'NCIS: Origins' Impresses Critics

         On October 14, 2024, CBS premiered 'NCIS: Origins', which has earned predominantly positive reviews from critics, currently holding at 86% on Rotten Tomatoes. "NCIS: Origins" follows a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs in 1991, years prior to the events of "NCIS." In the series, Gibbs starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks." The ensemble cast includes Mark Harmon, Austin Stowell, Kyle Schmid, Mariel Molino, and Tyla Abercrumbie. But what did the critics say?

        Joel Keller of Decider says, "NCIS: Origins is a solid NCIS prequel that promises some backstory for Gibbs while introducing us to how the agency operated when even other government agencies had no idea it existed." Adding, Stowell brings Harmon’s stoicism to the younger Gibbs, but one whose anger is still just under that stoic surface. In a lot of ways, though, this NCIS might be centered on Schmid’s character Mike Franks as much as it is on Gibbs. Schmid is somewhat old-fashioned, but with his quirks — he listens to power-pop ballads before interrogating suspects. He seems to have a rebellious streak, but he also respects the chain of command. He will of course be Gibbs’ mentor at the agency, and it seems like there’s a backstory developing with him and his significant other, but what that story is is largely undefined in the first two episodes. What the show also needs to stop doing is leaning on its period for atmosphere. We don’t need to hear cars blaring hits from the time period, or Randolf highlighting the new IBM PS/2 with the color monitor that is installed in the office. Gen Xers like us roll our eyes at these references, while the younger viewers (does NCIS have younger viewers?) don’t really care. Monreal and North need to let those references fade into the background; the only good time to reference the time period is to point out how investigations differed in the pre-internet, pre-smartphone era. Anything other than that makes the show feel like it’s trying to be an episode of The Goldbergs."

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       Chris Willman of Variety notes, "As it turns out, NCIS: Origins does have a raison d’etre that doesn’t depend entirely on quickie corpse-of-the-week cases or on Shannon-and-Kelly redux." Continuing, "Watching Stowell land in the role of Gibbs presents a bigger hurdle. Even his entrance music asks fans to reconsider the hero they thought they knew: He drives onto the Camp Pendleton base cranking up the Pearl Jam. Is that just to establish some period flavor, or is it really meant to blow our minds that Gibbs was once an Eddie Vedder kinda guy? (Franks, for his part, is introduced with some circa-1991 Hank Jr., rather on the nose.) Stowell seems like a hunkier, taller, more chiseled Gibbs than the one we met deeper into middle age, and indeed, the women in the office meet his first arrival at their headquarters with quick but unmistakably lustful double-takes. If anything, Stowell resembles a Brian Dietzen with a bigger neck more than he does Harmon — and he occasionally acts like him, too, having to play the guy whose mouth is sometimes agape as he is educated into the ways of gruesome corpses and crime-solving. Stowell isn’t that much taller than Harmon in real life, but he seems to tower over every other cast member here, a beefy athlete thrust into the role of preternaturally intuitive agent. He’s so un-Harmon-like in most ways, in fact, that it almost makes “Origins” feel more like a reboot than a prequel."

       Matt Webb Mitovich of TV Line writes, "The 1991 setting, as you can imagine, lends itself to not just Asteroids and Galaga machines in the NIS break room, but all manner of “retro” technology and crimesolving methods. (Do not ask Franks how to start up the newly delivered PC, and do not expect fingerprint analysis back from Woody inside of two days!) A trip to a mall in Episode 3 doesn’t distract with ’90s fashion, but there are occasional needle drops — including a use of a Bangles tune that took me a second viewing to truly appreciate." 

'Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage' Will Impress Fans of 'The Big Bang Theory' Universe

         On October 17, 2024, 'Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage' premiered on CBS to positive reviews from critics. In the series, "Georgie and Mandy raise their young family in Texas while navigating the challenges of adulthood, parenting and marriage." The ensemble cast includes Raegan Revord, Montana Jordan, Emily Osment, Dougie Baldwin, Will Sasso, Jessie Prez, Rachel Bay Jones, Annie Potts, and Zoe Perry. But what did the critics say?

