"The Dubious Awards" 2013 - NCIS:LA edition

I am not leaving on my grand vacation until next week so I'll be popping in a few times over the next few days to share some posts that have been swirling around my brain lately. One of the things I enjoy getting from writing this blog is that it encourages to evaluate culture and how I view it from a new angle. It challenges me and I really like maintaining this blog. I hope people enjoy reading it as well.

The next few posts will in part be dedicated to the little 'dubious' things I  see on my favorite shows which make me sigh. I genuinely like the shows I watch but sometimes they go overboard and feature things which either make absolutely no sense or lose their grounding. And as always, NCIS:LA is my favorite series to pick apart, evaluate and judge. And they are the definite winners of the dubious contest. And here is why:

1) For some odd reason, there is a regular appearance of either a bikini bar or a strip club as a major part of an episode (and even once a pole dancing studio!) on the show. And let us not forget the scene where they had Kensi enter undercover at a call girl agency (a segment I thoroughly hate for many reasons and was a complete disservice to a great character!). It never fails; The male characters enter the place wearing tuxedos, there are plenty of scantily clad women dancing all around (and all with Russian accents) and the agents chat to some seedy villains that have either an illegal operation going on there or this is their meeting place. And of course, there are also regularly young navy males that go to such places to entertain themselves.

I am going to go knock my head against the wall now. Is this really the best place the writers can think off for an undercover operation or as an evil villain hideout? I am not going to elaborate on my feelings and views towards such places (let it suffice to say I am an ardent feminist) but this regular appearance makes me groan. I did enjoy the scene when Kensi ask Deeks what was the difference between a bikini car and a strip club (I had no idea there actually was a difference) but I had to agree with her response of incredulity. And apparently Deeks had spent quite some time in such places. Not to mention this constant objectification of women seems to serve no purpose except "sex up" the show which is has no need for. It stands on strong ground already.

You writers and producers can do better than this!

2)Product placement. Now, NCIS:LA will never be a very smooth show. It operates on embellishment, big things, testosterone and a freaky version of reality. And of the areas in which they are extremely obvious is their product placement. I can think of three examples which are noticably bad:

-Every time they pull out a camera, you always see the sigh "Nicon" very clearly visually. It is almost front and center just so that we can definitely see who sponsors them with the camera
-LL Cool J's music. He is a great actor and I respect the man but I am no lover of his hip hop music (classical musician). I made an very honest attempt to get into his music last December but found out that it did certainly not suit my music taste. "Accidental racist" had me sitting open-mouthed and shaking my head as it was one of the worst songs I have ever heard.  I have since come to the conclusion the song was made intentionally bad to raise awareness of racial issues and I have to say that was a clever ploy because it did certainly get people talking. But aside from that, one can regularly hear his hip hop music being a prominent part of certain scenes.
-The discussion of Cross Fit in season 4. It had me grinding my teeth. Last year I worked in a place where everyone was pretty much obsessed with the sport and it dominated all cafeteria discussions. So the episode where the opening scene began with Kensi and Sam praising the sport gave me an eerie flashback to all those discussions. Rarely, if ever, have I witnessed such incredibly bad production placement on TV. It was so blatantly obvious I have decided to deem it: "The worst production placement ever!".

3)Number of kills. I have already written here about gun culture, how I view violence on TV and how it is treated. So, when you have a series like NCIS:LA which operates to a certain extent on gun violence and deaths, you have people like me sighing/grinding our teeth. It never, ever fails, that in every single bloody episode at least 5 people are killed. Granted, it is always in self-defense but still. One can guarantee that no matter what subject they are dealing with, it'll bring along a major death toll in its way. And the characters hardly ever answer to their actions or are reprimanded for their insane death toll. And why hasn't there been a single mention of angry families of they people they've killed pursuing them demanding justice?  They always enter the scene guns blazing and killing everything in their path. There seems to be the rule "Shoot everyone in our way and to hell with the rest!"

