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NCIS Los Angeles starring Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J

Posted on May 12, 2010 Written by ripitup

NCIS Los Angeles starring Chris O' Donnell and LL Cool J.

I feel a bit like a hypocrite that I like NCIS Los Angeles. Not because I like the original NCIS starring Mark Harmon (which I do by the way) but I joked so much about the whole CSI franchise going on. You have CSI New York and Las Vegas and Miami…Hell, maybe they even made a 4^th one I don’t know about. I joked that what’s the point in giving a show branches? Well, it turns out I don’t complain that much when you like the branch’s actors and love the city its taking place in. Yes, I am in love with California and I like Chris O’ Donnell, so its like NCIS is tailored to me.

NCIS-a.k.a- Naval Criminal Investigative Service-is all about crimes related to the navy as the title suggests. The Los Angeles team has agents G. Callen (Chris O’ Donnell), Sam Hanna (LL Cool J.), Kensi (Daneila Rush) and Dominic (Adam Jamal Craig), psychologist Nate (Peter Cambor), the computer/tech guy Eric (Barrett Foa) and their boss Henrietta (Linda Hunt).

The premise is simple: a navy-related crime is committed, NCIS director assigns them the case, our computer expert gives/searches/hacks info, Nate gives them a psychological profile and agents provide their expert insights. Hetty always has some warning to do, like don’t bleed to NCIS wardrobe…

While the banter between members aren’t exactly original, it is almost always funny. I especially love the relationship between O’ Donnell’s and Cool J’s characters. I mainly knew Cool J as a rapper and this is either the only lead role I ever saw him and I have to admit, he is good. Callen and Sam Hanna have good chemistry as partners in crime-solving and their relationships is funny. Hett y is quite a character and frankly Eric is so far the only cute tech guy I see in a tv show. Kensi is gorgeous and smart. Dominic is the newbie who is not all that interesting and frankly, I don’t care much about Nate’s profiling either. After watching House, Castle and The Mentalist, he frankly gives the most uninteresting insight about our criminals.

All in all, this is one fun detective/criminal show to watch if that’s your thing. I like the genre and as I mentioned I am mad about Los Angeles and I l am an O’ Donnell fan. The cast is good. This show is not for the seekers of extremity or originality but a fun crime show to enjoy. While it is not very addictive, it is really fun. I actually crossed my fingers for more seasons .

Also on Chris O’ Donnell:

Three Depression Movies: Mad Love, Numb and Mr. Jones

The Bachelor

Chuck

Posted on May 1, 2010 Written by ripitup

Chuck starring Zachary Levi and Yvonne Strahovski. Image from: http://www.22dakika.org

Chuck is in its 3^rd season and my feelings for the show have not changed. I like half of it, and I can rarely stand the other half. I like the whole secret agents, gears, spies storyline. The nerdy friends and bosses of Chuck? Not so much.

Well, let me introduce the show a little bit.

Chuck (Zachary Levi) is a smart, nice, cute and a little nerdy guy who works at an electronics store. His best friend is the really geeky and socially disgraceful Morgan. Two other guys who are supposed to form the rest of the “gang” are even worse than Morgan (Joshua Gomez) but one of them thinks he is super cool. Well, Chuck could have done much better for himself, had he not been kicked out of Stanford. Now he lives with his older doctor sister Ellie (Sarah Lancester) and her “awesome” doctor boyfriend Devon (Ryan McPartlin). His stable and not so interesting life changes when an old friend college friend sends him something. Because of that thing he really wasn’t supposed to see, his mind is filled with confidential CIA intel. Two CIA agents are assigned to his case: John Casey (Adam Baldwin) and Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski). So Chuck becomes-albeit unwillingly) an important asset for his country and these two agents. A true pro, poker-faced John is impatient and unwilling to “hang around” with Chuck. But Sarah and Chuck develop feeling for each other. The covers? Chuck keeps his day job, John Casey starts “working” at the same store as Chuck and Sarah poses as Chuck’s girlfriend.

