NCIS: Season 7 [DVD]

Ok, now this review might sound strange, BUT.....I am a late comer to NCIS, for several reasons. Over May, feeling a little under the weather and getting tired of all the stuff I already had on DVD, I bought seasons 1-6...I had only watched the shows in re-runs on USA and had occasionally watched some episodes of season 7 online (I had to cancel my TV service).WOW....is all I can say. From the pilot (Yankee White) in season 1 to the episode Aaliyah (season 6); this cast/crew has my attention. And, I guess they're going to keep it for a while. The fact it is character driven, to me as a viewer, is more important than story-driven. It's the people we as viewers attach ourselves to, who we learn to love/hate each week. Who we connect with, some for different reasons.I've had a hate/love relationship with Mark Harmon and his characters through his many projects. Who could forget he played Ted Bundy?Each character has their own place in our hearts....and this is in no particular order.As Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Mark Harmon has got my attention. His team is his family, often he gives into their "wild ideas", but he manages to keep them focused, and cares about them; such as seen in season 7's "Flesh and Blood" where at the end, he and DiNozzo share a steak and drink a beer almost like a father & son to show that blood isn't the only thing that connects people as family. Our family are the people we allow into our world, to share our lives with.Moving on to Ziva David; she's an enigma of sorts. She was a trained assassin, but has come to be such an asset of the team and has provided an interesting glimpse into how our American culture is still mis-understood. She has good instincts, a good heart and I believe she cares about the team as her family, such as in the season 7, episode 1 "Truth or Consequences"; she was prepared to die, she didn't want McGee or DiNozzo to risk their lives for her; though down the road she apologized to DiNozzo and appreciates his efforts in trying to watch out for her, meaning she is learning to adapt, showing we can change what we have turned into.Timothy McGee has truly come a long way since being a "probie" in seasons 1-2; as far as partners go, I prefer the McGee/DiNozzo pairing. McGee has stepped out from the "geeky" kid he was and can hold his own, thanks to DiNozzo's tricks and taunts. He is still the brains, but he has developed a personality and has the heart of a lion. The little brother who can dish it out as well, if not sometimes, better than taking it.Abby is still Abby, lol. What can be said about her we don't know. Don't let her clothes fool you. She's excellent in her field. The "little" sister of the family, who displayed such emotion when Ziva was rescued, we thought this was a family. Abby is the perpetual ray of sunshine who, even though science might tell her one thing, is prepared to see the other side.Moving on to Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard. Where do I start with him? He's the kindly grandfather or uncle in the whole mix and shows us that he has the best/worst job of the team. He sees the worst in humanity with the bodies brought before him, but he always teaches us that the dead do talk to us, though not the way we're used to. He shows care and compassion when doing his job, and he is an essential part of the team. He is thorough in his job and even gives Jethro a few good zings to keep him in place. Ducky reminds us there is always something we don't know and if we're in doubt, keep looking. His stories keep us entertained, but provide some kind of lesson in there.Director Vance...while a good guy in this, I don't hold to having the "boss" in the mix. He's good, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't be him for the world. Sorry, no knock on the actor, but seriously, most of us don't like our bosses. So he is in the worst position possible, though he tries to make the best of it. And, amazingly he surprises us most of the time. But still, don't like too much of the bureaucrats' involvement.Let's not forget, one of the key members of this team, and next to Gibbs...last, but not least...NCIS Very Special (Senior) Agent Anthony DiNozzo. Yes, I know he's a goof-ball to some, but have you ever really observed him? He's the "perfect" guy (at least for this girl, lol)...he has a steady and not too shabby job, a sense of humor, an unparalleled dedication to his co-workers, good looks (very easy on the eyes), romantic, charming..and when he gets down to business, absolutely the best investigator on the team, again, next to Gibbs.DiNozzo is the eternal "frat boy", but at the same time, I don't think I would get on his bad side. While he might hide behind the face of a clown, DiNozzo has "been there, done that" and it's his sense of humor that holds the balance to sanity with the demands of his job. He's seen the worst of the worst, and the job is stressful, so his goofiness is key to "keeping it together". He can be a bit unconventional, but if he were like Gibbs, he'd be....well Gibbs. DiNozzo also has a soft and kind heart, though he wants to hide it; particularly in "Flesh and Blood" where he paid his father's bill & "Obsession" where his obsession to find the woman led him to call her, and the team was able to figure out what happened. DiNozzo stayed with her until she died, proving he is human after all.He too has grown up since the first season, but not at the rate he should have, lol. Then again, would we want him to change? I know I don't. And trust me, I was schooled in coming around to being a "DiNozzo Girl". He is who is his, he does his job and if that satisfies Gibbs, we don't question Gibbs.All in all, this isn't just another "crime procedural/drama". This show goes ABOVE that level. I still love CSI: NY and CSI: Miami, just not as much as NCIS. Gibbs, Ziva, McGee, Abby, Ducky and Tony DiNozzo have become part of our culture and part of our family.They're still going good at 7 seasons, and at this rate....here is to 7 more (and hopefully more).I'm glad I only have to wait two months to get it....otherwise we'd have a rule coming up on that one. I can hold off on CSI: NY and Miami (and in that order). But, mess with my NCIS...might have to invoke a GIBBS RULE.ADDED on 9/8/2010:As of note; the two-part "starter" episodes of JAG (Ice Queen & Meltdown are what I call a "starter-pilot") they are still "Official" "JAG" episodes as "NCIS" goes...Yankee White can be considered the Pilot as well. Some series do that. Yankee White is still considered as "Episode 1" :)...just as the NCIS: LA Pilot or "starter" episodes are still NCIS :)And, I have had no performance issues with the DVDs and I own all 7 seasons.

