Sunday, June 25, 2017
NCIS: Season 13
It's a good thing the American Navy is the largest such service in the world. Now in its 14th year the original NCIS alone has killed off a ship load of 300 and arrested an equal number. Unlike the show JAG we rarely get to see these cases come to trial. Mark Harmon who helms the crew is no longer a matinee idol but he has finally shed the mousy hairdo. In his late eighties David McCallum as Duckie refuses to retire though he has acquired a side-kick in the person of Brian Dietzen dubbed the basement gnome by Tony who is probablly jealous after the one episode Jimmy took his shirt off. I've never liked DiNozzo who comes off as a condescending strutting peacock. He departed next season. As the Jewish Daughter of the head of Massod Ziva David was an interesting diversion. In her basement lab Abby provides comic relief as a caffeine main-lining mad scientist who performs forensic and electronic computer miracles that enable the brass to overlook her many eccentricities.
Other members of the team come and go as well as Directors and Secnavs--their political boss. Acronyms are popular here, POTUS anyone, for The Prez himself, Obama when these episodes were shot. Although the Navy obviously exists within the political arena the leanings of our cast do not come up. Shows that run to 300 episodes over multiple years in the cut-throat world of movie studios, TV Networks, and Online Streaming owe a great deal to their production team: the writers, location scouts, costume and make-up. The line-up of guest stars is tribute to the vibe on set that makes regulars want to stay and drop-ins want to visit. Ralph Waite, the former John Walton Sr as Jethro Gibbs' father was a welcome diversion, both the actor and pops have died.
A cross promotion with the less popular NCIS: New Orleans demonstrates Southern Drawls so thick they seem almost laughable. Also we get to meet Abby's brother, a chef so niave he borders on being an idiot savant.
The season ends with a rather dramatic twist but without the typical cliffhanger though in supplements we learn it got a two-year renewal.
Other members of the team come and go as well as Directors and Secnavs--their political boss. Acronyms are popular here, POTUS anyone, for The Prez himself, Obama when these episodes were shot. Although the Navy obviously exists within the political arena the leanings of our cast do not come up. Shows that run to 300 episodes over multiple years in the cut-throat world of movie studios, TV Networks, and Online Streaming owe a great deal to their production team: the writers, location scouts, costume and make-up. The line-up of guest stars is tribute to the vibe on set that makes regulars want to stay and drop-ins want to visit. Ralph Waite, the former John Walton Sr as Jethro Gibbs' father was a welcome diversion, both the actor and pops have died.
A cross promotion with the less popular NCIS: New Orleans demonstrates Southern Drawls so thick they seem almost laughable. Also we get to meet Abby's brother, a chef so niave he borders on being an idiot savant.
The season ends with a rather dramatic twist but without the typical cliffhanger though in supplements we learn it got a two-year renewal.
# posted by garthmailman@gmail.com @ 6:19 pm 
