NCIS: Los Angeles (TV Series) Identity (2009) User Reviews

A questionable start.

[Squeats · 6/10 · 22 September 2009]

I am astonished at this lackadaisical attempt at a series premiere! The introductory 'Legend' two-part episode on NCIS last season was ten times better than this, and I generally hate intro episodes! This incarnation of the NCIS franchise is supposed to be the undercover/special operations version, and yet they only played at going undercover. (I think I'll be a realtor today. How about you? Feel like playing the lawyer?) Still, I can see the potential for a good season if they can continue with some of the cutting-edge tech and gadgets they played with in 'Legend'. Sure it will make for an expensive show, but haven't they already put out the setup cash? One thing I liked and look forward to hearing more about is Callen's name. It's an interesting back story to the character and obviously something they plan to play up in the early part of the show. I find myself hoping that Hetty (WONDERFUL to see Linda Hunt on the show!) will take it upon herself to either research his original name, or assign him a nickname of her own.

Let's give this a few episodes' warm up and see where it goes.

Not sure yet...

[akicork · 8/10 · 14 August 2019]

I'm not sure if this spinoff is going to match the consistent quality and viewer appeal of the original NCIS, but Chris O'Donnell is making his mark as Callen. He has firmly grasped the character, putting behind him the golden-curled ingenue whose integrity and human sensitivity we saw playing against Al Pacino in "Scent of a Woman". That was a a career-defining performance, since the film was essentially a solo piece for Al Pacino, but two supporting actors, Chris O'Donnell and Gabrielle Anwar, were sufficiently strong in their support that their efforts were as memorable as Pacino's. (Can anyone who has seen the film hear the tango "Por una Cabeza" and not see immediately in their memory that beautiful scene where Anwar dances with the blind Pacino?) But maybe Chris O'Donnell hasn't changed much after all. That previous character was marked by integrity and human sensitivity: perhaps the change is just that he is no longer an ingenue.

Second NCIS Show, First Spinoff

[shelbythuylinh · 8/10 · 18 December 2021]

Chris O'Donnell after having movie flops finds his niche in TV as ex-CIA. DEA. FBI agent G Callen and he is partnered with Sam Hanna played by LL Cool J a former Navy Seal as both were street kids with broken homes.

How that Linda Hunt as Hetty the wisecracking no nonsense quirky NCIS LA manager there as she is the one that keeps the team together.

As they try to solve a murder involving a shootout with a Navy Intel agent who succumbs to his injuries. While now they interview his loved ones and colleagues as to why and how.

Good start over the NCIS LA there.

One of the best pilot I've seen.

[wlschipper · 10/10 · 15 May 2022]

One of the best pilot episodes I've seen. The show didn't go over how the individual members met just got right into the case. The story was well written and the cast is good and the show was great. NCIS Los Angeles I think is better than the original.

We'll watch CSI: NY

[jwb001 · 1/10 · 11 January 2016]

After viewing 12+ seasons of NCIS with near-complete satisfaction, my wife and I decided to give NCIS: Los Angeles a try. We can justifiably compare the two series given that NCIS: Los Angeles is a spin off and, at least initially, shares the same producer, David Bellisario.

1. NCIS - Distinct, lovable characters; NCIS: Los Angeles - a sea of young, plastic people of the universe

2. NCIS - very high-quality photography; NCIS: Los Angeles - washed-out images with a brownish tint ({sarcasm} maybe it's going for the California-sunshine-in-the-camera-lens effect)

3. NCIS - lots of humor; NCIS: Los Angeles - beautiful people (i.e. the cast, Hetty Lange excluded) focus on coolness; humor would only interfere

4. NCIS - realistic; NCIS: Los Angeles - Sam Hanna tries to chase down a car on foot? A killer allows G. Callen to answer his mobile?

After only one episode of NCIS: Los Angeles, my wife and I will take a look at CSI: NY instead.