There are so many crime scene investigation shows out there on television these days that it can be hard to keep up with them all. NCIS stands for Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Think of it like CSI in the Navy. The NCIS deals with crimes that occur in association with people affiliated with the US Navy and the Marine Corps. The thing that makes this show different is the military angle. One of the things that makes it different is that the NCIS does not suffer jurisdictional lines when they are involved in an investigation. They have the ability to go wherever the investigation takes them.

Mark Harmon (Summer School, Chasing Liberty) takes the lead role as Inspector Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Other mainstays of NCIS are Michael Weatherly (The Last Days of Disco) as Anthony DiNozzo, Pauley Perrette (The Ring), David McCallum (A Night to Remember) as Dr. Donald Mallard (Just call him Ducky), and Sean Murray (Hocus Pocus) as Timothy McGee. NCIS: The Fourth Season was released by Paramount Pictures on October 23, 2007. The set contains 24 hour long episodes and several special features that should thrill the fans.

NCIS Plot:
While each new season offers some twists and turns that are to be expected, season four is no different. One of the twists this season comes in the form of some new reoccurring characters that were added to enhance the show. The new characters include a mentor of Gibbs, a member of the CID (Army Criminal Investigations), and an NCIS Rookie. Mike Franks used to be Gibbs mentor and partner, Lt Colonel Hollis Mann is the CID investigator, and Michelle Lee is the new addition to the team. At some she is moved to the legal department, a spot more befitting of her Law degree from Harvard, but until then she stars as a rookie agent with a penchant for following the rules exactly as they were written.

One of the greatest things about crime dramas is that they seem really easy to pick up on even if they have been established. If you are new to NCIS you will not have any problem understanding the goal of the show. Everything moves at a very fluid pace, but considering the fact that there are always new cases and new crimes you will be able to gather the idea almost immediately.

In the season opener, “Shalom”, things pick up where they left off at the end of season three. Gibbs is retired in Mexico. Meanwhile, the team is stuck without him when they learn that Ziva (Cote de Pablo) is their prime suspect in an assassination attempt. This is just one good start in a strong season. Gibbs comes out of retirement in the second episode and soon things are progressing into a more normal pace.

Some of the most memorable episodes include “Witch Hunt”, where a Marine is attacked and his daughter is kidnapped, “Dead and Unburied”, where a Marine’s body is found in an abandoned home after being deployed but having went missing, “Twisted Sister” has McGee’s sister showing up at his door covered in blood and unsure of what is going on, and “Iceman” and the man who appeared to be frozen to death, but was actually still alive.

The rest of the episodes were definitely worth watching, but those were a few that stood out for me. The entire season was one that was worth watching. Each episode is still incredibly interesting despite the newness being gone. Like some shows, this one seems to retain its appeal despite getting older.

Audio/Video:
The video for NCIS is presented with an enhanced ratio of 1.78:1 in widescreen format. You can expect a picture quality that is visible and for the most part, crisp. For the most part things are sharp the entire way through. Audio also gets the job done well. Audio is offered in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. This means you will receive clean, clear, and bursting sound to go with the good picture quality.
Special Features:
If you want special features you will not be disappointed. They are packed to the brim in this box set. Special features include audio commentary for various episodes, two cast interviews, and several featurettes. The featurettes include “Ducky’s World”, “Behind the Set: The Production Design of NCIS”, “Dressed to Kill: Dressing the Sets of NCIS”, “Prop Master”, “Picture Perfect: The Look of NCIS”, and “Season of Secrets.”

Bottom Line:
Whether you are new to NCIS or this show has quickly become an old favorite, you will love this box set. This is perfect for people who love television drama and crime shows. The military influence may be of interest to some people, as well. The changes this season only amplified the interesting storylines and kept things going in the best way possible. This is one worth checking out.

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Technorati Tags: NCIS, Naval Criminal Investigation Service, Mark Harmon, TV Show, Box Set Review, Season Four

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