The Series premier of NCIS: Los Angeles starts tonight. It's sort of funny how CBS did another city switch just like they did with the CSI's.
NCIS: NY in 2 years? :p

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/ncis_los_angeles/

I am looking forward to this show and the return of the original as well

I liked the cast.
Linda Hunt as Henrietta "Hetty" Lange was great to see. Cool to still have the same director, Vance.

I like NCIS original, but I'm not buying into this one so far.

Yeah... I'm in a watch and see mode with this one, the pilot and this episode certainly haven't knocked me over, but it's early days yet.

Yeah... I'm in a watch and see mode with this one, the pilot and this episode certainly haven't knocked me over, but it's early days yet.
I haven't watched the episode yet, but I haven't been expecting much going on what we saw in the previous season finale. With the other shows on now or coming on in a week or so contending for my limited TV time, the show will have to be pretty good to stay in my Season Pass list.

larry

I actually thought the pilot was better, this episode was bleh. The scene where Hetty was listing the specs of the cell phone (smartphone/PDA, whatever) wasn't impressive. I mean, besides encryption and (2) cameras, any Joe Six Pack can purchase a phone with the same features for $99.

And the touch video screen, that thing is already getting annoying. Why would you put a photo of someone at a 45-degree angle? Honestly, it just made the video screen look sloppy, not cool.

Oh, it wasn't that bad. While it certainly did n't grab you by the neck, it was a good introduction to the new characters. Lots of work done on the show since the pilot.

I don't get why they need a covert base for the operation. used the same plot point in the pilot. I guess they won't be doing Gibbs style interrogation.

I don't get why they need a covert base for the operation. used the same plot point in the pilot. I guess they won't be doing Gibbs style interrogation.

Yeah, it's not like the regular NCIS crew have never gone undercover or haven't done surveillance work.

And who's supposed to be the leader of the team? In the pilot, there was a team leader (like Gibbs), but now, it feels like there really isn't one.

I liked the pilot for the new NCIS LA, but this season premiere was mediocre at best.
It would worked as a regular episode.
Honestly was this the best they could come up with for a season opener?
Also the base of operations is a complete joke IMO.
All they need to do now is add a NCIS NY or NCIS MIAMI :)

when was the pilot?

when was the pilot?

End of last season, about April or so.

And it was in 2-parts.

End of last season, about April or so.

It was a backdoor pilot. So it was really two episodes of NCIS. It was done almost the exact same way NCIS was done when it was involved in two episodes of JAG.

The only episodes of NCIS I missed last season were the two that introduced these characters. That said, I was unimpressed by the show, though I suppose I'll give it a chance. The reason NCIS succeeds (to me, at least), is the interaction of the characters with each other. I hope they can get this cast ticking as well as the original cast does.

The premiere episode was okay....but if you haven't caught it yet, unlike NCIS which is about a team and it's interaction, NCIS:LA is a basically a buddy show with Chris O'Donnell and LLCoolJ with everyone else bit players...CBS' version of Psych.

I thought it was below average. Just another cop show with nothing new or interesting. I also thought that the picture quality was really bad. It looked like a bad dvd transfer.

Jason

Decided to do some digging to see what other online reviewer's had to say for this season premiere and let me tell you it wasn't pretty.
Suffice to say our own AVS reviews are very mild and tame compared to the outcry and onslaught of damming and pure negative comments.
I didn't find a single post where anybody had anything good to say about this season premiere.
It had the look and feel of a lynch mob.

Decided to do some digging to see what other online reviewer's had to say for this season premiere and let me tell you it wasn't pretty.
Suffice to say our own AVS reviews are very mild and tame compared to the outcry and onslaught of damming and pure negative comments.
I didn't find a single post where anybody had anything good to say about this season premiere.
It had the look and feel of a lynch mob.

That is mainly because of the expectations that the original NCIS brought along with it. Until this show finds its own niche, it will probably still be that way. I thought the first episode still felt like a pilot. Hopefully they will work on adding more back story along the way so you have a reason to care for characters.

I made it to the first commercial and then deleted it from my Tivo. The music even bothered me. :)

larry

I remember tho the first season of NCIS, like most character-driven shows it took a while for the cast to find their footing and develop their characters. The first season was not their best, or at least not the first half of it. JAG was similar (in fact JAG wound up cancelled and moved to another network before going on for 9 more seasons). I don't expect a lot from this one until at least half-way through the first season.

As for the giant touch-screen, at least it looks realistic, unlike the stuff on CSI:Miami. Does it add much to the show? Not in my book. But I have trouble telling if it is visual effects or an actual touch-screen. I'm pretty sure it's visual effects, because usually any video display has to be (sync issues, from what I understand), but the vfx crew does a good job making it look real. The stuff on CSI is just too clean and sharp and is obvious CG added in post (IMO).

I suffered through the second episode of this so called "number 1 new show" last night in complete dismay.
Try as I may I just can't get behind in this show.
There just seems to be NO believable characters, NO leadership, NO cohesion, NO camaraderie or jelling of the cast at all.
I really enjoy the original NCIS but this one is sinking big time, IMO.

The problem is the studio probably knows it is bad, but by scheduling it right after NCIS, they have a huge lead in and only so many people will turn it off.

There's no doubt in mind that these high numbers are largely from the laurels of the original show. I agree that there is really no cohesion within the cast, even the two males leads don't even seem to jell very well at all. I think the idea of Vance(from NCIS) as the director in absentia is a mistake, there needs to be a Gibbs-style character on the local scene. The Helen Hunt character, while easily the best actor on the show, seems to be very undefined as to her role. If that gets squared up I think there will be an improvement. I'm not saying it needs to be just like NCIS, but what they have now seem very disjointed to me.

