'NCIS': No One Was Looking?

Today's cuppa: office coffee

Bill Carter of the esteemed New York Times starts his article from Sunday on the seemingly sudden success of CBS' "NCIS" by writing: "While no one was looking, a six-year-old television series that lands on few magazine covers, enjoys almost no love from critics and never gets a sniff of a nomination for prestigious awards is suddenly the hottest show on the air."

No one? Well, there's me, the estimable Tia Cupps (my mentor in all things tea) and over 17 million other people. Actually, the viewing number recently hit 18.8 million.

That sounds like a lot of folks looking at the mystery/comedy/drama about the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which stars (from right to left) Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo and Sean Murray.

Missing in the photo is Pauley Perette, and since that won't do, here she is.

And of course, we can't forget David McCallum.

Carter goes on to try to figure out why "no one was looking" before (apparently, it's all about recent producer changes in the show, which explains why the show has gotten "almost no love from critics" in the past).

Whatev.

I can't speak for anyone else, but my newspaper and Zap2it readers have been interested in "NCIS" for a long time. Below find a sampling of stories and blog posts I've run on the show over the years.

There are more, but some feature stories and actor profiles (such as ones I did on McCallum and de Pablo) were for Sunday TV supplements and haven't wound up posted on the Internet.

(Tried to do a set visit last year, but the Writers Guild of America strike torpedoed it. Working on one for this year.)

'NCIS,' '24,' the New Establishment and What Happens Next... (Nov. 2008)
Writing Is Murder for McGee on 'NCIS' (April 2007)
McCallum Thinks the 'NCIS' finale Is Just Ducky (May 2006)
'NCIS' Brothers in Arms (Dec. 2005)
'NCIS' Exhibits Model Behavior (Dec. 2005)
Holly Decks the Halls on 'NCIS' (Sept. 2005)
Pauley Perrette Ponders Life's Puzzles (Aug. 2005)
'NCIS' Has Durning Hearing Echoes of War (November 2004)
'NCIS: Fun as It Looks (Sept. 2004)

Which proves what I've always thought -- the viewer knows best. FYI, I have an interview with new cast member Rocky Carroll in the can and will let you know when that's scheduled to run.

Comments

[Morjana]

I didn't watch NCIS when it first started, because I knew it was a Donald Bellasario creation, and although I loved Magnum, PI, I couldn't watch JAG (it was good for a once a year viewing for a good laugh).

But then, in the second season, I read that Charles Durning was a guest-star, and tuned in to watch 'Call of Silence' -- and fell in love with Jethro Gibbs and NCIS, and have watched ever since. 'Call of Silence' is one of the best TV episodes of any series -- it's on my top ten list.

NCIS is excellent. Mark Harmon is just wonderful -- another "less is more" actor, and he's a pleasure to watch. I also love Ziva, and Abby and Ducky, and Tony and McGee are fun too.

Good entertainment.

:)-

[sharp2799]

I got hooked the summer before season 4, when they reran eps from seasons 2 and 3. Then, for the first time *ever* I bought a season set where I hadn't seen the episodes ahead of time, season one. I've been thoroughly hooked ever since.

I'm also one of those who was a rabid House fan. But when they began making horrendous changes to the show (at the very least, I ship House/Cameron), and changed the time to air against NCIS, I made the decision to go with NCIS. Haven't regretted it at all (and yeah, I can catch the House reruns a week later but my heart isn't in it. They messed with the show. Kudos to NCIS for sticking with what works!!)

[Paul]

Charles Durning should have gotten a best actor award for that show. That was one of the most moving shows I have ever watched. A lot of people don't know that Durning served in WWII, in the army and was awarded the Silver Star. I have always been a big fan of Bellasario especially Quantum Leap, Jag and Magnum. I always wondered if he had anything to do with Black Sheep Squadron, a lot of the characters from that show ended up in Magnum and Quantum Leap, as well as Jag.

[Kate]

I agree about Durning. Often the truest heroes are the ones that toot their own horns the least.

Hope Bellisario is involved somehow in the NCIS spinoff. He's got a gift for these sorts of shows.