NCIS: Los Angeles, Terriers, Raising Hope

NCIS: Los Angeles - Pilot, 1.01

I've never been a fan of NCIS. I don't even know what it stands for. I tried out the LA-flavored series in hopes of catching glimpses of places I knew. I didn't see any specific locations, but the ambience was there. Palm trees and that. I enjoyed the crisp quality of the show, particularly the confrontation scene in the house by the beach. Otherwise, I was unimpressed. The acting from the supporting characters is subpar, but they're incredibly good looking. The lead is dashing and fit, but not very charismatic. Well, it is Hollywood.

Grade: C

Terriers - Pilot, 1.01

This is a fun show, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to stick with it for that reason. It's like a buddy cop flick in which one of the cops is Jeff Bridges (Er, The Dude, rather) with some Owen Wilson thrown in. Either way, the actors and uniformly great at doing comedic and dramatic, which I predict will be key. Veronica Mars-esque mysteries/crimes, with banter between a pair of best friends. Sounds like a good time to me!

Grade: B

Raising Hope - Pilot, 1.01

I started watching this pilot expecting to dislike it. Bad attitude, yes, but my opinion was changed from the very first shot -- a saturated wide-angle shot of a pool from floor level. Pretty and artsy, for a 20 minute sitcom. My second impression was that this was pretty good acting. An interesting, unique family dynamic; another "modern family." The cast was going to shoot their promo pictures at my house, and now I'm sad they didn't, because I'd love to be associated with this show.

Martha Plimpton plays his mother, which confused me because she looks so young, but it was explained that she was pregnant at fifteen. Has there been a Rory/Lorelai Gilmore relationship between a mother and her son? "She named it Princess Beyonce but I think I might change that." Very quotable one-liners abound.

Loved the news report on her criminal record alternated with her toilet flushes. This is a very well-written show. And I don't even normally like babies, or shows about people struggling to raise babies.

Quirky brown-eyed female frustrated with her mundane life meets ordinary but endearing protagonist with a heart of gold in a grocery store parking lot. Sure, it's been done, but it's cute, and I do find Jimmy pathetically endearing. I think it's his voice's timbre and his haircut.

Oh, also excellent was Plimpton singing to the baby with her husband accompanying on guitar, cut to a flashback with her younger self doing the same thing for Jimmy. Sentimental. The Modern Family "lessons" moment without the voiceover. I really, really dig this show!

Grade: A