The greatness of NCIS has been its writing and use of the backstories of its characters. There is no greater example of this than the whole of the Season 7 storyline, in which the death of Leroy Jethro Gibbs' wife Shannon and daughter Kelly play out both in the scripting of the season and where many of the key sequences of the season take place.In starting with "Truth Or Consequences"--the opening episode of the season--this episode plays as an extension of the Season 6 finale, "Aliyah", with our "Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo" being questioned under the influence of a truth serum administed by a terrorist named Saleem. We know by now that getting Tony to talk isn't exactly a hard thing to do, but we have seen examples of Tony not breaking to questioning, even flipping the script on the interrogator--as he did to Eli David in "Aliyah". Saleem isn't quite aware that he's been marked by Gibbs, Tony, and McGee for the death of Ziva--so the revenge mission turns into a rescue mission when Saleem brings Tony an alive Ziva. We know the climax of the episode--Gibbs sniping Saleem, kicking off the rescue of Ziva, Tony and McGee...but this is also where the main storyline of the season kicks off.Obviously, the initial part of the season deals with Ziva--having been hung out by her father, the secret of why she shot Ari back in Season 3 revealed, having to mend fences within NCIS; then her becoming a US citizen being the secondary story of the season. This season deals with Jethro, and his revenge on Pedro Hernandez coming to the surface. This is where the storyline uses Gibbs' house as metaphor through the season. Understand, this series literally began in the basement of Jethro's house, many of his meetings, arguments and thoughts had been done while building a boat in that basement. It isn't talked about in the special features on the discs, but until this season, WE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING OF JETHRO'S HOUSE OTHER THAN THE BASEMENT. So, starting with "Outlaws And In-Laws", the living areas of the house that we hadn't seen (Not that we expected much in those areas) suddenly become the areas of conflict with Gibbs. Which is why there's a subtle discomfort with Mark Harmon's character in this season. His extradition of Robert Patrick's Merton Bell to Mexico sets Bell on a course to get even with Jethro...but opens up issues that Gibbs would have preferred not to have had come to the surface; hence, Jethro isn't in his comfort zone--the basement, or having his life not examined. Of course, Bell's revenge on Gibbs gets trumped by Paloma Reynosa--the daughter of Pedro Hernandez and heir to his drug cartel. The cast are their usual outstanding selves--Mark, Michael, Cote, the brilliant Pauley, Sean, Rocky, David and Brian don't phone in their work. Weatherly is stunning in both "Flesh And Blood"--the series' 150th episode in which we meet Anthony DiNozzo Senior--and "Obsession", Tony's search for a missing reporter. De Pablo is marvelous in the opener, but also in "Good Cop-Bad Cop", the story of how her return assignment to Mossad broke down. Murray lets Tim McGee's inner geek fly in "Ignition", which also allows for the reintroduction of McGee's "Thom E. Gemcity" alias. Carroll's highpoint is "Endgame", where Leon Vance deals with an assassin from his past. McCallum is the focal point in the understory of the death of Dr. Mallard's mother Victoria (Plus, it is also a nice goodbye by the cast and crew to the late Nina Foch). Dietzen's Jimmy Palmer gets a girlfriend that gets DiNozzo jealous, but also starts cracking too wise during autopsies--and Gibbs isn't too happy with it. I've always been big about the "extended family" of NCIS, though--the characters who drop in once or twice a season with their quirks. Muse Watson's Mike Franks--Gibbs' mentor and supervisor when Jethro joined the then-NIS. Joe Spano's Tobias Fornell--Jethro's opposite number at the FBI who shares an ex-wife with Jethro. This year, Paul Telfer--the steroid-enhanced Marine Damon Werth from Season 5's "Corporal Punishment"--turns up in a couple of episodes. Jackie Geary's Susan Grady--the polygraph expert for NCIS who has a thing for McGee--gets a couple of turns, and is a central character in "Moonlighting". This was a huge year for the guest turns. Ralph Waite returned as Jethro's father, Jackson Gibbs--the Christmas episode "Faith" being poignant because Jack hides a secret that Jethro has to uncover. Robert Wagner is introduced as Tony's father--a match made in TV heaven between R.J. and Weatherly. The great Gena Rowlands is introduced as Joann Fielding, Jethro's mother-in-law, in an episode which again ties to Gibbs' sniping of Hernandez. Rena Sofer's turns as Margaret Allison Hart--a lawyer with ties to Merton Bell, disruptive to Jethro's investigations...but INTERESTED in Gibbs...and Dina Meyer's visits as Holly Snow, the Madam to the big players in the District. Meyer--always gorgeous--piques Jethro's interest simply because of Jethro's well-known preference for redheads. Kelly Hu's turn as the assassin Lee-Won Kai in "Endgame". Jacqueline Obradors and Marco Sanchez as Hernandez's offspring--the cartel head and the dirty cop. Again, this was an interesting season because of the Gibbs' house being used as a metaphor for Jethro's past coming to light...with Harmon's last scene in the season being upstairs in the bright bedroom that he shared with Shannon. Think about it. Highly, highly recommended.