Of course, we must also remember that NCIS took years to get as popular as it is now, although I'll admit that the cast always seemed to work well together almost from the beginning with the original.

deleted from dvr after watching 2nd ep

Don't like the pimpin' walk of LL myself, it just doesn't seem to fit that of a ex-SEAL and NCIS agent. No other agents on the show walk like that.

LL popping out of the golf course pond in full seal gear is laughable. The pilot was much better than the first two shows. I have never liked LL so this show may never work for me.

The pilot which was actually decent was the only thing that suckered me into watching this show first place.
What a let down as these subsequent episodes suck.
There were so many bad elements to last nights episode but LL popping out of the water definitely ranks was one of the most laughable moments.
Other stellar moments included the female agent (Daniela Ruah) wanting to pee in the car and (Linda Hunt) telling the new guy how to hit the body bag. (yeah right lol)
I could go on but what's the point. :)

It is off of my DVR.

They would have been better off spinning off a show with Dinozzo.

They would have been better off spinning off a show with Dinozzo.

Bingo! That would have worked.

I for one wouldn't be happy losing Tony from NCIS. Maybe Cassidy afloat would have worked?


O.T. Has anybody else noticed how many bullet penetrations are showing up perpendicular to any storyline line of fire? Windshield and hood holes when shots are fired from beside the vehicle?

TerryB

Decided to watch this show after NCIS and found no improvement from the last couple of episodes.
The characters and setting of this show are still a complete joke.
LL trying to pull of being a ex-seal is just so unbelievable.
An ex-seal with a pimp swagger and gangster attitude. (lol)
Almost nothing on this show seems believable for that matter.
The NCIS headquarters looks more like a modeling agency than the real deal, complete with racks of clothes hanging around. I mean really.
This show amounts to a lame disappointment with bad acting, and if it survives I will really be baffled.

Well, I for one like the new show. If I want real TV, the History Channel is always available. I don't mind suspending my "real world reality" for a little respite.

This week's episode, about murdered Irag war veterans, seemed surprisingly crisp in appearance, often with deep focus. (NYC's TWC and WCBS-DT, without subchannels.) Appears, from IMDB's tech page (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1378167/technical), they're using Panavision's Genesis digital-cinema camera. It was a huge contrast from CSI:Miami's ultra-soft "look" captured with Red One digital cameras. Gave up on that series. Just bearable on NCIS: LA's content etc., but that's another story. Willing to cringe on content now and then, though, for lots of 1080 eye candy. -- John

Holy "The Unit" unemployed actors episode!

Holy "The Unit" unemployed actors episode!

Was thinking the same thing last night.

Holy "The Unit" unemployed actors episode!

Yeah that was pretty interesting. I’m kind of surprise most of The Unit actors haven’t found permanent work yet. I was gonna ask how they maintain their living after getting canned without finding permanent work yet, but I forgot they get residuals.

I could really get into this show if they dropped the silly dialog adopted from the original NCIS: "still lovin' the Gaga". What the--? But I guess the actors aren't complaining too much; it's good to be working given the current economy.

Actually I'm enjoying the tinkering with the cast. I thing the got it right for the most part. Eric Christian Olsen is a great addition, but I'm reserving judgment on the new girl. Not quite sure why they need her.

So what's the deal w/ the season finale? Is Heddy really one of them?

Wow, long time no posts, strange.

Anyway, I think the team really gelled over the season and is quite strong going into the 3rd season. If there is anything we've learned about Hetty, is that she always has something up her sleeve. Looking forward to seeing how this plays out.

The way they play Hetty... you never know. She could be playing a dangerous game and pretending to be one of the family...

OR

She really could be one of the family, but that she long ago had left them behind... it sure seems, though, like they've been headed towards a big reveal that she knows a lot more about Callen than she has previously let on.

I wouldn't be half surprised to find out she was ordered to kill him at some point but then didn't... and that's what will come out of all this next season.

I'm just hopefully that she is sticking around next season.

To me the show keep's getting better and better,Heady has been my favorite. The plot defiantly thickens for next years season.

Hey guys here are the specs for those of you who are interested:

just completed its second season, has an ambitious way of capturing the show — they use a multitude of digital cameras, including the Arri Alexa, the Canon 5D and 7D, the Sony F-900s, JVC’s GY100 and even GoPro cameras.

“They lock in Final Cut Pro, they send us the FCP project file, we do the online, which allows us to bring in all the material at full resolution, digitizing off of SR tape at 10-bit uncompressed,” reports DigitalFilmTree's Patrick Woodard, who is colorist for NCIS: Los Angeles.

that gives me the ability to grade on a shot-by-shot basis at 10-bit uncompressed,” describes Woodard.
SOURCE (http://www.postmagazine.com/Publications/Post-Magazine/2011/June-1-2011/One-show-many-formats.aspx)

This is state of the art HD acquisition. Recently The Hangover II shot nighttime scenes using the same camera catching a lot of available practical light.

also used the new Arri Alexa for all our night exteriors, because that way we could use available light and move fast. I loved the Alexa! You can’t tell the difference between it and 35mm, that’s how good it is.
But we did add grain to the Alexa footage, so it would match our film grain.”SOURCE (http://www.postmagazine.com/Publications/Post-Magazine/2011/June-1-2011/Directors-Chair-Todd-Phillips-The-Hangover-II.aspx)

Since we're in hiatus mode...

I think I just remembered... wasn't "Deeks" on Tru Calling? The 2nd season... wasn't he the guy that died and was saved but wasn't supposed to be saved so he started acting weird... and was going to have a longer arc had the show not been canceled?