Hello, new city and new NCIS. I’ve long wondered why NCIS even needs offices in all of these cities, but God forbid we let common sense get in the way of a new spinoff. Particularly one starring an old friend of the franchise, LL Cool J’s Sam Hanna. NCIS: New York doesn’t have the luxury of starting like a regular pilot, because we already know Sam, so instead it’s gotta set up why Sam would even want to be part of the New York team after a few years getting to pick and choose his missions.
But the show still does a pretty good job of setup, one that gives enough information for those who haven’t already experienced fourteen seasons of NCIS: Los Angeles and a couple of NCIS: Hawai’i with Sam, not to mention a few NCIS appearances, but that still contains enough nods to those who have gone on that journey with him. And just saying, at this point, if Sam Hanna shows up in Sydney next season, I will not be surprised.
Other than that, does the show’s first episode work on not? Let’s break it down.
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THE MAIN PARTNERSHIP
As most franchises, every NCIS show lives and dies by its chemistry, and though Scott Caan’s Nick Schaeffer has some pretty big shoes to fill the episode does a good job of setting up why he and Sam work as a team. It’s hard right now, especially as someone who saw Sam and Callen interact for over a decade, to believe that this potential friendship can eclipse that, but at least I didn’t come out of this thinking they didn’t work well together.
It’s also a very different dynamic than the one Sam had with Callen, or even Deeks, which anyone who’s coming into this with preconceived notions to separate the before from the after. Of course, we will still need a lot of information on how Sam ended up here, and by here I don’t just mean in New York, but so far away from Los Angeles. What happened to Callen? Did he just retire to be a dad? What about Kensi and Deeks? Was Hetty ever found?
Not to mention, will we ever see Sam’s kids, Aiden and Kamran? There’s a lot the show could do here, and if the NCISverse has proven something lately, it’s that they love a shocking return. I’ll even take some flashbacks to Sam’s late wife, Michelle. Not sure I’m ready for a new love interest, though. I know it’s been almost a decade, but too soon. Too soon.
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THE ENSEMBLE
Sam and Nick could work, but if the rest of the cast didn’t grab my attention, then there was no way NCIS: New York could truly work as well as the rest of the spinoffs have. The good news is, I’m very intrigued by absolutely everyone on this team. Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robyn Wells seems like the right combo between nurturing and a little bit mysterious. We’ve had all kind of “bosses” in the NCIS franchise, and I quite like that we have another woman in charge and that she doesn’t all the similar to any of the others we’ve seen before.
However, if I was intrigued by one person in particular, it was NCIS Special Agent Addison “Addy” Ross, who was giving me Kensi Blye vibes, and anyone who’s followed my coverage of this franchise knows how much I love me some Kensi. The first episode established there’s a complicated background for her, but also gave us a good look at her dynamic with her partner, NCIS Special Agent Wyatt Hill, that I really like. There’s some chemistry there, but when I say that’s a slow burn, if anything, I mean slow.
NCIS Tech Specialist Sean Sullivan took me a little bit longer, but by the end I was even in with him. It’s a different team than what Sam had before, and the show has very different vibes, with New York feeling like a real character in ways Los Angeles never did, but at least for now, I’m very interested in knowing more.
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Things I Think I Think:
- I knew something was gonna go wrong as soon as he didn’t pick up.
- But also, Dubai! Tracks with what we last knew.
- What we still don’t know is why he’s not LA, not really.
- As soon as he almost completed the mission I was like: ok, here it comes!
- Like boss lady already.
- Not so sure on Nick. He’s certainly different from Sam’s last partner, I’ll say that.
- Addison, however? Love her.
- Probably could like Wyatt.
- Again, very different dynamic than Densi, though she’s got some Kensi in her. Probably for the best.
- You’re always welcome, Jimmy Palmer.
- What do you mean “you’re lucky you’re not in jail?”
- Okay, Nick lost his dad and two uncles during 9/11.
- How exactly did Nick hear about Michelle?
- “I’m giving you exposure therapy. Feel the pain. Move on.”
- That’s sexual tension, okay?
- You were doing stuff, Sean? Not your job?
- Okay, here’s the backstory! He’s a hacker. This is a deal. He doesn’t want to be here. Makes sense.
- Aww, Sean just wants validation, like all of us.
- So, Addy’s dad is a legend. And a felon?
- We could use him? You saying that is big, Nick.
- Sam Hanna writes his own ticket.
- Why doesn’t Sam want to be assigned to an office?
- “He’s a big guy. I can’t control him.”
- Sam is often right.
- ADDY, I LOVE YOU.
- “Try not to die” is a good rule.
- “Bad guy down” is kinda funny.
- Nicky?
- We already at Nicky levels of trust?
- You do look like a finance bro, Nicky.
- No one has ever dared to call him Samuel.
- You just wanted to be convinced. But why?
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of the “Pilot” of NCIS: New York? Share with us in the comments below!
NCIS: New York airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on CBS.
3 years later, nice to know something can improve in a different enviroment.
Yeah, I’ll still be full on expecting there to be mentions about Team Hetty, and possibly a cameo or too if it’s not too out of reach, but right now, this feels like a promising show.
Just as long it doesn’t make too many ugly mistakes.