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.
The police portion of Dick Wolf’s One Chicago serves as a telling Rorschach
test. 97% of the world identifies with hard-charging but undeniably dedicated
Sgt. Hank Voight, while most of the nation’s big city mayors and DA’s probably root
for Internal Affairs Commander Mark Devlin to end Voight’s career. As revealed right
before the mid-season break, Devlin even resorted to blackmailing Voight with
the threat of unjustly tarnishing his heroic late father’s name. That remains a
problem, but Voight has more pressing issues, like the unit member stuck in a
serial killer’s house, under iffy circumstances, in “Born Screaming,” the
mid-season premiere of Chicago P.D., which airs tonight on NBC.
Voight’s
Intelligence Unit always knew Raymond Bell was bad news, but they could never
get anything to stick. Since new member Eva Imani has even less patience for
procedure than Voight (which is saying something), she came charging in when
Bell’s granddaughter (and ward) Julie called for help (she hardly seems intended
as a tribute to the cult-favorite artist). Now Imani is in a bit of a tight
spot.
Of
course, Devlin is there to gum at the works every step of the way. It’s not
like lives are at stake, except for maybe a few innocent civilians. Indeed,
this episode takes a grisly turn, in keeping with some of the most lurid serial
killer movies.
This is one of the few shows on TV that features veteran characters who are
not solely defined by their PTSD. Nevertheless, Theodore “TC” Calvin is
currently in VA hospital, because of the gunshot wound he unfortunately sustained
in the season 5A cliffhanger ending. He is understandably frustrated, but it is
also worth noting he seems to be getting excellent care there, as my father did
from the VA, despite how the media often smears VA hospitals. Meanwhile, life
goes on for Thomas Magnum and Juliet Higgins when they accept an unusual case
in “Hit and Run,” the midseason premiere of the Lenkov-verse reboot of Magnum
P.I., which premieres tomorrow on NBC.
After
a jokey prologue (which might in itself be notable for featuring a Russian
oligarch as a bad guy), Magnum and Higgins get down to business. A hitman wants
to hire them, via a planted burner phone, to protect the target of the contract
he just refused. The mystery man kills for money, but he draws the line at a
twelve-year-old girl.
Ordinarily,
Magnum and Higgins would not be doing business with him, but these are
extraordinary circumstances. Frankly, this could be a reasonably solid premise
for a full feature. The scene in which they are hired is indeed fairly
cinematic and the episode later echoes Leon the Professional when their
client takes on an active role protecting the girl. Few critics will ever
mention it, but Paul Blackthorne gives a great guest-starring performance as
the conscientious mystery man.
In
between the action, Higgins and Magnum banter and wait for the results of her
pregnancy test the way all couples should (but maybe often don’t). Viewers also
frequently check-in on TC as he struggles to acclimate to his wheelchair, with
the help of regular series crony Kenny “Shammy” Shamberg, whose legs were
paralyzed during the Iraq War. It is still unclear whether TC’s lower paralysis
is temporary or permanent, which further fuels his anger and pessimism. Yet, these
scenes are also handled with a good deal of sensitivity and empathy.