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        Ana Dumaraog of Screen Rant says, "The Young Sheldon follow-up, Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage proves how far Chuck Lorre's TV franchise has come since The Big Bang Theory." Adding, "Having followed both The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon, I was concerned about Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage's change in format. Instead of being a single-cam show like its parent series, it transitions to a multi-cam series, which means it is filmed in front of a live audience. The Big Bang Theory had the same approach, and it just couldn't handle drama and emotional moments like Sheldon's origins did. So, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage is unexpectedly emotional. Don't get me wrong, it is still funny. Jordan and Osment have excellent chemistry, and Sasso is phenomenal as the McAllister patriarch who knows not to pick a fight with his wife. That said, the sitcom picks up just a couple of months after George's unexpected death. The Coopers are still reeling from the loss, which the new show handles so well. Georgie's scenes in particular are emotional, especially when he slows down and realizes that his dad is no longer around and how that relates to him also being a father now."

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       Rob Owen of Pittsburgh Tribune-Review notes, "Executive producer Chuck Lorre is known to course-correct when a show needs it. While the jury’s out on what Georgie & Mandy will become, an opening credits sequence of the title characters doing an energetic tango is a winner from the jump." Continuing, "All comedies take time to jell and executive producer Chuck Lorre is known to course-correct when a show needs it (see: “Mom”). While the jury’s out on what “Georgie & Mandy” will become, an opening credits sequence of the title characters doing an energetic tango is a winner from the jump."

'Matlock' Reviews: "show’s breezy tone should win over CBS viewers with ease"

         On September 22, 2024, CBS premieres 'Matlock', which has earned rave reviews from critics, currently holding at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the series, "Brilliant septuagenarian Madeline "Matty" Matlock, who, after achieving success in her younger years, decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases and expose corruption from within. Matty is assigned to Olympia, a senior attorney and key rainmaker with a thirst for justice, while Olympia's ex-husband, Julian, the son of the head of the firm, is intrigued by Matty and her clever skills. Matty works alongside the firm's younger associates -- the charismatic Billy and the uber ambitious Sarah -- as she endeavors to establish herself in her new high-stakes world." The ensemble cast include Kathy Bates, Jason Ritter, David Del Rio, and Leah Lewis. But what did the critics say?

       Rob Owen of Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says, "This “Matlock” isn’t really the reboot it appears to be. Unlike many CBS procedurals, this one’s lighter and while the lawyering isn’t always in the realm of reality, the show’s breezy tone should win over CBS viewers with ease."

       Cristina Escobar of RogerEbert.com notes, "This earnestness, combined with Bates’ performance and the show’s strong and consistent use of humor, makes for a good watch. “Matlock” isn’t exactly throwback TV, but it delivers on the comfort food of solving at least one complex problem in forty-two minutes. That it’s funny and heartfelt along the way just adds to the charm, particularly as the suspense mounts. Toying with our expectations of a recognizable persona like Matlock, CBS’s newest legal drama honors the original while creating something new entirely."

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        Carly Lane of Collider praises the series, stating, "Although Madeline Matlock initially presents herself as a modest, well-meaning grandmotherly figure with an abundance of Southern charm, Bates never feels confined in the role. In fact, the CBS legal drama gives her even more opportunities to showcase the true extent of her range on-screen as the episodes (six of which were provided for review) progress. In one moment, Matty's endearingly fumbling her way through figuring out how to text a photo to her grandson; in the next, she's becoming an unexpected source of comfort for a client the firm is defending. Bates' character might give off a very specific energy at first, but she's also an observer, and, when paired with her utterly disarming personality, this allows her to notice things about people and figure out how to speak to them in a way others might overlook. But Matty's not always sage words of wisdom and pocketfuls of hard candies, either; she gets to express sadness, frustration, grief, anger, and everything in between."

        Terry Terrones of Paste Magazine writes, "Modern audiences may have a place in their heart for classic TV shows, but they still want something novel. This is an incredibly difficult maneuver to pull off, which is what makes CBS’ excellent reboot of Matlock so impressive."