Again, writers and producers, you can do better than this! Look to series like NCIS and Castle that have built up a strong and solid fanbase and are very popular and well crafted without major death toll.

4)Display of violence. Yet again, a major pet peeve of mine which plays into my dislike of the prominent gun violence on their show. Another feature of the NCIS:LA agents is that whenever they arrest a subject or take  someone down they always do it with as much violence and physical harm as possible. They've slammed people into walls, the car, the ground, hit them, attacked them, punched them and what not. And they have also threatened torture and displayed it which is something that should never bedone in my opinion. It never seizes to amaze me how they manage to pack violence into pretty much every scene in which pursuing a subject is involved. The characters seem to resort to violence in everything they do which is terrible and again it undermines the characters they have built.

5)Kensi's seeming inability to handle another female agent/law enforcement/a strong woman entering the scene without going crazy. I think the character of Kensi is great on most levels and it is one the reasons I love watching the show. But it has come to my attention that every single time a strong female enters the scene Kensi pulls back, becomes jealous and resorts to threats, defensive and bitchy behavior. It happened when Ava Espinoza came and they had Kensi threatening her and attacking defensive in every scene. It also happened when Monica entered the scene in season 4 and yet again, Kensi sparred with her. It amazes me she is always displayed as being incapable of handling another female entering the scene that is as strong and capable as she is. It shows genuine insecurity in her which is frustrating to see. Someone like her should be able to handle things like that without feeling threatened or resorting to violence. I am not saying Kensi should be perfect (her imperfections are one of the reasons why I enjoy the character so much) but she should be portrayed as being more mature. She could be shown handling things in  her own way but being insecure as well (without the violence). I've noticed Nell clearly has a much better ability of handling people.

6)Their foreign policy. Everyone is an enemy and anti-American and apparently Europeans have a mad desire to destroy LA. One of these days, I will write about   what it's like for people to travel to America from here. It all begins and ends with A) The cost of flight which is super high B) The terrible logistics of travelling there and C) The terror it is to deal with security at American airports.
It is an experience in itself for us Europeans. Because of the Schengen agreement over here, when travelling within Europe, we only flash our passport at the airport we fly from. In general, when we land at our destination, we just go on our merry way. It's one of the perks that comes with being a European :) So, the security at American airports throws us for a loop. Last time I went to the country I got into a hazzle as I have a very ethnic name that is written in two different ways, one is the Scandinavian one and the other is the International one. Try explaining that to airport authorities as they thought it was very suspicious I had one name on my green card and another one in my passport :)

And sometimes you just gotta love the NCIS:LA logic of things. It has passed through my mind that one of these days they might go for Nordic villains. I am thinking they'd have Icelandic and Faroese villains conspire to do something crazy in L.A. And frankly I would not put it past them to cook up something like that :) Or a conspiracy between all the smaller nations of Europe. The possibilities are endless!

And to conclude

NCIS:LA is a good show but there are also areas they fail in, in my opinion and hence the dubious awards. And since I take it so much apart and criticize it then why do I watch it? I genuinely enjoy the show on many levels, not least because it makes me laugh and smile which is something I look for in a show. I love laughing, smiling and feeling happy and NCIS:LA never seizes to make me grin and laugh. I watch an episode and it makes me happy. And that it something TV shows do not generally manage with people like me. It has on many levels excellent characterization and the story line is often great. And it has brilliant actors that do a wonderful job. Good acting is certainly not always a feature of TV and I appreciate the fact that NCIS:LA always has top-notch acting. Not to mention that there are truly great episodes in between that I can watch over and over again (The Job, Human Traffic, Personal, Kill House, 4x17).

So I will continue watching and picking apart.

And next up for the dubious awards is Criminal Minds!

When characters 'click' for me

As this blog will be taking a summer vacation soon as I'll be abroad for 4 weeks soon and will not access the internet much during that time, both because of internet instability as well as stepping back from media to contemplate what role I want it to play in my life. But I will be returning with a vengeance and ready to continue in August and I am set on continuing my scathing analysis and sharp-eyed observation. So do not stray far!

