User Reviews

Without her we wouldn't care for Callen or Hanna as it's her feelings about them that motivate us. It's her support of Deeks that reluctantly made us wait and see with him. It's her knowledge of Callen and her willingness to go after his enemies that carried us through procedural plot. Anyone sent to take her place is seen as our enemy and we long to see them eliminated. We wait for the little sounds bits from this diminutive character squirreling them away like precious nuts. Actually the two information analysts add to Hetty's character in a remarkable way. I was a little shocked when they added Nell as I thought Eric did a fine job without her but Hetty really made the addition work.

A funny thing happened along our journey with Hetty…Callen and Hanna won us over. Normally with chemistry we're worried more between a woman and a man but it's also important between partners, or rather actors portraying partners. Chris O'Donnell and LL Cool J have chemistry. It was a great starting point because until we got to know more about this duo it's really all we had to go on. As we watched we found their characters balanced each other out nicely as well.

Callen is really the central character, before or after Hetty, depending how you look at it, whoever you love more. He doesn't know much about who he or his parents are, what his first name is beyond G or why people tend to try to kill him. O'Donnell plays the chameleon well even though he never really changes. I thinks this is so because it's about embodying the type of man you would imagine a chameleon would be rather than actively being a quick-change artist. His character arc was incorporated from the beginning, and you can tell, as it is worked very fluidly into the regular cases. I believe this is key to the popularity of the show as anything that shakes up the typical procedural format is looked upon favorably by television audiences.

Hanna is a straight shooter, a perfect foil for the silent Callen, and a strong, moral character in his own right. You can believe his background as a former U.S. Navy SEAL and yet delight in the fact his story arcs tend to be about doing the right thing. It adds a lot of depth that it's his ability to speak an Arabic dialect and his affiliation as a Muslim that leads him to these story lines. By taking this character another direction, having him have a rather typical background, as compared to Callen, we can explore how his skills take him places you wouldn't expect. O'Donnell and LL Cool J take turns as to whose story arc will take precedent and I really like the unexpectedness of this. You as a viewer aren't always sure where the story will take you as far as the personal stories are concerned.

At first, Kensi Blye was just the token female for me. She was hot, badass and skillful with guns…what's not to like? It wasn't until one of her fellow secondary characters was killed that she really came into her own. Her development really kept you watching during the first couple years of the show as you could see her character come into her personality. I especially enjoyed her recent character arc while she dealt with her father's past and his death, working on her trust issues. Many times it's not until you are much older that you really see your parents for what they were/are. In my opinion it was smart to link her to the Hawaii Five-O crossover as of all the characters we knew the least about her and it immediately added depth to her character. Especially as Terry O'Quinn was the connection point, as her father being a friend of his makes total sense. Daniela Ruah does Kensi justice in all the right places.

I have to admit I hated Marty Deeks, though I wasn't sad to see the back of Nate Getz either. Eric Christian Olsen gradually won me over as his partnership with Kensi developed in tandem to the flourishing of her character. Deeks' personality is such that he's a great foil for the distrustful Kensi, he can wear her down and teach her intimacy. Do I want Deeks and Kensi to get together…no, to be honest. As soon as they do I feel like it's the death keel of the show. They like each other, they even love each other as partners do, but as of now I like that they are motivated for each others' well being and otherwise keeping it on a professional level. Now Deeks is simply part of 'Kensi and Deeks the partnership' and I no longer wish for his sudden irreversible death.

The producers and writers are making good choices for this show as far as killing off characters, eliminating dead weight and developing the areas of back story and character that we love or have come to love. The one flaw of the show rears it's ugly head quite often when I'm watching this show…it's a procedural with all the procedural faults. Yes, NCIS: LA has the characters to back the story up. The audience enjoys watching them no matter the current difficulties, whether it's just a threat to national security or literally saving the world. It's also repetitive and non-threatening…since when has Hetty, Callen, Hanna, Kensi or Deeks not come through? And that's a problem.

To read my review: http://yaykisspurr.wordpress.com/

No one watches NCIS LA for the crime plotlines. They are childish, predictable, unrealistic and repetitive. They watch it for the interplay between the main characters. Sam and Callen's brotherly deal, Densi and Nell/Eric chemistry and Hetty (just everything Hetty let's be honest).

