It feels good to be back watching this show. It's lighthearted and easy to follow; it's entertaining. Not only that, the main characters are memorable; they're also entertaining to watch, making it the perfect show to always come back to when you want to unwind, and since it's such a long show, you can continue doing that for a while.
This premiere was decent and enjoyable to watch, even though it didn't seem like one with how it felt like any other episode; I'd have preferred it if it had a bit more individuality and distinction. But I think the plot was more impactful than in most episodes, so despite not coming across with the full punch of what you'd expect from premieres, it still had a bit of flavoring. It doesn't compare with the first season's premiere, though. Or most episodes in the first season. However, this is the first episode; I'm sure the excitement will increase.
What elevated this premiere the most was, without a doubt, the performance by Abigail Breslin. Delivering acting like that at just seven (?) years old is nothing short of incredible. It also reminded me of Henry Thomas' audition for E. T. Now, having looked her up, it's no surprise she got nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress; that's when she was ten years old. In a way, I'm glad about that: and how she's significant now, especially to have a filled Wikipedia page; considering her performance in this premiere, it would've been inconceivable if she wasn't this known. Good thing she was in the film Signs two years prior.
In a similar vein, David Keith's performance was also good. I thought Abigail's was way better, but he still did pretty well.
Besides that, an important thing happened in this premiere: McGee's promotion to a full-time field agent. It has happened. Sean Murray's presumably a member of the main cast now for pretty much the entire show forward. I'm still unsure if the intention was there in the first season. He was in the last six episodes; maybe the writers were already planning to up him to a season regular. But that may have been due to the audience's presumably positive response to his character, hence why his promotion happened in this premiere and not one of the last few episodes of the first season.
Either way, he's in the fold now/part of the team, and I like it. He's one of the originals. But I can't wait until Ziva shows up; she's the draw. I'm 90% sure her first appearance is towards the end of the season. Or the third season. But I think it's in this season. And then the original team will be together. They have to be among the top iconic fictional television show teams.
In total, I thought there was a severe lack of distinction to this premiere, but I by no means hated it. Most importantly, I'm just glad to return to this show. It's perfect for a cooldown, and you don't have to utilize your brain much, which becomes more so because it's a (police) procedural, the self-containment of it all. At the very least, I hope this premiere was a sour drop in an otherwise sweet concoction.