But today's topic is characterization. One of the main reason I tune into TV is because of the characters. If a show does not have realistic, well-nuanced characters, I do not watch it. I have already written extensively about some characters and what it is I like and do not like about them and how they are portrayed. And what I will cover today are the specific episodes in which characters genuinely 'clicked' for me and I began enjoying them in earnest. The moment when I knew they were good, interesting to watch and follow their journey.

I´ll begin with the NCIS franchise

NCIS
Ziva- I have always loved Ziva's character and her personality. She is one of the best created characters on TV in my opinion and it continues to astound me how well she is portrayed and represented. The episode in which Ziva 'clicked' for me was "Silver War" (3x04). I loved that episode and it is one of my favorite one's ever of NCIS. Ziva in that episode was exploring her new environment, testing the waters and figuring things out. I genuinely enjoyed watching her and how she was beginning to find her way and who she was as a person. Another Ziva episode which clicked for me and zealed her as the most awesome character on TV was the episode in which she stays in the hospital with a marine that has been potioned and falls in love with him even if he is dying. That episode was very affecting emotionally and it was a great display of who Ziva is as a character and of her vulnerability.

Tony - I used to dislike Tony a lot in the first season and it took some time for him to rub on me. But the episode in which Tony 'clicked' for me was "SWAK". It began with typical Tony behavior but suddenly the character burst forth fully and wasn't just the 'overbearing frat boy' but a genuine character with emotions and flaws and it was a treat to watch him.The performance of Mr. Weatherly was astounding in that episode And since seeing that episode I have come to like Tony a lot. He really is a good character! Another episode in which Tony clicked is 7x19, "Guilty pleasures". I love the humor in the episode (it is one of my favorite ones) but also the underlying exploration of Tony's and Tim's relationship and it was a good display of who Tony is.

Gibbs - I always liked Gibbs a whole lot. He clicked for me in episode 2x01 in which it was great to watch the character reach out to a little girl and get her the help she needed. It was Gibbs at his best, quiet, kind, excellent and dedicated to his job and with some sweet humor in between.

McGee - My favorite TV nerd of all time (aside from Eric Beale and Abby, obviously). McGee was a character I enjoyed straightaway because of his awkwardness but also sincerity and quiet strength. Watching him felt at times like watching a version of myself with all his blundering and clumsiness (which sums up me pretty well). He clicked for me straightaway but my favorite episode where he 'clicked' is episode 3x09 in which he believes he accidentally shot a man. It was a harrowing episode to watch and it was great to see the character react with horror and guilt to what had happened. It made him feel very real and well-nuanced. And it is one of my most favorite episodes to watch.

Abby - She is pure awesomeness that character! I always grin and laugh when she comes on and I love watching her antics and what she comes up with. She feels very genuine and well-nuances as a character and from the beginning she has been incredibly sincere as a character and just very real. She just feels so human and is lovely to watch. She clicked with me straightaway but my favorite Abby episode is 3x20 (or 21) when she is being stalked. The episode freaked me (stalking terrifies me) out when I first saw it and it felt like a little movie, creepy and tragic. I have seen in an interview with the actress Ms. Perette (behind the scenes) that the episode felt therapeutic for her to play and in my opinion it is obvious in the episode. It was just all around a great episode to watch and one of my favorite one's ever to watch.

Ducky and Palmer - These two are the best pair ever and the most adorable and wonderful characters. I grin just seeing them on the screen. They clicked me with straightaway and there is not one specific episode in which they rocked more than in others. They are just awesome all the time!

NCIS:LA

Kensi - It took me a long time to get a feel for the character and start enjoying her. It wasn't until season 2 that the character really burst forth and I began liking it and it was all uphill after that And Kensi has now emerged as a fascinating and fun character to watch and is at equal level with Ziva. The episode in which the character clicked for me was 2x20 "The Job". It is one of my most favorite episodes ever and I can watch it over and over again. It was one of the first episodes I saw a season 2 and it was wonderful. What I enjoyed so much was seeing the emotional journey it took Kensi on and how she reacted very humanly to it and how it affected her. She felt genuine for the first time in my opinion. Ms. Ruah performed incredibly in that episode. Episode 2x17 is also worth mentioning as a good Kensi episode.