The last few seasons have been a stretch and pretty weak. Bringing back Harm and Mac, Eric going to San Francisco etc.

But fundamentally the early episodes are fun to watch and re-watch.

While this show isn't exactly like the original NCIS, I still absolutely love it. There is still that dynamic of banter. Instead of Tony/Kate(or Ziva)/ McGee, it's now Sam/Callen. While I do think this might have been better set in San Diego, I still like the premise.

The investigation is quite different, but expected. They are not part of a MCRT, like the original NCIS, but rather OSP. They are undercover agents, more CIA then FBI, if you will. Their technique will be different. They don't wear badges, or ID themselves, because OSP 'doesn't exist'. This is referenced many times, especially when a story of their case comes on the news on TV, and Callen mentions that they never get credit, it's always the FBI or LAPD, and Hetti tells him that they can't get credit, because they don't exist.

I love that there is a hidden past for Callen, much in the way that Gibbs's bast was hidden for the first three years. And having Director Vance and Abby make short crossovers is excellent. While JAG ended just a few years after NCIS started, I would love to see more crossovers with the OSP and the MCRT.

For the people that have commented that this show is not a Bellisario production, perhaps you should realize that the original NCIS has dumped him as well. He is now simply a creator, but NOT an executive producer (and hasn't been for a few years).

This is the very hyped spin-off to NCIS. It was good. More hits than misses. LL Cool J and Chris O'Donnell play their parts like veterans.

Character wise you'll notice differences and similarities between this and NCIS obviously. There's a computer guru like Abby. There's a psychologist in the show where as in NCIS there isn't one. The main chief, Hetty, is an old woman who seems to treat her agents like their kids. In the first episode when Agent Callen (O'Donnell) arrives for his day back to work, Hetty makes sure he has everything he needs including a new wardrobe!!! She is definitely unlike Gibbs in many ways. Gibbs would never pamper his agents to that level. Gibbs is more direct and impatient. Hetty seems a bit more understanding. Hanna and Callen have a buddy buddy relationship in the tradition of Dinozzo and McGee. I found O'Donnell and LL's chemistry to be right on the money. Perfect casting here. They are creating a spin-off show with a couple of the same formulas from the original with an LA feeling. So far I think they've succeeded.

You'll also notice differences in the way of how the organization deals with cases. For the bulk of the pilot it was Callen and Hanna doing the bulk of the muscle for their investigation. Maybe this will change over time.

Story-wise the show seems to have a couple of stories to pursue. Callen still hasn't gotten his moment of justice for the people that shot him. In the the pilot is about a Navy Officer whose gunned down by people who are working for the drug cartel. There are a couple of twists to make the outcome not seem so obvious. OK sure it's a story that probably has been repeated many times but then again NCIS has plenty of routine stories that have been done to death.

"Identity" introduces the main characters of the show. They establish O'Donnell and LL as the main stars. We get a taste of the supporting characters but not enough obviously to let us know what makes them act the way they do. We also get a few characters making cameos for the show like Director Vance.

Overall, this so far is a nice spin-off. "Identity" was entertaining. There's a lot of possibilities here. As long as the show has character development and make stories interesting this could end up like NCIS having a long run.

Like one reviewer says that going back over to the military cases. Not that over in the hate crimes and race that it gets old there.

But this is set in LA led by witty Hetty played by Linda Hunt and that over in usually focusing on G Callen an ex-FBI, DEA, and CIA agent and Navy SEAL Sam Hanna as it also has ex-LAPD officer turned new rookie NCIS Marty Deeks and. Kensi Blythe the couple there that were going together now they are married.

Really go back to solving military crimes.

What were they thinking? A model rocket and a deadman switch plus a concrete truck dropping wet concrete from above while the bad guys fumble around unaware? The whole episode was slapped together with stupid / implausible plot points and unbelievable situations. Add that to the over use, poor writing, and bad acting on Nia Long's character, Assistant Director Shay Mosley, and you've got the worst and most unwatchable episode ever. Everyone loves Heddy, and I want her back too, but I want the old writing style and brains back more than anything! Guess someone's trying to kill the gravy train with these actors and writers...