I am – Hercules!!
The stars are Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J, who play Navy secret agents, and the Linda Hunt character may very likely be based on “The Incredibles’” Edna Mode. It’s interesting how everybody in the show seems to know what an NCIS is. I know I’d have no idea were it not for the Mark Harmon hourlong. Perhaps an “NCIS” show airs in the universe these characters exist in as well? And is there an Air Force Criminal Investigative Service out of which someone could fashion a series? It’s heavy on gunplay and punching and creaky banter that’s in not a lot of danger of making anyone laugh. USA Today says:

… not the season's most exciting show. It's a serviceable hour that takes the NCIS formula — a light tone and a lot of banter wrapped around a fairly rudimentary investigatory plot — and transfers it to a special, undercover NCIS division in Los Angeles. Nothing more, but also nothing less. …

The New York Times says:

… the pilot rises just far enough above its sometimes tired trappings to make you curious about Week 2. The presence of Ms. Hunt, in her first regular television role (she had a recurring part on “The Practice”), is a special bonus. She brings a sweet gravity to everything she does, like tucking in Callen when he sleeps at the office rather than going home to his seedy beachfront motel. It’s exactly the right note for a lighthearted drama, if that’s the kind of show you’re trying to make. …

The Los Angeles Times says:

… Although much is familiar -- is it me or has the whole team-shrink-insta-diagnosis gotten old? -- that isn't necessarily a bad thing. The crime is intriguing and multifaceted, its resolution requiring a nice balance of street smarts and lots of gunfire. But as with the original "NCIS," the emphasis is on the characters of the team. …

The Washington Post says:

… isn't innovative or brilliant, but there's some kind of joy to be had from watching the parts of the machine fit together just right and operate slickly and smoothly. …

The San Francisco Chronicle says:

… does well is what all CBS procedurals do well - bring mostly believable, semi-pulse-pounding justice to bad guys by the end of the hour with some action, a dose of humor and the weekly, methodical unpeeling of each character's private onion skin. …

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says:

… Tonight's series premiere shows a greater emphasis on characterization and building a team that bonds through generic teasing and banter. … It's a decent team of diverse but largely expected types. "NCIS: Los Angeles" will rise or fall in the coming weeks depending on how well the writers build on what are essentially blank palette characters …

The Newark Star Ledger says:

… The problem is that Chris O’Donnell and Cool J aren’t naturally funny, nor do they (yet) have the kind of obvious on-screen bond that Mark Harmon and Michael Weatherly display in the same respective roles on the parent show. So most of the humor feels like a show that’s trying too hard, except when we’re watching the great-yet-tiny character actress Linda Hunt as the boss of NCIS’s Los Angeles field office. Hunt doesn’t have enough to do in the premiere, but her enthusiasm and amusement about getting (or having) to say lines like, "And, of course, it’s encrypted!" are infectious. …

The Boston Herald says:

… The team solves the case not so much through dogged detective work but through convenient guesses. Call it crimesolving through exposition. It’s one way to speed up an hour, and there is one effective twist late in the premiere. … [LL Cool J] and O’Donnell don’t have the buddy chemistry perfected, but they might mix in time. …

The Boston Globe says:

… It’s all about the crimes, the technology, the guns, and, mostly about not having - or wanting - to think too much.…

Variety says:

… O'Donnell and Cool J have credible chemistry, and it's nice to see Linda Hunt as their boss. Beyond that, no investigation is necessary to grasp the formula. …

The Hollywood Reporter says:

… Chances are, it will enjoy some serious audience flow. Also, a similar dearth of Emmy noms. … The plot is thin, and some of the performances are threadbare. There are flashes of Los Angeles landmarks but no real attempt to give the show a Southern California vibe. Except for the occasional flash of recognizable scenery, this could be "NCIS: Lubbock." …

9 p.m. Tuesday. CBS.

From The Guy Who Wrote
The Making of Star Wars
And The Guy Who Wrote
Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays!!