"Navy NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service" (2003) TV series 2003-????

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Creators:

Donald P. Bellisario
Don McGill

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

23 September 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Crime | Mystery

Plot:

The cases of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service

Plot Keywords:

Military | Detective | Naval Uniform | Ex Cop | Teamwork

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 7 wins & 2 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Wed. July 15	6:00 AM	USA	Dead and Unburied	#4.5
Wed. July 15	7:00 AM	USA	Witch Hunt	#4.6

Cast

Mark Harmon	...	Special Agent Jethro Gibbs / ... (138 episodes, 2003-2009)
Michael Weatherly	...	Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo / ... (138 episodes, 2003-2009)
Pauley Perrette	...	Abby Sciuto (138 episodes, 2003-2009)
David McCallum	...	Dr. Donald 'Ducky' Mallard (138 episodes, 2003-2009)
Sean Murray	...	Special Agent Timothy McGee / ... (123 episodes, 2003-2009)
Cote de Pablo	...	Officer Ziva David (91 episodes, 2005-2009)
Brian Dietzen	...	Jimmy Palmer (73 episodes, 2004-2009)
Lauren Holly	...	NCIS Director Jenny Shepard (66 episodes, 2005-2008)

Also Known As:

"NCIS" (USA) (short title)
"NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service" (USA) (new title)
"Naval CIS" (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

USA:60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

Germany:16 (DVD) | Australia:MA | Australia:M (some episodes) | Singapore:NC-16 | Singapore:PG (some episodes) | New Zealand:M (Season 1 DVD rating) | New Zealand:R13 (Original season 1 DVD rating) | New Zealand:PG (Cable Rating Season 1) | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:15

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company:

Belisarius Productions

Trivia:

The show was originally entitled "Navy NCIS". They dropped the "Navy", which was redundant because the "N" in "NCIS" stands for "Naval" referring to the Navy. "NCIS" stands for "Naval Criminal Investigative Service".

Goofs:

Factual errors: In an episode of NCIS, the team discusses the difference between ash and maple bats, explaining that ash, while more popular, tend to explode rather than just make a clean break like maple bats. In reality, it's the maple bats that explode, while ash bats make clean breaks.

Quotes:

[Tony's nicknames for Agent McGee]
Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo: McCheat - McChittyChat - McContrary - McCranky - McDetail - McEgghead - McFlabby - McFlowerPower - McFreaky - McGarnagle - McGecko - McGeek - McGiggles - McGnome - McGoo - McGoogle - McGPS - McGruff - McGullable - McKilljoy - McLawyer - McLovin' - McMuse - McMotherboard - McNerd - McProbious - McRomeo - McScout - McShipmate - McSnapper - McSneaky - McSofty - McTardy - McTim - McZero
Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo: Probie - Probalicious - Probie-Wan Kanobie - Daniel McBoone - The Great McOz - Elf Lord

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Nip/Tuck: August Walden (#5.13)" (2008)

Still going strong

I've written about this show before on IMDb --- but here I am months later in May 2005 and yet it still continues to be impressive. There have been a few shows that were "bleh" in the last season but the "SWAK" episode tonight really got a few great moments of emotion between the cast members. The writers (at least to me) were able to pull off the "suspended disbelief" and I got pulled into the moment as DiNozzo was about to kick the bucket. I sure hope they keep most of the cast in the next season, as they seem to play off each other brilliantly. The only cast member I could see losing (according to the season finale preview, they lose an NCIS agent) is McGee. He's great and believable for his role, but any of the others lost as regulars on the show would break down the core character interplay. The McGee character could be replaced...but the others would be much more difficult. But then again I guess this is all decided and in the can...we'll find out on May 24th. My comments to other viewers that have commented on the reality of the series --- yeah, it's not the real life NCIS at all. But real life would be mind-numbingly boring to fit in 60 minute TV show. You'd need the constant buzz of fluorescent lights in the background combined with pages and pages of forms being typed into the computer --- mostly about drug abuses by young 18 year olds. This is TV drama and a fabricated fiction. I appreciate the nod Bellesario gives to NCIS and like the show for the entertainment it is. Real life NCIS isn't a fun job, but we get an hour on Tuesday night to pretend it is.