(Wow! Three posts in a row in as many days on my albatross of a LiveJournal page. What is wrong with me? But I have to comment. Because the newest of the NCIS news is so comment-able; I just can't help myself, and it just keeps comin'.)
A little Q&A before we get started.
Q. How many random new characters does it take to replace a DiNozzo?
A. Three, apparently. (But there was some jockeying for that last slot, as well as (I presume) some sort of behind-the-scenes bloodsport.
To be fair, one of them isn't entirely random. Number one! We first met Duane Henry's soft-spoken Clayton Reeves in one of the episodes that occurred during the cluster fracas of Season 13. (I can't be bothered to remember specifics.) What I need to know, is whether he voted Leave or Remain, and whether or not he'll Brexit in a blaze of glory for the WOW FACTOR around sweeps time. I sure hope he learns to enunciate soon.
I won't comment much on the actors themselves. I'm more of a person to comment on the character, not the actor. So none of my comments are made against the actors themselves. I'm sure they are lovely talented folks who have done wonderful, wonderful work on television shows I've never watched. But I don't care about any of that. I'm concerned about the story and the plot and what kind of characters these people are going to be. (Yes, I am a writer/storyteller first and an entertainment fan second. I can't help but be critical about the storytelling aspects.)
Keep calm and carry on.
The other two characters are completely random. I feel like Gary Glasberg and Co are throwing darts while blindfolded and heavily intoxicated. Maybe something will stick. But who knows!
Number two! Wilmer Valderrama will play someone who remains nameless. (Unless I missed that detail? Please advise.) The description goes like this: He plays a "once grounded NCIS field agent who accepted a deep cover assignment years ago and never resurfaced. Many agents don't know he's still on the job or that he's even alive. Now, he's back and his dedication to the job and country has left him an unpredictable, charismatic loose cannon." Oooo, ahhhh! I love how they got really imaginative with this one. I did not see it coming. (Insert some sarcasm font here.)
OK, I'll take a bite. From a character perspective, yeah. This could be interesting. Buuuut, I'm sort of stuck on how "dedication to job and country" = charisma and unpredictability and loose cannon tendencies. I mean... ? He sounds kind of like a liability. (Does Gibbs like liabilities now?) So yeah. He's cool and edgy and probably heterosexual as hell. He's back from the dead. He'll get along great with Ghost!Franks. Gosh, where's that man when you need him?
Number three! (And this is the one that spurred this whole rambling rant.) Jennifer Esposito will play Alexandra "Alex" Quinn. (She has a name!) The description goes like this: "an experienced agent who left field work and became an instructor at the Law Enforcement Training Center. Gibbs (Harmon) will lure her back into the field as part of his team, where he will take advantage of her sharp wit, quick mind and immense talent as a federal agent. Her character will be introduced in the September 20 season premiere." Folks! Guess what! We've just found the female DiNozzo. Gosh, I'm so relieved.
What I find amusing is that when Gibbs (once again) loses a good and solid team member, he has to go around poaching folks from different places and "lure" them back to his team where he'll "take advantage" of every skill they might have. (Does that include "suck them dry of any and all joy and spirit"? Yes, probably. Gibbs is the vampire of joy.) Just seems a little... desperate? But I'm sure this new character has a whole sob story behind her, something which only Gibbs will be allowed to relate with.
Look, I don't want to be negative about Gibbs. He was such a cool character. He still is, in some aspects. But now? He's a fucking pit of misery. And not only that, he's a fucking prick. They've made this once admirable character into somebody you dread seeing. It's like they sucked all the personality out of him. I just don't know how he's going to become human enough again to convince anybody to join his team. But sure, they'll have him do his glare-schtick and people will be falling over themselves for the "opportunity." Run for your lives! (Literally.)
I wonder if Season-14-Gibbs (I refuse to call him actual-Gibbs) will make the newbies (all three of them) sign a clause stating they will not have a psychotic break like his last right-hand man. (I'm sorry, that's the only explanation I can muster for Tony's spectacular implosion. HEY! We know Tony. He never does shit half-way. He goin' crazy? He goin' crazy ALL THE WAY, plus secret love child. Deal with it.)
((BTW why did no one question Tony about his decision making?? That's a whole other conversation.))
All of this leads me to the final point I'd like to make about this whole random mess. I know they are trying to inject more life in this show. (Like giving adequan shots to your dead show horse.) They are trying to make it "new" and "exciting." But they are neglecting one huge thing... Several things, actually. McGee, Ellie, Ducky, Abby, Vance, Jimmy. Without Tony (and excluding Gibbs and his three probies), there are SIX characters remaining. Could these characters not make the show interesting? I know plenty of McGee fans who'd LOVE to see McGee actually do something, and he has, but something NEW, something MORE. How are we going to be able to see this with THREE NEW CHARACTERS to deal with + Gibbs' requisite EMO MOMENTS (which are, ya know, contractually obligated)?? <-- That was a joke.
As a Tony fan, I'd LOVE to see how McGee handles Tony's absence. I swear, if it's business as usual, I will be bothered. And what about Ellie? We barely know her. She already blends into the background. How will she factor into this?
I worry the NCIS we all know and love is moving away from "character-driven drama" in favor of becoming "just another crime drama." The characters are what made this show so lovable. The new cast feels so crowded. Seriously, THREE NEW CHARACTERS to replace Tony? I loved Tony -- so, so much. But three characters feels like over-kill. Not even Tony was that special.
I realize they are trying to feel out what works. But how about just picking ONE character and making that character someone we can love and root for, just like we did Tony?
There's some silver-lining to this storm cloud. NCIS is coming closer to fixing its "white dude problem." Added to that, I sort of (selfishly) hope that one of these new characters is gay, or otherwise not heterosexual. But this is NCIS, and I'm already laughing at myself for even hoping that.
((Yes, Dorneget was gay, but did we hear anything more about that after he came out to McGee and after we --sort of-- learned he had a crush on DiNozzo? No. Instead, we only met his mom. Not his boyfriend or his husband or even an ex or another gay friend. No. His mom. Completely safe and neutral ground. I felt like that was some sort of covert slap in the face. Just sayin’ “Don’t worry! We’re making this as heteronormative as possible!”))
Anyway, yes -- the newest NCIS news has sent me in a bit of a tailspin. I feel like all of these new characters will take time away from the other characters we've grown to love, especially McGee. It just doesn't feel right. It’s so weird. What are they gonna DO with everybody? Not to mention, they wanted to do stuff w/ Fornell and and and (UGH! I could rant for days.)
It's NCIS 2.0 -- now with multiple-personality-disorder. Maybe we recognize it… but probably not!
(((And I can't help but think that they're grasping for straws and frantically trying to bail out a sinking ship. NOT because Tony is gone, but because this show is OLD and on its last leg, yes yes it is, and it was never meant to be Law and Order. Gibbs should retire. He really, really should. It's what MAKES SENSE for his character. Can't see him going on for much longer. Sometimes, the kindest thing to do is say goodbye to an old friend...)))
What a shit show. What a fucking shit show.
((((Time for a new season of Mr. Robot to start.))))
okay
pissed off
