Episode 8 (Dead Men Tell No Tales). This show is INSANE. LAPD offices? Huh? When did LAPD become a billion $$ corp – all glass walls, pristine, posh multi-million $$ interior design. A police department, right? This alternate-reality version of EARTH has a car repair 'shop' that's cleaner than an operating room. Not as clean as LAPD HQ tho. Gabrielle Union & Jessica Alba are LAPD detectives dressed like...? Gabrielle Union & Jessica Alba at a premiere showing of LA's hottest new artist. The holding cell was AS CLEAN as the hospital room in the next scene. Acting? Passable? Maybe? Ernie Hudson guested in this episode. He must need the money. And people GET PAID to produce this? Oh. The plot. Alba's character has some youthful secrets she can't reveal to her DA husband. Couldn't get past the utter and complete absurdity of everything that crossed my vision. You know, it's so gruesome you “can't look away”.
For those of you STILL tuning in. This series ran its course 2-3 years ago. Benson has become so self-righteous, all-righteous, ever-righteous, it's near unnerving to watch sometimes. ------------------ Even conclusions of episodes that strive for a sentimentally touching ending which could use a closeup of a victim to highlight the justice being served... they'll instead zero in on Olivia's face – her knowing expression signifying that she (and the unit) did the “right thing”. ------------- Story lines will even bend - putting a detective in a position that ignores (or oversteps) normal legal or investigative procedures (usually with Benson's insistence) to – of course – ensure the “righteous path” is followed. ----------------- Our heroes are always the wisest, most conscientious entity within the world of special victims crimes. They will undoubtedly make the world right. They'll sacrifice whatever portion of their soul, or the soul of the department, is necessary to ensure the world is a better place – once they're done making it so. -------------------- Sheeze. The unit's characters' flaws rarely are revealed and, if so, only with those flaws being heroically addressed with sufficient soulful correction. We should all genuflect and give thanks to SVU for showing us “the way”.
I COULD go into the many character-based flaws covered by a couple critics (Boston Globe, NYT) who had some foresight early on in the series. I've recently been relegated to IONs continuous re-runs. Question: has anyone done a statistical breakdown? How many shows end with an “unsub” holding a knife or gun at a potential victim's throat, with BAU member(s) talking them down... “Put down the gun...”. Writers must be bored or actually deem it a challenge for new “life-threatening/ending” dialogue between BAU and perp in the final scene. Just turn my back/change channel once I hear, “You don't need to do this (Milo)”. It's THEIR low – lack of new, creative endings.
This is truly one of the best cop dramas of all time of TV history. To call it a “cop” drama is almost misleading. This was true dramatic acting, writing, directing, and producing of the first order. The long- and medium-term cast featured stellar ongoing performances from Andre Braugher (one of the best actors of his generation, totally underrated), Melissa Leo, Peter Gerety and the always subtle, still insanely intense Yaphet Kotto. Daniel Baldwin and Ned Beatty pitched in for a couple seasons with spot-on characters spanning a wide spectrum of humanity - from mistaken, confident darkness to faltering self doubt. Beatty rivals his famed performance in Deliverance over 35 episodes here with his usual exceptional craftsmanship. Spiced with captivating guest-starring runs from such icons as James Earl Jones, Anne Meara, or one-time appearances from real thespians such as Marcia Gay Harden, Lily Tomlin, Moses Gunn, Rosanna Arquette, Charles Durning, Alfre Woodard... the list could go on, but this show always guaranteed theatrical brilliance..**********
I've watched NCISLA thru the years in spot binges. Relegated to watching many episodes recently, I've developed a negatively critical approach to viewing based on:
Characters' limited portrayals. Whether it's the writers' fault, creator's intent or not, the key actors (O'Donnell primarily) seem to be unwilling or able to show vulnerability in their characters' makeup unless called upon due to main-plot necessity. The supporting roles are offered such opportunities and come through fairly consistently, though when the time comes, they're called upon to show they are, in fact, inferior to Callen, Hannah, Hetty. Deeks & Kensie stradle this fence fairly well – I'll give them that. Now, on “Superiority”
Characters' superiority complex. Every time an outsider, whether friend or foe, encounters this group of super humans (again, primarily key players), the knowing leers, side-view dismissals of “others”, and general arrogance of complete superiority as a unit or individual, always prevails through story lines, portrayals and finales. NCIS LA should be ruling the Universe!
AMOUNT of ammunition spent. This normally, even in exorbitant displays on most shows, isn't much to fuss about. But really. Almost every show, how many rounds of ammo spent by team? Hundreds on AVERAGE? Too much, whatever it is.
Now, 'superiority + ammo' = almost comical gun shootouts. Every enemy, foe, criminal, foreign agent – apparently they can't shoot straight and must have attended the Barney Fife school of marksmanship. NCIS agents? Expert marksman all. Really, all enemies, even when having clear shots at NCIS, miss their target then arms go flailing upon bullet impact from NCIS weapons.
And finally.
Hannah (buff), Deeks (lengthy and athletic), Blye (same as Deeks, lengthy & athletic); they can take on foes in physical battle – Sam indestructible? OK. Deeks, rightfully not so, along with Kensie. But Callen? The every-man (Robin? OK, couldn't resist) can take down the most imposing of physical foes? Don't buy it. He runs for exercise. Hannah: “when he's eluding attackers”. That sounds and looks right.
OK, NOW finally. The overarching, uber-competence of these people and their accompanying attitudes are tiring, then eventually comic cliches fit only for youths yearning for their own delusional superpowers.