Deeks - My favorite Norwegian-American! I enjoyed Deeks from the moment he stepped unto the scene. He was a real, fun and nuanced character from the beginning and just a bundle of awesomeness, blundering, awfully silly humor and genuine emotions which I instantly liked. He has felt real and genuine from the start and still does and he is well crafted as a character. Deeks clicked for me in episode 2x01 "Human Traffic" in which the emotional journey he was on was a treat to watch and harrowing as well. It is one of those episodes I watch regularly and still gives me shivers because of the subject matter and how the characters handle it. Another Deeks favorite is 2x22, Plan B. Rarely, if ever have I enjoyed so much the complete change of a character and at the same time felt uncomfortable. Max Gentry was the very definition of a creepy male and he creeped me out. Not to mention that it was interesting to see the switch being portrayed and how Deeks dealt with it. Kudos to Mr. Olsen for pulling of that great performance. Episode 2x17 "Personal" is of course great as well and it was nice to get a Deeks focused episode.

Eric - My favorite nerd. He was my first favorite on NCIS:LA and he continues to make me laugh with his antics and strange behavior. And he blunders and is awkward which in turn makes him more realistic. Eric was awesome from the start and still is.

Nell - Another awesome character. I first of all want to kidnap her awesome wardrobe. Secondly, she feels smart and capable without being 'weird' (while she is quirky) and feels very human. She clicked for me in episode 2x07 when she refused to be helped by Sam and Callen and did everything on her own. That was awesome. But an honorary mention goes to episode 4x15 "Kill House". That was a tour de force from beginning to end and an awesome Nell centric episode where it was interesting to see her reaction and how she dealt with things. Nell is all around a great character and a breath of relief from the general types of girls played on TV.

Callen - I liked him in the beginning, then grew very annoyed with him and now I really like him. He took a dip for me in terms of how he was established in season 1 and for some time he felt very thin and vapid. Then season 2 rolled around and Callen epicness finally emerged. He clicked for me in episode 1x24 when he was searchinf for his family. Finally, he stopped being the unfeeling, serious, lone wolf agent and became a real character. I really enjoy Callen now and his subtle sense of humor and he is all around a lovely character.

Sam - It took me a looooonnng time to start enjoying him. He just felt so unrealistic and boring as a character. The perfect NAVY SEAL that could do anything and everything without batting an eyelid. I did so not enjoy watching him at first. But in episode 2x05 "Little Angels" when they portrayed an incident from his past and he pushed for a case involving an incident to that he felt great. Suddenly there was a real character with a history and something to push for and he showed emotion for the first time (in my opinion). It is one of my favorite episodes to watch and it always surprises me how good Sam was in that episode and how realistic he felt. Since then, he has grownon me (not like ringworm!) and I really like him. He is of course embellished  a whole lot but he's really grown as a character and it's been a treat to watch.

Hetty - Like with Sam, it took me a looooonnng time to start liking her. She did not click for me until in season 3 really when I unexpectedly really started enjoying her and what she did. She is a legend, a matriarch and a very mysterious figure (that part tends to annoy me) but she is also funny as hell. There hasn't been one specific episode in which she clicked, rather she simply became more human and a whole lot more enjoyable.

So I'll be off to enjoy summer for all its worth and returning with a vengeance in 6-7 weeks time (might pop in in July). I wish everyone the best of summer!

Gender equality on TV - the less of females, the better?

I am a big analyzer and observes, well over analyzer and observer is perhaps more descriptive. I focus and take mental notes on certain matters and issues on TV, mull them over and then write them here. One issue which I take particular note of is the characterization and handling of female characters. I am a feminist and observing those things is both interesting and highly frustrating.

