The format of tonight’s episode was wonderful. The way the flashback and present day scenes were tied together was very effective. I loved how as each of the family members finished describing their loved one the scene would switch to the loved one proving that their assessment was correct. As an example: Malcolm really did “take care of his own” by accompanying Franny to her mother’s house. The whole encounter at the mother’s house, by the way, was a bit unsatisfying. Eva’s integrity is constantly being questioned and each time she is fully exonerated and even proven to be a little bit nicer or purer than she was originally thought. I also found it intriguing that the police were so interested in the hostages’ personalities. It never occurred to me, or I never really considered, how much of the action inside the bank was determined by how the individuals reacted, rather than the way the robbers conducted themselves. Of course, we have se...
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Question: Hi, Matt. Great column. Some great shows have seen the ax lately, but one of my absolute favorite shows (perhaps, at this point, my overall favorite of the season) is one that doesn't come up all that frequently: NCIS — or, as I mockingly referred to it in the first season, "Navy Criminal Investigation Service." What I love about the show is the characters and the great chemistry the cast seems to have, particularly with the addition of Cote de Pablo this season. In a lineup stuffed with all-too-boring procedurals, this is the only one that can make me laugh.
Answer: May I also point you towards Fox's Bones, which will soon be moving away from direct competition with NCIS? What sets both of these shows apart is a strong reliance on character-based humor amid the mysteries. NCIS has exploded in popularity this season, and we have acknowledged that with several features (and more to come) in the magazine itself. And since it doesn't appear that the shocking departure of Sasha
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Question: What do you think of Lauren Holly as the new female lead on NCIS? I don't like her at all. She has no chemistry with Mark Harmon's character and she's not very likable. She's certainly no match for Sasha Alexander's character, Kate.
Answer: If it makes you feel any better, Lauren Holly appears to be only a recurring player this season and, according to insiders, is likely to be seen in only a handful of episodes. Besides, I'm not sure she's meant to be likable. She's more a source of conflict. The actual replacement for the Kate slot is Cote de Pablo as former Mossad agent Ziva. You might not like her by comparison, either, but you'll have to get over Kate not coming back (the actress' choice, plus Kate is really truly dead) ...
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Question: In what way will Sasha Alexander be returning to NCIS this season (Ask Ausiello 8/10)? Will it be in a vision or a hallucination or something else?
Answer: My source tells me she's returning as a ghost, but I haven't been able to confirm that with anyone "official." The only thing I know for sure is that Sasha will be back for the Sept. 20 season premiere.
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