Skip to main content

PILOT REVIEW: NCIS: New Orleans

NCIS: NEW ORLEANS










Starring: Scott Bakula, Lucas Black, Zoe McLellan, Rob Kerkovich, and CCH Pounder

Created by Gary Glasberg
Written by Jeffrey Lieber, Directed by Michael Zinberg

THE PREMISE: Well, the title pretty much says it all. The show follows an NCIS team operating out of the Big Easy. The Special Agent in Charge for this one is Dwayne Cassius Pride (Scott Bakula). His team consists of Senior Special Agent Christopher LaSalle (Lucas Black), Medical Examiner Dr. Loretta Wade (CCH Pounder), newcomer Special Agent Merri Brody (Zoe McLellan), and, of course, the lab assistant. This one is Sebastian Lund (Rob Kerkovich)

THE GOOD: This seems like it would be catnip to NCIS fans: a leading man appealing to the generation of NCIS fans in Scott Bakula, a decent story that has some suspense but isn't overly violent or shocking, little banter between the agents, and a decent backdrop. The decision to set an NCIS in New Orleans was a good idea as the city has such a unique feel. It feels southern and cultured and the dixieland music doesn't hurt either. All in all, it's very safe and that might be a pro to many people. I liked Bakula in this but he wasn't asked to do much.

THE BAD: The problem for me is I'm not an NCIS fan. I tried to watch it once years ago and found the same problem I found with this show. It is the definition of a generic procedural to me without the thrills and suspense of a show like Person of Interest or the creepiness of a show like Criminal Minds or the great characters of a show like Blue Bloods. I don't actually get what makes these NCIS series so popular except that they go down easy. I know there was a backdoor pilot for this show (which I didn't watch), but it just felt like another episode. The cold open was boring and extremely quick and didn't hook me into the crime. It was all so generic down to the "team hanging out at a bar after the case is solved" ending that ends so many procedurals like this. Do all the NCIS shows have freezes before and after commercial breaks?

BOTTOM LINE: This show was betting on people knowing and liking the NCIS format and that's not a bad bet. But it's also not going to be a show for me because I just can't get into it. I was so bored during this episode that I kept realizing I wasn't really paying attention. I'll be curious to see what NCIS fans think of this show in the weeks and months to come.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

SEASON IN REVIEW: 2017-18 Miscellaneous Awards

As usual, I am ending the season with a few miscellaneous awards. The blog will be quiet this summer but I will continue to do the week ahead posts with broadcast TV news as it happens this summer. Then I'll be back for previews, pilot reviews, and more in the fall! BEST RETURNING COMEDY Superstore (NBC) - Superstore was awarded my "Best Returning Comedy" last year, but it only got better in season three. The funniest ensemble on TV took another step forward with some truly hilarious moments (the season premiere, the Golden Globes party, and the Christmas episode to name a few) and some major plot points moving forward. It also has the potential to be surprisingly sentimental at times. I think back to the first year of the show and how I felt like it had so many funny elements but didn't always bring it completely together. Well now it does on a weekly basis and it is one of those shows that just seems to be in the sweet spot of what will hopefully be a long run. ...

EPISODE GUIDES: Happy Days Season Five (Part 1)

On Thursdays, I take a detailed and critical look at a TV show by season. Today I am looking at Season 5 (Part 1) of  Happy Days ! HAPPY DAYS: SEASON FIVE 1977-1978 27 episodes Season Five is the year where Fonzie infamously jumps the shark. It happens at the beginning of the season and while  Happy Days  does eventually decline in quality, it is not this season. In fact, this season graded out slightly higher than the previous season even though it doesn't feel as strong. I think that's because there's not a lot of outright stinkers in this season. It's a very solid season with the show continuing to hum along. There are some signs of the troubles to come but it doesn't happen on a regular basis in the fifth season. Starring Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham  (27 episodes) Henry Winkler as Arthur Fonzarelli  (27 episodes) Tom Bosley as Howard Cunningham  (27 episodes) Marion Ross as Marion Cunningham  (27 episodes) Anson Williams as Potsie Webber  ...

EPISODE GUIDES: That 70s Show Season Seven

On Thursdays, I go through classic series with a critical look at each season. Today I am looking at Season Seven of  That 70s Show ! THAT 70s SHOW: SEASON SEVEN 2004-2005 25 episodes The seventh season of  That 70s Show  is the final season with Topher Grace as a series regular and also the final full season for Ashton Kutcher. Despite still having both of those cast member, the show finds itself flailing especially with Topher Grace's Eric, who is stuck in a terrible arc for most of the season. The show also brings many characters back at one point or another but everything just feels tired. This season actually graded out the worst for me. Even worse than the often maligned final season (more on that next week). Every title this season is named for a Rolling Stones song. Starring Topher Grace as Eric Forman  (25 episodes) Mila Kunis as Jackie Burkhart  (25 episodes) Ashton Kutcher as Michael Kelso  (25 episodes) Danny Masterson as Steven Hyde  (25 e...