the former method was this season, in its crossover episodes. I’m not arguing for one way or another, just saying that I think this was actually more a JAG/NCIS model.
I agree that, as NCIS episodes, they lost their way. The tie-in with the Ziva storyline was not only predictable, it was also a bit forced. Plus, do you believe that Gibbs wouldn’t have had a flash of Ari when Michael’s association with Mossad became known?
I guess I would have preferred the animosity remain, kind of my own guarantee (accurate or not) that Gibbs wouldn’t have to do any double time. Like you say, we’ll see what happens.
it was ok :)
*POST AUTHOR*
I’m going to assume the “ok” is for the episode, while the smile’s for my piece. Thanks! ;)
Really?
(Couldn’t resist. “Really?” is the new “Seriously?”)
*POST AUTHOR*
Nice usage! :)
They just need to keep LL Cool J … he was awesome … he could kick butt on Gibb’s team.
The rest … meh.
*POST AUTHOR*
Seconded!
I actually didn’t care for the first half all that much, but found the conclusion much stronger and the new characters more likeable. It helped that Hanna, Blye and Getz actually got interesting things to do other than introduce themselves.
Sure, the OSP team was not necessary skills-wise, but it was written into the story last week that the body the DC team found was part of an ongoing active investigation by OSP, which is why they got the lead from Vance. They allowed Gibbs and McGee to assist them as a courtesy, but they didn’t need them either. In story terms, it would have made less sense for Gibbs’s team to take over OSP’s case.
Aryeh, I found it amusing that you thought “McGee can’t hold a candle to how Hanna handles the touch-video monitor” when the two men were just as fast and using identical gestures to do the same work. Actually, part of the reason I found the multitouch gestures ridiculous last week was that Hanna was overemphasizing the force of his pinching and rotating as if the onscreen objects had actual mass, which was silly and unnecessary. Imagine working the entire day at your computer screen like that. In contrast, McGee used a slightly lighter touch, just as he does on his iPhone. I think your like for the actor is still coloring your perception, although I do agree he was very good on this show. But then I liked his scenes with Callen.
Obviously I don’t want OSP to derail or replace NCIS, but as a viewer the appeal of a spinoff is a chance to see the fictional universe I love two days a week rather than one, not merely to be a sheep.
*POST AUTHOR*
I think, either way, the substantiation for the two teams working together after solving the initial case was lacking. But then again, I feel the same way when, on NCIS, a murder spree bumps up against the Navy in the form of a speeding ticket on base, or whatever, and they take over the entire investigation. It was just forced.
Hey, I was trying to use a little flare! I did think, though, that Hanna and McGee’s respective adeptness with the touch-video monitor was emblematic of their respective personalities. I guess I just preferred Hanna’s field agent who’s also tech savvy to McGee’s tech geek who’s also field trained. I love McGee, don’t get me worng; just talking about in this instance.
Come on with the coloring! (:-)) I went through the whole cleansing experience that I described in my piece! I’m cured! :)
See, that’s what this all comes down to: this spin-off won’t be a second chance to peak into the same fictional universe. There’s going to be a lot less of the brains that goes into an NCIS episode, because so much of the OSP work takes place via monitors and earpieces. It’s not a question of good or bad, just different. Like I said, as a standalone, no affiliation show, this entire thing would be different. But, by tying it to NCIS, there are a lot of expectations and requirements that, thus far, I haven’t seen on screen.
Bah!