Butterfly Effect

This segment of the series is overly serious -almost no comic relief or kidding/ribbing each other amongst the team. Also, the complicated screenplay is bent on throwing the viewer off, more than twists but story U-turns instead.

It starts off like a terrorism or epidemic thriller right out of the late Wolfgang Petersen's prophetic: "Outbreak". Then the story turns on a dime, with more switcheroos to come.

Not my cup of tea, especially since I originally became addicted to this show for its more linear straight-ahead "solve the crime" approach rather than a changing gears at will type of writing.

When I first discovered NCIS, I could not get enough of the stories and characters. I wanted to watch each and every episode. That was many years ago back when it was Gibbs, DeNozzo and Ducky.

I've tried to be open to the cast which have a hard act to follow, but the chemistry is missing and I'm not engaged or inspired by any of it.

This episode was lukewarm, like a bath that needs more hot water on a cold winter's night. Parker is never going to match the legendary Gibbs. Knight is unlike any of the wonderful female agents they've had front and centre. Torres isn't Ziva. These characters from years ago had heart, soul and dimensions. Maybe it's the script, or the actors, I don't know.

The personal drama didn't hook me in, the stakes just didn't feel high and I didn't care if the case was solved.

I caught an old episode, where Bishop was overseas with Gibbs and a guy was granted US asylum. The marine roots really made such a difference. The rules mattered. Fighting for what's right, our values were all part of the package.

NCIS needs a massive rethink. What about an all female elite force with Bishop and Ziva with an international element? Kate's death was faked and she's back. Abbie is doing her thing too. Crazy stuff, but with guest appearances from DiNozzo, then other women who have also been significant B stories, they all had something, but couldn't shine in a very male dominated past.

I doubt it could happen since mainstream channels buckle down to tradition in these tough economic times, so they ditch diversity, originality, and creativity. Perhaps it's a Netflix or Amazon project which could come up with a fresh take on a now tired but much loved show to deliver 20 more years of drama that we watch repeatedly, craving, and wanting more.

I'm still loyal and try to watch NCIS. Jimmy and Tim carry some of the old charm that we loved in NCIS, but they aren't enough. It was always going to be tough post Gibbs' exit, but we need a young Gibbs prequel or some cooler spin-off that injects new energy into the current NCIS. I'd like for it to continue in some form, but it needs resuscitation, because the show is dying. It's very sad.