Serial review: 'NCIS: Los Angeles' a pale shadow of the original

NCIS: Los Angeles, a spin-off America's most popular crime series Naval Crime Investigative Series (NCIS), is currently in its third season, but in India we are still keeping track of it in its second season.

A group of undercover agents that specialises in investigating military crimes, the team is led by G Callen (Chris O’Donell), his right hand being a former Navy SEAL Sam Hanna (LL Cool). Others include junior special agent Kensi Blye (Daniela Ruah), detective Marty Deeks (Christian Olsen), operational psychologist Nate Getz (Peter Cambor), resident geek Eric Beale (Barrett Foa), and last, but not the least the operations manager, the intriguing Hetty Lange (Linda Hunt).

NCIS: Los Angeles keeps up to its reputation of being a thriller series — with its action, chases and international conspiracies, yet it is not a series that you’d swear by. Even if it stars Chris O’Donell, rapper Cool or the Oscar winning actor Linda Hunt. The reason being that there is nothing in it that you’ve not seen on any of the umpteen number of crime series across channels. Take for instance, the original NCIS, which apparently is also a spin-off of a popular thriller JAG. What makes the series absolutely rivetting are its characters and their quirkiness. Right from the stern, attractive and mysterious boss of the team, Gibbs, to his junior agents DiNozzo, beautiful Ziva, geeky McGee and the boss’s favourite, Abby. Their antics and one-liners are as engaging as the way they go about solving crimes involving politics, terrorists and the military. But after what BBC’s done with Sherlock Holmes, you can longer be voyeuristically content with the chor-police versions. NCIS: Los Angeles’ lead character G Callen has a secret, but you’re intrigued with it only till the episode last. And most on this serial seem to love to brood, except for Hetty Lange.

Having said that, the show is still a better option when there’s nothing playing on televison. You are sure to find your reasons to watch this NCIS spin-off. Mine is Hetty Lange. She’s a favourite. And that she's played by the legendary four-feet something Oscar winning actor Linda Hunt makes it immensely watchable.