NCIS: A strange thing happened…

I admit it I am a television snob.  I find reality shows to be full of people who have no talent other than they fit some stereotypical idea of what is pretty or sexy.  I have never understood the desire to watch a bunch of back-stabbing lying people fight in some seemingly remote place over a million dollars and an Immunity Statue.  To this day I have only seen one Season of American Idol and frankly that was enough.  Although if they ever had a band like Flogging Molly or The Toasters on Idol Gives Back I may stop in for a visit, but since I have not heard any reports of hell freezing over I can’t see that happening, ever.  But, and I am about to piss off even more people with this little bit of info, I am really not a fan of Procedurals.  CSI?  Could care less.  The Mentalist?  Nope sorry.  Trauma?  The only thing that could have made me watch that train wreck was Kevin Rankin and that was only because he was on Friday Night Lights.  And then we have NCIS.  In the beginning I tuned in more for some back ground noise at the end of the day as I went through my nightly ritual of ending the day.  I have been a fan of Mark Harmon’s since I first saw him in the little known classic (ok probably not a classic, but who cares?) Summer School.  If you haven’t seen I highly recommend it. 

I have never been an avid fan of NCIS.  It didn’t bother me if I missed an episode or hell even a whole season.  But gradually over time I have found myself tuning in more and more over the years.  And as it would seem I am not the only one who has noticed this gradual shift, because the ratings for a show that in all intent and purposes should be going down are doing just the opposite.  Most shows begin to show their wear and tear after the first 5 seasons.  Just look at CSI, sure it is still a ratings monster, but a smaller less formidable one.  But not NCIS, it  just keeps getting bigger.  So why is that?  Why is a show that seemed as an after thought to all the rest of the procedural shows on the air is suddenly becoming the BMOC?  Have they changed their format?  Not as far as I can tell.  Have they bowed down to the ratings gods and offered up cheap gimmicks to get the people to watch?  Again I have to say, not as far as I can tell.  Is it smarter, darker, and all around more complex?  Um, once again I have to go with no on this one too.  So why?  Well here are a few of my theories behind the new found success.

Cases:

Yes the cases on NCIS could probably fit in well with the hundred and one other procedural shows on right now.  But with no very disctinct difference.  Behind every crime there is a personal story.  In the course of the hour we learn that like in life crime is very rarely black and white.  Sometimes there are no bad guys, just bad choices.  When you are watching the NCIS gang put together the clues you honestly feel as though they are searching for the truth no matter what the outcome.  Plus for the most part the story is easy to follow and you don’t feel as though you need a degree in Crimenology in order to understand what the hell is going on.  I also have to admit that for all the technology that is branded about on other shows that Ducky still performs autopsies in a plain room with little to no extras.  Because honestly they just aren’t needed and they have a tendency to take away from the drama that is going on instead of adding to it.  Seeing a projection of a dead body in thin air just makes solving a crime seem to easy as though any fool who takes a course over the internet could do it.

A little lightness if you please:

So what is the first thing you say when you are standing over a dead body?  Why you crack a joke of course.  Heartless you say?  Maybe, but sometimes in the face of undeniable tragedy a little levity is required.  It helps to keep things in perspective.  The gang take their job seriously but with just a smattering of comedy thrown in.  It’s refreshing and in a way it reminds you that at the end of the hour it is just a television show and it’s job is to entertain you and nothing more.  They aren’t trying to force their ideals and morals down your throat.  They are simply trying to tell a good story.  Plus I love the head slap. 

The Gang:

When Gibbs, Ziva, McGee, Tony, Abby, & Ducky get together in one room they bicker, they laugh, and most importantly they love like family.  They may work together and go home to separate places but in their core they belong together.  When one is hurting the rest drop everything to come to their rescue.  They break rules and go against authority to protect their own.  Like family they can say whatever they want about each other but they had better not hear anyone else say something bad because then it is on.  Gibbs being the old school father figure that he is provides his kids with a stern look when it is needed, quiet words of encouragement, and a gentle hug when it is required.  And in turn they look to him for guidance and acceptance.  They all compete to be the guy that rides shotgun.  While some shows build on the idea that in order to have a good show a couple is needed to cement viewers NCIS hints at the possibilty of something peeking out from behind but never lets it over power the show.  It isn’t a show that lives or dies on romantic entanglements.  If Ziva & Tony never get together it’s ok with us.  If McGee & Abby never look across the lab and give into their geek attraction that’s cool too.  NCIS is about all of them and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Whether these are the reasons NCIS has turned into a show that no one can stop watching or not I don’t really know.  But they are my reasons and they keep me watching so in the end I guess it really doesn’t matter why we are watching just that we are.