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 NCIS: Los Angeles

(July 13th, 2009.  Editor)                Chris O'Donnell, L.L. Cool J., Louise Lombard, Daniela Ruah, Peter Cambor star in the spin-off one hour detective drama NCIS: Los Angeles, airing Tuesdays on CBS starting this fall.

The high stakes world of undercover surveillance takes center stage at the Office of Special Projects (OSP), a division of NCIS that is charged with apprehending dangerous and elusive criminals that pose a threat to the nation's security.  By assuming false identities and utilizing the most advanced technology, this team of highly trained agents goes deep undercover, putting their lives on the line in the field to bring down their targets.  Special Agent "G" Callen (Chris O'Donnell) is a chameleon who transforms himself into whomever he needs to be to infiltrate the criminal underworld.  His partner is Special Agent Sam Hanna (LL COOL J), a former U.S. Navy SEAL who has seen action in both Afghanistan and Iraq, and a surveillance expert who uses state of the art monitoring equipment to look out for those in the field and feed them crucial information.  Both Callen and Hanna report to Special Agent Lara Macy (Louise Lombard), the OSP team leader responsible for directing the operations and making life-or-death decisions.  Assisting the team is Special Agent Kensi Lo (Daniela Ruah), the exceptionally bright daughter of a slain Marine who lives for the adrenalin rush that comes with undercover work, and Operational Psychologist Nate Getz (Peter Cambor), adept at getting into anybody's head, profiling the target and monitoring agents' states of mind before, during and after missions.  Armed with the latest in high tech gear and sent regularly into life-threatening situations, this tight-knit team relies on each other to do what is necessary to protect national interests.

This is not a carbon copy of the original series. There are a large number of differences in the way the Los Angeles unit works together and runs, compared to the original squad on NCIS. The L.A. group are a spy operation and an investigative unit who focus on preventing terrorists and other bad guys from harming U.S. targets. When Mark's Harmon's character, Jethro Gibbs, is in charge in Washington, the unit is run like a group of cops who investigate crimes. The head of the Los Angeles operation is more concerned with getting as much surveillance as possible, and then acting to counter any threat. This leaves the people who are on the ground spending a lot of time talking to the boss on their phone or radios and little time doing the real work. The cloak and dagger stuff might be good TV, but it is also a very big departure from the successful formula of NCIS.

The two hour pilot episode is a cross-over that features the cast members of the original NCIS and the new cast. It is put together in a way that suggests it was written by, and produced by the same team who regularly create NCIS, as there are more lines for the old cast than there are for the new. I see some potential in the new cast and some chemistry, the strongest bond is between co-stars L.L. Cool J. and Chris O'Donnell. The two look like and act like old friends right from the first time they appear together. If the writing stays strong, these two guys have a long future together.

I am wondering if it was a good idea to create this series as a spin-off. The premise could stand alone without a tie in to the Washington based NCIS. While that might have slowed the early attention being given this series, it might also have opened up more opportunities to take the show in directions that may not be the usual NCIS fare. It would also allow this series to sink or swim on its own, without the comparisons to the other already successful series. I think this series is strong enough to hold a time slot for the season, but unless the writing stays razor sharp, this one will not enjoy the ratings success of the original series.  

 

Editor

 

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