NCIS (TV Series) Power Down (2009) User Reviews

A Fun Episode

[LittleStorpingInTheSwuff · 8/10 · 4 May 2018]

Okay, so there have been/will be a lot of geography errors, scenes of L.A. when it should be D.C., etc. And the team does things and/or extracts information at a speed that is inconsistent with reality. There is some realistic inconsistencies in this episode as well. Only 2 persons in the entire government with an automatic access to iris scanners all over the world? Perhaps 2 people per government agency might be more realistic.

However, even with all of the inconsistencies this is a fun episode, one of the better episodes so far. Doing things the old fashioned way, before all of the modern gadgets and gizmos existed, made it a fun to see how the team handled doing the 'dinosaur' way. It didn't bother Gibbs, who was already prepared by bringing Polaroid cameras to the crime scene. As far as eye balling the fingerprints to get a match, isn't that how it used to be done? Just not as fast. But....in a 40 minute show they don't have the luxury of time as in the 'old' days.

All in all, this is a fun, enjoyable episode.

A nice Episode

[cejvr · 8/10 · 12 January 2021]

I've just rewatched this episode because I have remembered something and wanted to refresh my memory. Overall it was a nice story, how the team had struggled to figure things the old fashion way when technology wasn't as advanced as it was today or will I say as when this episode played of. But one teeny tiny thing bothered me is how in the end when the power got back on and everything just magically started up and the team just happily type away as if there were no interruption. Desktop computers does not start up automatically, You have to power it up manually and wait a few minutes for everything to get sorted. Or is this just the magic of TV? Any way other than that it was okay.

Spoilers, What spoilers? This series is so old I think most people that's interested in these type of series would have seen it by now.

Full of Flaws but still fun episode.

[mxmann · 9/10 · 19 November 2023]

"Dinosaurs" like Gibbs and others of our generation know this episode is full of holes and technical flaws, but that's the fun of it!

Mimeograph machines that work without special fluid (it normally dries up after months of non-use, let alone 'years') and makes copies using a plain paper "master" (not specialized mimeo masters, that also dried up when past their "best buy" date, yet still produces the normal blue colored copy?!! Or Polaroid film that makes an instantly viewable print (instead of 60-second wait to develop) that doesn't need that stick of goop rolled over it to set the picture (not to mention outdated film seldom made good prints)!! That's just for starters. Many other goofs and flaws but again, that was the fun.

Episode also highlighted difference between the two generations in a pleasant non-confrontational way. Don't get me wrong, couldn't live now without my microwave and laptop (but I still resist/grumble cellphone usage).

Power Down is pure escapism as long as you don't get bogged down in the details.

Great Series - Weak Show

[jmmyhunter · 4/10 · 3 November 2016]

Seriously, a nearly complete power and communications outage in Washington DC for 24-48 hours? I would personally love it, but I know there is no way we can keep all those political loud mouths quiet for that long. I also know that they have all kinds of emergency plans and backup generators so that much of the city would function. This episode is just way too ridiculous to be taken seriously. They have Abby manually matching fingerprints overnight. This couldn't be done even when we had highly trained fingerprint experts and a lot fewer fingerprints (1950s-1970s). But Abby does it. Before the fingerprint match, Abby manually matches tire prints to a 1999 Chevy Impala. Now assuming that they actually produced Impalas in 1999 (they didn't) this episode happens in 2009. What's the likelihood that a 10-YO car would have the original tires? Love the series, but they sometimes write fairy tales.

Old School

[lor_ · 19 August 2023]

A fine premise and underlying commentary on the evolution of Police Procedural tv shows. Back in the Golden days of TV, there was dogged police work as well as traditional gumshoes to solve crimes and it was fun to follow along. In the 21st Century, technology took over almost to a propaganda extent -the human factor is still there of course, but the shortcuts of special effects and fancy optical displays substitute for Sherlock Holmes' power of deduction. And don't forget, the gore that once was left to drive-in movies crept in and took over all the CSI/Bones style whodunits. (Of course David McCallum indulges here in mandatory blood & guts with a victim's corpse, a far cry from his derring-do as spy Illya Kuryakin four decades earlier.)

A local power shortage is the obvious gimmick to give our NCIS team the opportunity to work in older tried & true methods, and it's a pleasure to watch. As far as propaganda is concerned, IMDBers have been trained to look for goofs, inaccuracies and other trivialities -as if that's all that movies and tv shows are about. How about a remedial course in Artistic License?