The concept is really fun. An ordinary guy tries to keep his secret identity secret from his sister and best friends, tries to keep his feelings in check for Sarah, tries not to panic during real operations and tries to get rid of the shock. The action and the comedy coming from Chuck being a total anti-hero is really fun. The other supposedly funny elements such as his co-workers and their relationships end up being boring or annoying or both. Too much time is spent there. So what could have easily become the show to look forward to, becomes an alternative pastime activity if there is nothing else to watch.

It has really good episodes, but most lose its charm due to the elements I counted.Other than that, casting is pretty ok. I previously watched Zachary Levi on the tv show Less Than Perfect. He played a pretentious snob really well and it is quite enjoyable to watch him as this genuinely nice guy. Adam Baldwin is perfect at his role, Yvonne Strahovski is really gorgeous and she really fits her part. “Awesome” Devon is a hunky yet dull character and handled well by Ryan McPartlin. In fact, it is handled too well. I can’t help but think if he is that square in real life. If Chuck gets cancelled, I won’t celebrate but I won’t really miss it either. I hope they give it a make-over with the Morgan storyline.

Chuck starring Sarah Lancester, Adam Baldwin, Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski and Joshua Gomez — Chuck Cast, from left: Sarah Lancester, Adam Baldwin, Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski and Joshua Gomez. Image from: http://www.dizidizi.net

Chuck, Sarah Lancester and Ryan McPartlin — Sarah Lancester and Ryan McPartlin at a Chuck event.

That’s all I need to say for Chuck. If you want to check out the other TV shows I covered on the blog, here’s the list.

Castle vs The Mentalist: Comparing Two Addictive Shows

Posted on April 29, 2010 Written by ripitup

The Mentalist starring Simon Baker. The guy can read you like a book. No point in hiding anything. His brilliance is not without a sense of humor either. Image from: http://www.iwebie.com

Castle starring Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic. Well, maybe Castle and Detective Kate Beckett aren't as good at manipulation and reading people as Patrick Jane but they sure do have a unique way of brainstorming. Image from: http://2.bp.blogspot.com

I love both of these shows and I wrote introduction posts for both of them on my blog. But being a big fan who refuses to miss even one episode, I decided to write more on this fun topic. And after realizing many similarities between the shows, I decided to make this joint post.

If you need background info, you might check out my posts on The Mentalist and Castle. So, let’s roll with the fun similarities:

Both Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) and Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) are really good looking. They know it and they like it.
Both men love mind games. They also have a wicked sense of humor and they love misbehaving.
However Patrick is much less responsive to attention- since he lost his wife and kid a while ago.
Both men “consult” on the murder cases. Castle relies on his background information and his writer’s instincts. Patrick Jane is an awesome “mentalist” who is just great at reading people.
Both California Bureau of Investigation (CBI- assisted by Jane) and NYPD (assisted by Castle) have closed many cases, thanks to the main characters- whether their teammates accept it or not.
Even though their teams don’t always agree with them, they like their unorthodox helpers and have gotten used to the situation.
Both guys have very personal motives in helping the cases. Castle first needed to step in because a copycat murderer was committing the crimes as depicted in Castle’s novels. Then he realized the female detective and these cases would make for a great inspirational source. Patrick’s motives are can be considered more noble. He is after the serial killer who killed his wife and child. He is assisting the other cases for redemption and to have a sense of purpose.
Both Castle and Jane love being inappropriate: asking too direct questions, eating at the crime scene, enjoying the idea of being involved in a murder case… Both are originally good guys who just happen to like the thrill.
Both get to get in the investigation room. Simon Baker’s Patrick Jane however gets to use more “inappropriate” methods such as hypnosis. Not that he is allowed but it does get confessions.
They make a great team with the “boss”- the female detective in charge.
In both cases, team members provide comic relief in addition to the lead characters’ fun behavior.
Both men have a flirty/friendly relationships with the female detectives.

