NCIS S1 — Season 1

I thought this was a decent first season.

While this is the type of show where the personal lives and details of our characters are unknown for the most part, the writers seemed to do a good job introducing them to us in a way where, by the end, you feel attached to them, and as if you know them very well.

There was an overarching storyline as well, although it was barely delved into when taking the entire season as a whole into consideration. But that wasn't a problem. What we did get regarding it was enough, and the storyline itself was also intriguing and captivating.

My biggest takeaway from this first season: even though there was an overarching storyline, one that barely had any focus in the entire season, every episodic episode, as well as the ones that had small parts of developing the overarching storyline, was decent enough. Of course, there were ups and downs. Some episodes were less entertaining than others. There didn't seem to be a sufficient amount of consistency; in both directions: less entertaining episodes in a row or more entertaining episodes in a row. But when there was consistency, it was the back-and-forth of it all.

I thought this show/first season started off being a bit slow; at first glance, the premiere was starting things on a high note, given that the POTUS himself was involved; high stakes, right? But it was the premiere. There was no investment yet: we were only just getting introduced to the characters, and any so-called high stakes or starting the show on a high note, wouldn't have amounted to much, and it didn't; and the next few episodes weren't that entertaining, either, nor were the cases. That said, the season started becoming more entertaining once I got further along into it. As it happens, the weaker episodes on that side of the season were better than the weaker episodes earlier on in the season.

The biggest draw of this first season, and the whole show, I'm sure, were the characters. Whether the episodic format always delivers or is underwhelming sometimes, each episode will always have the characters. They feel tangible, which helps tremendously with becoming attached to them and caring about them. As long as the writers continue to incorporate the relationships and dynamics of the characters as they have in this first season, that's a good enough reason to like this show. Hell, that's probably the main reason most of the show's audience keep watching.

As far as my ratings for every episode is concerned, don't be fooled by me rating some episodes a six out of ten. This first season isn't bad, by any means. The only downside I'd attribute to it is that some episodes as a whole weren't that entertaining. Aside from that, our main cast of characters is good, and they're likable. I liked Caitlin the most; Gibbs, a close second, and then Tony in third place. What's more, the chemistry between (Sasha Alexander, Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly) those characters was palpable. That also contributed to amplifying the dynamics written for their characters even further.

- Honorable mentions: Ducky, Ari Haswari, Agent Fornell, McGee, and NCIS Director Tom Morrow. As for Abby, she's alright, although I'd probably put her at the bottom of the "hypothetical list." This show is very long, so she could end up rising for me.

Overall, the impression that I got from this first season is that this show is/will be one of those shows that's easy-going; the type of show you keep coming back to watch to relax. Sure, now and then, there could be an episode that goes against that belief by being a bit grimmer, but on the plus side, it's genuinely a pretty decent show as well, which is even better.

A spin-off of JAG, NCIS is an exciting crime procedural from CBS. In Season 1 former secret service officer Caitlin Todd is recruited to join NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Services), gets to know the team, and learns how to investigate crimes involving military personnel. The writers do an impressive job at using Todd as an audience surrogate to introduce what NCIS is, how it operates, and the team. They also come up with a number of interesting cases-of-the-week, from missing persons to terrorism to murder. Also, the main cast, featuring Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, and Sasha Alexander, is especially strong and has good chemistry. Additionally, there are a number of interesting guest stars, such as Emilie de Ravin, Sherilyn Fenn, Terry O’Quinn, Adam Baldwin, and Julie Benz. Season 1 of NCIS may look like a typical procedural at first, but it has a unique style that mixes earnestness and lighthearted humor.