Considering how many hostile foreign powers are currently targeting the U.S. and
our allies, would the Navy’s resources truly be best spent on Antarctic climate
research? This episode of CBS’s mega-procedural franchise makes a good case for
the negative (probably unintentionally). Regardless, when a wave of violent
madness sweeps through the scientific station, NCIS Agent Michelle Mackey’s
lucky team happens to be the closest, so they must respond in “South of
Nowhere,” the mid-season premiere of creator-showrunner Morgan McNeill’s NCIS
Sydney, which premieres tonight on CBS.
According
to the initial report, one scientist suddenly went nuts, killing another, but
was quickly subdued. However, when Mackey and her team arrive (minus the
high-strung Blue Gleeson, who has dog-sitting duties), they find a bloodbath.
They immediately suspect an airborne “zombie virus,” until they find a
survivor.
Nevertheless,
the Agents must make contingencies in case some of their comrades turn into
rabid killers. Much to the credit of McNeill and co-writer Josh Sambono, this
episode directly references the classic The Thing Another World.
However, given the context, they probably really mean to name-drop John
Carpenter’s 1982 re-conception, The Thing, which is also a great film.
Either
way, the Antarctic setting is relatively ambitious for a weekly procedural
series—even without extensive outdoor location shots. This episode also builds
urgency with a countdown to the six months of solstice night due to engulf the
polar region in less than four days. As a bonus, it also acknowledges the duplicitous
nature of one of Putin’s closest allies.
As a member of the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance and the AUKUS
collective security pact, Australia recognizes it shares common democratic
values and strategic interests with the United States. Of course, the same sort
of people currently conducting anti-Semitic (or rather Jew-hating) rallies
would like to see that alliance loosened to the point it might sever. That is
why both NCIS and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) need to quickly resolve
the suspicious death of American sailor aboard a nuclear submarine docked in
Sydney. The respective team leaders will squabble over style and turf, but they
still work well enough together to launch a new spin-off in “Gone Fission,” the
pilot episode of creator Morgan O’Neill’s NCIS: Sydney, which premieres
tomorrow on CBS.
Unfortunately,
the AUKUS ceremony did not go according to plan. First a protester disrupted
the Australian Foreign Minister’s speech. Then a not-so able-bodied seaman fell
dead into Sydney Harbor. Since his death is attributed to radiation poisoning,
the boat is immediately sidelined for a thorough inspection.
NCIS
Special Agent Captain Michelle Mackey will be investigating, in partnership
with AFP Special Agent Jim “JD” Dempsey, but they are so temperamentally alike,
they automatically clash. Fortunately, their laidback #2’s, DeShawn Jackson of
NCIS and AFP Constable Evie Cooper are similar in ways that help them
immediately fall into an easy working relationship. For forensic support, they
have the expertise of crusty old Roy Penrose and Bluebird “Blue” Gleeson, his
new intern, a quirky Millennial, with an unlikely affinity for the spiritual aspect
of their job, which her initially standoffish boss comes to respect. It sounds
a lot like a NCIS series, because it is.
All
the critical attention is on the big steamers right now, but the old big three networks
are some of the rare places you can find veteran-friendly television. One of
the important developments in “Gone Fission” is the discovery the late sailor
was in fact poisoned by Polonium and not a leaky reactor. By now, everyone should
know Polonium is one of Putin’s favorite assassination techniques. Questions
from the pilot remain unresolved, but just offering up Russia as a potential
suspect is a good start.
