Watching the NCIS franchise is kind of like buying Oregon fireworks.
I don’t know what it's like in your neck of the woods, but in Oregon, the type of fireworks that have would-be pyromaniacs rushing to the ER with blown-off appendages are illegal. Instead, the stands that pop-up in stripmall parking lots every summer are filled with fireworks that all do essentially the same thing. The size, shapes and colors may be different, but for the most part, we celebrate the 4th of July with glorified sparklers.
I was never a dedicated NCIS viewer, though there have been plenty occasions when I’ve entered the room while my wife was watching either the original series or one of the half-dozen spin-offs, and the episode was intriguing enough to prompt me to plop on the sofa with her. But unless Mark Harmon showed up as curmudgeonly Special Agent In-Charge Leroy Jethro Gibbs, I had no idea if we were watching NCIS: New Orleans or NCIS: Los Angeles or NCIS: Hawaii, etc.
That’s because, aside from the casts and subplots involving them, the narrative differences between these shows are like red sparklers versus yellow sparklers. That’s not necessarily a slam against the franchise either. It’s been a successful formula for a quarter-century, so if it ain’t broke, why fix it? The latest one, NCIS: Origins, is no exception.
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| "Sorry, sir...we've exhausted all our resources and still can't find your hat." |
As the subtitle suggests, Origins is a prequel of sorts, chronicling a younger Agent Gibbs as the newest recruit to the Naval Investigative Service (NIS). As played by Austin Stowall, he reminded me more of Alan Ritchson’s depiction of Jack Reacher than the character made famous by Mark Harmon, though he carries a lot more emotional baggage. Recently discharged from the Marines, Gibbs is having trouble coming to terms with the death of his family, murdered by someone who’s still at-large. Many of the narrative detours (and flashbacks) are related to this aspect of Gibbs’ past and how it adversely affects his current job.
Beyond that recurring plot thread (which is sporadically interesting), it’s business as usual. Gibbs joins an eclectic team led by Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid), a hardnosed, rednecky agent with good reasons for recruiting the troubled young ‘Probie.’ While Franks is easily the show’s most best character, “Lala” Dominguez (Mariel Molino) is also pretty interesting as a feisty agent working hard to stand-out in a male-dominated environment.
Elsewhere, individual episodes adhere to the mystery/police procedural structure that has served the franchise well. There’s no attempt to break new ground by tweaking the formula, but it still works. I initially sat down to check out an episode or two and wound up binging seven, which makes it the most NCIS I ever intentionally took-in at one time. Some stories are more compelling than others, but longtime fans of the show should have no complaints. After all, Oregon fireworks are still kind of fun, and even if they're just different colored sparklers, I've never lit one that turned out to be a dud.
EXTRA KIBBLES
FEATURETTES - NCIS: Origins Season 1 - The Story Behind the Story; Retro Crime-Solving - The Sets and Styles of NCIS: Origins.
GAG REEL
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