NCIS: Los Angeles

Used to love this show, it had more levity than the original even when the stories seemed a bit stale. I understand Linda Hunt cannot due a weekly procedural anymore but would still like to see her a little more often. Gerald McRaney has done a fantastic job filling her shoes so her loss hasn't created too big of a hole. The problem with show now is Roundtree and Namazi they are both bad actors that add very little to the the show. Neither one of the characters has ever been any good. Namazi whines way too much and Roundtree is just blah. Individually and as a team they are ruining the show. I hope the show runners realize this sooner rather than later and get rid of those two and replace them with something watchable.

As I said in the title is this show is one of the best spinoffs that I've seen in a long time. It has good action, good humor and very exciting, possibly more exciting that the original. However after Granger left or Martin Ferreo passed away I've kind of lost interest, especially when they brought that horrible woman, Mosley on to take his place. Since she is ice cold, stuck up and wants to seperate the team, it's just not the same. I hope Mosley will be fired from NCIS cause I think that she just a terrible character and the team being seperated will ruin the show. I also don't care for Callen dating Anna but that's another story. Still, I don't hate the show it's just hate Mosley (Nia Long).

As opposed to other reviewers who are sadly so limited they can only conceive of Linda Hunt as an object of derision, I tune in specifically to see her. The show is adequate. I've always liked LL Cool J and it's nice to see Chris O'Donnell again. (The nerds suck, especially when you consider Abby from the original show.) But it's the presence of Linda Hunt that elevates this show. She's a rich, interesting actor and her character here has a great backstory.

Sure this team could be managed by yet another grizzled actor playing a tough as nails former Navy Seal type, whose life has been touched by tragedy because his wife died of breast cancer or his little girl choked on a marble. I'd rather have Linda Hunt because she is a true original. I've seen enough shallow cookie cutter actors with impossibly white teeth and ripped abs. Now I want to watch stories about people who are unique and unusual and earthy and human.

I love this show because it's so different to the original as in my opinion it is too procedural and I just never got that invested in the characters.

Whereas NCIS LA is totally different. This show has a 24/Scorpion feel to it. It doesn't just deal with homicides but drug cartels, terrorists, kidnapping etc. They often have cases that take them overseas, threaten their lives or nation security and are always going undercover as they are a covert branch of NCIS.

The characters have interesting back stories, especially Callen and Hetty. The introduction of Marty Deeks at the end of season 1 was genius and created a comedic element as well. Kensi is a great character as well and I like the nerds, Eric and Nell.

So in my opinion this show has everything. Yes it's procedural in nature but has lots of back stories and arcs each season. You really become invested in the characters which I think is important in a tv show as you care about them and want to watch them develop.

The only reason I haven't given it 10 stars is because season 1 isn't as good as the rest and then most of season 9 is subpar but gets better towards the end of the season and then season 10 has been good. I'm excited for season 11.

NCIS:Los Angeles was something I wasn't expecting to like. At first, it was rather rocky, with some sluggishly paced and unoriginal stories, clichés in the writing and characters that didn't come into their shell for a bit. Over time though, while it is not as good as the original series NCIS:Naval Crimimal Investigative Service, it has gotten better.

The series is handsome to look at, and the music is memorable and clever. The writing, pace and stories have gotten better and more interesting, and the characters more absorbing. When it comes to the acting, Chris O'Donnell and LL Cool J, two actors that I initially thought "no way is this going to work" are surprisingly good, and casting Linda Hunt I agree as the show's most interesting character to date is a masterstroke.

Overall, far from perfect but over time it has gotten better after a rocky start. 7/10 Bethany Cox