NCIS: Los
Angeles The First Season (CBS Blu-ray Set) + CSI The Tenth Season + CSI:
NY The Sixth Season (all 2009 2010/CBS DVD Sets)
Picture: B/C+/C+ Sound: B/B-/B- Extras: C Episodes: C+/C+/C
More CBS
multiple series action franchises have arrived on video and once again, it
includes a Blu-ray. We look at three
titles this time, none of which I have commented on before. I was not a fan of the original NCIS, as this review for The Sixth Season will show:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/8983/NCIS+%E2%80%93+The+Sixth+Seaso
The new
show breaks the pattern of hiring a more experienced actor lead and the first NCIS spin-off, NCIS: Los Angeles The First Season uses a crossover to launch
this show co-starring LL Cool J and Chris ODonnell (making his slow comeback)
as undercover cops along with Linda Hunt as their OPS manager. It is a decent set-up with more life to it than
the previous series, most of the CSI
series and is even better (though maybe designed to mirror) the awkward CBS
revival of Hawaii 5-0. The show eventually
falls into its own formula in the 24 hour-long shows presented here over 5
Blu-ray discs.
It is a
stronger production than most of its kind and they are putting the money into
it, but I just wish the writing was better as the cast is more likable than
usual. In the meantime, our coverage of
the CSI franchise has been mostly of
the Miami spin-off on DVD for whatever reason,
as the following links will show:
One
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/1211/CSI:+Miami+-+Season+One
Two
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/2738/CSI:+Miami+-+Season+Two
Four
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4580/CSI:+Miami+%E2%80%93+The+Comp
Seven w/CSI: Season Nine Blu-ray
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/9159/CSI+%E2%80%93+The+Ninth+Season
It has
literally been years since I addressed the show and sadly, William Petersen
(the star and creator of the original show) left, so where does that leave the
series? Laurence Fishburne has been more
than up to the job of succeeding Petersen and Marg Helgenberger is better here
than she may be getting credit for, but it and its New York companion (which is
weaker) are the kind of slick shows that are interesting when you watch, but
are forgotten when you turn them off and that was never the case with the best
such shows a few decades ago.
The use
and abuse of certain technology is never questioned because the characters are
all considered good and unquestionable, which is typical of a Jerry Bruckheimer
production and that is beyond tired. The
same goes for CSI: NY, which has a
good combination in Gary Sinise and Melinda Kanakaredes, but this spin-off is
flatter and I never bought its gritty street side. Again, I like the actors, but the material is
rarely interesting beyond an amusing distraction. At this point of this franchise overall, the
shows are for fans only, yet somehow hang in there in popularity, but for how
much longer, who knows.
The 1080p
1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image on NCIS
is a big surprise, especially for an HD shoot.
Motion blur is limited and the show is not only using the older
Panavision Genesis camera that is only so good, but the have added the Arri
ALEXA camera and that seems to make a difference. Color is still somewhat manipulated and the
editing of sound and image is the hit-you-over-the-head type that gets
tiresome quickly, but the performance here is better than most current
TV-on-Blu-ray we have seen to date. The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image on the CSI DVDs both offer some good shots, but they are undermined by a
combination of soft shots, softening by the style of the show, including out of
focus shots and digital effects.
Ultimately, the shows should look better and they do not.
The
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 on NCIS
is also impressive with very good recording for a current dramatic TV series of
any kind and soundfields throughout that do not compromise or cheat the
viewer. No, this is not the best it
could be, but is as strong as any current TV show we have heard on
Blu-ray. The Dolby Digital 5.1 mixes on
the CSI DVDs are better than any of
the Dolby 2.0 Stereo options and are the default highlights in both sets, but
that cannot make the episodes more interesting.
Oh, and enough Who music already.
Extras on
the NCIS Blu-ray include BD Live
interactive features, five making of featurettes, an LL Cool J Music Video, CBS
Promos, spin-off episode from NCIS
Season Six and audio commentary by Shane Brennan on the first episode here,
Identity. The CSI DVDs add two commentary tracks each on two select episodes each
and a set of behind the scenes featurettes (five on CSI, seven on CSI: NY)
and crossover episodes that promote each spin-off (or if you want to be
cynical, force those who get caught up in one show to watch the others). Note that CSI: Miami
is in the mix, but as far as crossover episodes throughout TV history, the best
classic cases have nothing to worry about.
- Nicholas Sheffo
