NCIS New Orleans Season 2 Episode 1 Review: Sic Semper Tyrannis
Kathleen Wiedel
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Welcome to NCIS: New Orleans Season 2, ladies and gentlemen!
After a rocky and uneven first season, NCIS: New Orleans Season 2 Episode 1 shows that this series is ready for its second chance as the team investigates an attack on a convoy that killed two Marines and resulted in the theft of a very dangerous missile.
The premiere also saw the welcome additions of Daryl Mitchell and Shalita Grant to the main cast, as Patton Plame and Sonja Percy, respectively.
So buckle up, folks, and let the good times roll!
I have a few major problems with the whole plot to steal the missile, which totally depended on several things going exactly right, from the vehicle going into the water to no one noticing the militia guys hauling a missile out of the water. There seemed to be a lot of people around; wouldn't everyone be looking at the vehicle that just took a swan dive off a bridge?
The capture of Boudreau's ex-wife with the stolen guidance chip was rather anticlimactic, probably because they were running out of time at the end of the hour and had to wrap things up. I had much more fun watching Pride run around the militia encampment in that corny sleeveless shirt and bandana and taking a potshot at poor unsuspecting LaSalle.
Speaking of LaSalle, he had a few good zingers. He seems to have some great chemistry with Percy, as has been noted in previous team-ups while Percy was still with the ATF.
We'll do a remote class later.
LaSalle
I liked that Percy is facing a bit of a learning curve. She's not coming in as the know-it-all awesome new kid who can Do It All, which was one of the criticisms leveled at Ellie Bishop on the NCIS mothership.
As Percy correctly points out, she has previous experience with the ATF, but working with a team at NCIS is something new. That said, she doesn't try to argue or talk back too much when Pride gives her orders to stay behind.
Back at ATF, you were on the street, making your own rules, your own... thing. Here, part of a team. You do what's needed.
Pride
One could almost call the theme "e pluribus unum." Our nation's motto is "out of many, one." Here, each of the members of the team plays his or her part, all coming together to ultimately save the day.
It's about teamwork and unity, which stands in stark contrast to the goals of the separatist militia nutcases determined to destroy the nation on the supposed basis that the United States government is a tyrannical power.
Obviously, they don't really understand the meaning of tyranny.
The escaping militia leader also put out a bounty on Pride's head, probably the over-arching threat towards our great team leader that was teased in an interview with producers Jeffrey Lieber and Gary Glasberg.
Oddly enough, I found the backwoods militia guys a much more convincing foe than last season finale's supposed oncoming storm terrorist letdown. Plus, it was really, really entertaining to watch Pride do his undercover schtick, complete with causing a massive argument that distracted the militia guys long enough for the Feds to move in and capture them.
Overall, I had a good time with this episode. The highlights for me were definitely the new additions to the main cast, Sonja Percy and Patton Plame. Last season, I practically begged in a few of my reviews that Daryl Mitchell be added to the main cast.
Patton Plame has an excellent rapport with the other characters, fitting in quite well in an unusual non-action role. Sonja Percy, meanwhile, found herself the butt of a few 'new girl' jokes which made me snicker a few times, especially at that awkward moment when she discovered (and LaSalle remembered) that Brody had glued her badge shut. I guess it was a good thing that LaSalle was there!
A few closing thoughts:
- They never did establish how the backwoods militia guys got the technical know-how to pull off the whole missile-guidance-chip plot.
- How likely are backwoods militia separatists to actually act on the $50,000 bounty on Pride's head? That sort of thing tends to bring an army of federal agents down on you.
- Pride used some of the money from the sale of his house following his divorce (alas) to buy a bar. He may be a good cook, but does he actually know how to run a business? I'm guessing they'll probably gloss over that bit.
- I hope someone remembered to notify the U.S.S. Eagle that they could return to port. Speaking of the Eagle, the name sounds awfully symbolic. It could have been worse, though: they could have called the ship U.S.S. Ship of State.
- Anyone else see the irony in Boudreau's death? Thus always tyrants...
Be sure to tune in on September 29, 2015 for NCIS: New Orleans Season 2 Episode 2, titled "Shadow Unit." Remember, you can watch NCIS: New Orleans online right here at TV Fanatic!