The TV shows I write about here are both good and bad in my opinion when it comes to representing and portraying female characters. The topic of this post will be looking and gender representation on the NCIS franchise and specifically how the females are always a minority.

NCIS:LA - A show I love watching and laughing over but frustrates me regularly. NCIS:LA did not have the exact best track record of female characters in season 1. It was pretty much all male and testosterone.
Callen - the lone wolf male
Eric - the geek male
Sam - the navy male
Nate - the psychology male
Dom - the rookie male
Five males in all

and then flitting in the background
Kensi - the sole female swimming in an ocean of male agents
Hetty - the legendary matriarch.

This makes the gender ratio 5/7 which is terrible if you ask me. I have previously written about how Kensi felt underdeveloped and vapid as a character in the 1st season. I suspect that a part of it stemmed from the fact that there was so much focus on the male characters. Kensi seems to have been added only because they desperately needed a female character, not because of what she could add to the show as a character. The same goes for Hetty. As a result, their characters felt very unrealistic and thin for most of the first season. It was not until season 2 that the writers and producers caught on. Two male characters were thrown out. Secondly of all Nell Jones emerged. Not only did it balance more the genders but she was also from the beginning a realistic and well crafted character. I enjoyed her from the start and still do. Secondly Kensi emerged as a real character and became a force to be reckoned with and it added a lot to the show. Hetty rose from the ashes and became the wonderful character she is today. The female characters all came to the foreground of the show and it changed it for the better. As much as I enjoy the male characters I can only take so much of them only all the time. That is the reason why I watched entire season 2 first before I finished watching season 1. In my opinion, it is in season 2 that the show hit its stride character wise and it has continued since then.

Now the gender balance is 4/3 which is better. The female characters are still a minority but they are an integral part of the show and they have been developed extremely well. I for one enjoy them immensely, particularly how they are all portrayed as strong and a force to be reckoned with but still realistic. And I enjoy the fact that Hetty is their leader. They trust her and depend on her and her advise and it is refreshing to see a woman in the role of the leader and being a legend.

NCIS: Their track record of female characters is even worse. The female characters have never been more than 3 and always a minority. The gender balance has switched from 3/2, to 4/2 (season 1-2), to 4/3 (season 3-5), to 5/2 (season 6-9) to the current 6/2 (season 10). That means that there are currently whopping two female characters on NCIS. The rest is all males. So there is one quarter of females and three quarters of males.

And the list goes
Gibbs - the quiet, caffeine addicted marine
Tony - the movie-watching, humorous agent
Palmer - the autopsy gremlin
Ducky - the ever wise Scottish autopsy man
McGee - the nerdy agent
Vance - the intimidating leader

Females
Ziva - the female agent that is a force to be reckoned with
Abby - the happiest goth
And former Kate - the sarcastic agent

NCIS would therefore never win the female representation on TV award. But to be honest, this gender balance does not impact the show so much. The key lies in the fact that Ziva and Abby are extremely well developed and strong characters. They are an integral part of the show and have always been. The female characters have always been front and center on the show. It in parts makes of for the lack of female characters, they are given such attention, thought and space as characters and have always been consistently developed and portrayed. When watching old NCIS episodes I am always astounded by the strength of the female characters and how incredibly well they've been done. Ziva and Abby as characters have always been good, realistic, well-nuanced and at the front.

This is where NCIS and NCIS:LA differ in my opinion. It took NCIS:LA a while to get the stride of their female characters and how they should be portrayed. And realizing that the actresses they had could more than handle portraying great female characters. They have more than risen to the challenge in my opinion. The females seemed to be at the beginning like ornaments or objects that needed to be there out of necessity to appease people, not because they could add to the show. But as I've written that changed much and all for the better.

NCIS on the other hand hit its stride straight in the beginning and the female characters were strong and focused from the start. They were few but they were key characters and added greatly to the show. And that has continued to this day.

A good article worth sharing and female sexualization on TV

I just fond this article and I thought it was very good and worth sharing. It highlights the problem of today´s media and female representation in it.

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