The Mentalist starring Robin Tunney and Simon Baker. Robin Tunney's Agent Lisbon gets annoyed and shocked by Jane often but she does like him a lot. Maybe in the future episodes...who knows? Photo from: http://mentalist.informe.com/gallery/

The Mentalist starring Simon Baker, Robin Tunney, Tim Kang, Owain Yeowan and Amanda Righetti — The Mentalist Cast. From left: Robin Tunney, Simon Baker, Tim Kang, Owain Yeowan and Amanda Righetti. You can call them team Jane. Photo from: http://mentalist.informe.com

Castle starring Seamus Dever, Nathan Fillion, Jon Huertas and Stana Katic — Team Castle- from left: Seamus Dever, Nathan Fillion, Jon Huertas and Stana Katic. Photo from: http://www.tv.com/castle/show/

There are obviously many differences:

– Such as Castle is a happily divorced man (yes, he couldn’t be happier he is divorced) and his only daughter is alive and well.

– Castle provides the same amount of comic relief in each episode. The Mentalist is more of a drama/thriller so some episodes can get heavy- especially if it is about the serial killer Jane’s after.Castle also gets the right idea about the case by brainstorming with her daughter or just simply through a conversation.

– The attraction between Castle and Beckett is obvious. Jane and Lisbon are more friends than anything else. Jane is still mourning. Even though Castle and Beckett have feelings for each other, they just don’t act on it.

– Beckett’s boss is fond of Castle and loves having him around. Lisbon’s bosses? They are not exactly crazy about Jane.

If you have anything to add, please comment away.

My Own Worst Enemy, starring Christian Slater

Posted on April 20, 2010 Written by ripitup

Christian Slater in My Own Worst Enemy. Image from: http://www.impawards.com

It is no secret that I love my spy gear, secret agents and a good mystery.For instance it might be about a secret agent who has been tricked and hanging in to take revenge while leading a dual life (Alias). By the way, Christian Slater does appear in 2 episodes of Alias.

However, the “mystery” and the conflict in My Own Worst Enemy is even more complicated. No, fellow fans of Alias, I haven’t lost it. I know all about Sydney Bristow and her family background. But despite all the tricks and lies, she wanted to be an agent. She just didn’t know she was recruited by the wrong men.

Henry Spivey (Christian Slater) is a family man. He loves his wife (Mädchen Amick) and his two kids (Taylor Lautner and Bella Thorne). He doesn’t mind working hard to keep the comfortable domestic bliss that they’ve got going.

Edward Albright (also Christian Slater) is a highly-skilled and deadly operative working for a secret government agency. He doesn’t mind having sex with his target and then killing her on the spot. He is good at everything, including sex.

The deal? There is a chip in our Henry/Edward (yep-same body)’s brain- implemented by the agency and used at their convenience. When an operation needs Edward, Henry is supposedly sent on a business trip and our gentle husband/dad is put the sleep. Edward is awakened and he gets the job done. Then the memories are erased for Henry and he wakes up. Henry isn’t supposed to know about Edward…However this dual life-one guy system hits a bump. Edward starts to wake up in the middle of Henry’s life and Henry starts waking up in the middle of Edward’s operations. The agency threatens Henry that they will kill him if he tries to talk about this to anyone, so he tries to co-exist. Edward doesn’t mind sleeping with the hot wife Angela. He has a hard time with the mundane family life, though. And Henry is more than freaked out having to participate in the spy game. Especially, every time he uncovers a truth, it is more disturbing than the last. He also hates the fact that his wife is unknowingly having sex with Edward and enjoying it a lot!

It might have lasted only a season (9 episodes) but it is definitely not because the show is not interesting. It has a great storyline and a solid leading actor. The rest of the cast are also doing a good job. Edward’s superior is played by Alfre Woodard. That woman really gives me the creeps. It is not really just about her talent but the shady characters she plays as well. You might remember her from Desperate Housewives, where she played the mysterious new neighbor who had one son locked in the basement. Edward’s partner/ Henry’s colleague Raymond/Tom (also dual identity-played by Tom (Mike O’Malley). Saffran Burrows plays the firm therapist. Mädchen Amick has appeared in many tv shows such as Joey, Freddie and Gossip Girl but she is most memorable in her role in Dream Lover, starring with James Spader. And of course Taylor Lautner who made quite a name for himself, playing Jacob Black in the Twilight Saga movies, Twilight and New Moon. He will continue his role in the two remaining movies of the series. But mind you, he doesn’t have that many lines. It is Christian’s show.

Watch it if you like your spy stuff. Christian Slater is also a plus.