I used to say that television was a vast wasteland and stood by that statement in immoveable concrete shoes. I actually stopped watching TV for a long while, with the exception of one or two particular shows every season. For a while it seemed like I only had two choices, blatant rip-offs of better shows or (kill me now) 'reality shows.' But back when the DVD market started becoming a haven for TV shows (new, old and cancelled), I was given the opportunity to see a lot of what I had been missing and found that it wasn't so much a wasteland. There was a lot of good TV out there… you just needed to know where to look. Where I thought that crime dramas were a dime a dozen, shows like "CSI" (and its subsequent spin-offs) proved to me I was wrong. It was still possible to find creativity strong enough to last multiple seasons. Of course, there is an interesting double-edged sword for the networks to my learning this.

As I find out there is more 'good' to watch on TV than I thought, I tend to wait for the DVD releases in order to watch them. After all, I can get in a whole season in just a few days and no commercials.

Anyhow, my point is that I really must learn to give more shows a chance, even if I think they are one of the blatant rip-offs of another. A perfect case is "NCIS." When I first heard of the show, the first thing that went through my head was that it was trying to steal the idea that "CSI" brought to the table. As I understood it, the NCIS team solved crimes using high-tech science, and more interestingly… cool camera shots to go 'inside' the crime. I avoided the show when it initially aired, figuring it wouldn’t last all that long anyway. Turns out I was wrong again. "NCIS" is currently in its 4th successful season.

A few months ago, Paramount added the 1st season of "NCIS" to its roster of TV on DVD releases, and as such I was able to see for myself if it stood apart from "CSI." The series stars Mark Harmon as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (a name that sounds right at home in my Texas neighborhood), an investigator for the Navy Criminal Investigative Squad. The rest of his team is made up of Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly), Caitlin Todd (Sasha Alexander), the heavily tattooed forensic scientist Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette), and the bespectacled Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Donald 'Ducky' Mallard (David McCallum.) Together they solve crimes ranging from murder to terrorist threats.

In watching the show I was immediately impressed by a couple of things. The first was the incredible cinematography, which was further enhanced by an awesome DVD transfer. And I'm not talking about the special effects shots, I'm talking about the overall look of the series. Then there was the matter of the cast. I really got into the quirks of each of the characters almost immediately and found myself enjoying how they gelled as a team. Sure it was similar on many ways to "CSI", but admittedly it distinguished itself much in the same way that the actual spin-offs of that series did. It set itself apart by creating its own style.

I've always rather liked Mark Harmon in that he comes across as that 'everyman' type of character. This is one of the stronger roles he's played in a while and he does a great job of carrying the bulk of the series while giving his cast mates room to shine. Michael Weatherly is another actor I'm glad is getting another shot at a series. His two seasons on "Dark Angel" made me a fan, and while his character here is quite different, he's no less mesmerizing.

But of all the actors on the series, I'm the most happy to see David McCallum. Being that I'm ancient, I grew up watching "The Man from Uncle", where he played opposite Robert Vaughn, and I loved his character. After that I only saw him in a handful of movie roles and then he seemed to disappear. A few years ago I caught him hosting a TV special on Nostradamus and I thought that was pretty much the end of his career. His role on "NCIS" however, has jump started his career and earned him a whole new legion of fans.

Now that they are following that set up with season 2 (out this month), I took the time to see if the freshman season was a fluke, or if they could keep up the quality for another year. After making it through a marathon viewing of all 23 episodes I have determined that the show not only continued to be good, but they upped the stakes in order to allow it to top itself. The episodes in the 2nd season were actually more involved, even to the point of bringing some of the cases a little too close to home. We learn first hand what a dangerous job the characters have, and the season ends badly.

The DVD for the 2nd season includes all 23 episodes and to be honest, I don't think there was a bad one in the bunch. It kept me as a fan, almost as much as I am for all three "CSI" series. There are only a few special features, but they're all decent. The first thing you'll run across is two commentaries. The first is on the episode, "The Bone Yard" by co- executive producer Chas. Floyd Johnson, while the other is on the season finale "Twilight" and features actors Pauley Perrette and Michael Weatherly, who are joined by writer John C. Kelly.

You'll also find 3 separate featurettes. 'Investigating Season 2" is full of interviews from the cast and crew about the overall season arc while "What's New in Season 2" allows them to talk more about how the show is different form all of those other shows. In "The Real NCIS", we hear from real life investigators who compare and contrast the realities of the job against the show. Finally, "Lab Tour with Pauley Perrette" is pretty much as it sounds.

This 6-disc set is well worth the time to watch as "NCIS" shows signs that it is good enough to last several more seasons (I hope).

Episodes:
See No Evil
The Good Wives Club
Vanished
Lt. Jane Doe
The Bone Yard (Commentary by Chas. Floyd Johnson)
Terminal Leave
Call of Silence
Heart Break
Forced Entry
Chained
Black Water
Doppelganger
The Meat Puzzle
Witness
Caught On Tape
Pop Life
An Eye For An Eye
Bikini Wax
Conspiracy Theory
Red Cell
Hometown Hero
SWAK
Twilight (Commentary by Pauley Perrette, John C. Kelley and Michael Weatherly)

Starring: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Sasha Alexander, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum
Extras: Investigating Season 2, What's New in Season 2, The Real NCIS, Lab Tour with Pauley Perrette
Specifications: Widescreen, Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Sound
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: 11/14/2006
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give NCIS: Season 2 an A-.