Acteurs fantastiques, en Français. Excellente série a voir absolument. Je recommande

Personnel

Il lettore non legge questi DVD "verificare il codice di zona del dvd"..... inservibiliEro stra contenta di averli trovati... e poi delusione

NCIS ケーブルテレビで見始めてハマってしまいました。何故か、このシーズン７と１１は待てど暮らせど放送予定になく。ひょっとして…とアマゾンで検索することに。日本語字幕はないし、バージョンも日本標準に合うタイプではないため、我が家のプレーヤーでは再生出来ません。ですが、パソコン（ちなみにMacintosh）で問題なく観ることが出来ます。英語も堪能という訳ではないけれど、まったく分からない訳でもない私のようなタイプなら問題なく楽しく観られますよ。シーズン７はNCISファンにしか通じない話ですが、ジヴァが辞めてイスラエルに帰国した後、どういう経緯でNCISに復帰するか要のシーズン。なのに今現在、日本で放送予定がないのは何故なんでしょうね。ですが、こうして観ることが出来て色々ストーリーの空白を埋めることが出来ました。価格も手頃だし、日本語字幕じゃないのは痛いですが、大満足しています。シーズン１１も同様で、シーズン１０から飛んでシーズン１２しか知らない私…なので、１１も取り寄せました。１１も７もジヴァの進退の空白を埋める…偶然の一致ですが、そういう感じでも…興味深かったです。

Absolutely love this series. It's no wonder the series is in to it's 13th season and I will own them all. I don't normally by TV series on DVD but this one is a must have. Blu ray would have been nice but I love the price point of these ones. You can't go wrong here...***** Footnote *****This came in a simple "single disc" type case and not the bookshelf format with slim casings inside, like all the rest. Very disappointed in the lack of continuity that my set now has. They were all bought from Amazon.