Reviewer Rating: 4/5.0
4
Well, ladies and gentlemen, I’d say Christmas has come early, but I’m still trying to figure out what exactly NCIS: Origins has in store for viewers. We thought we had the answers, but were left with questions.
To be honest, this episode’s case was particularly difficult to track. If I remember correctly, a guy working for the government was tricked into leaking military weapons schematics.
However, the actual plot of NCIS: Origins is almost entirely about Agent Lara Dominguez. Although we’ve only seen six episodes, we finally get to know a little bit about the character.
However, this insight comes with some pressing questions that will likely stump viewers until the show delivers the answers.
The first question is, what happened to Lala?
NCIS: Origins’ Agent Lala Dominguez Is a Tapestry of Repressed Emotions
Immediately, I was excited to watch this episode. If you’ve read spoilers for NCIS: Origins Season 1 Episode 6, you know we’re relying on some information about the NIS’s hardest-working agents.
When I say “work your hardest,” I’m not talking about the job. Work is definitely part of it, but for Lala, every second of the day seems to be a struggle.
Then again, how is it possible that men and women in the jurisdiction live in the same dressing room, separated only by curtains? Was there no HR in the 1990s?
Now that has to break a lot of protocols. I’m far from a cop, though, so please drop a note in the comments if this description is true.
Lala’s face was filled with suppressed emotions and all the things she chose not to say. It was so disgusting to end up watching her and listening to her coworkers talk about how great she looked in that black dress.
Even if it’s a compliment, what on earth makes a person think it’s okay to talk about another person, let alone a co-worker, in this context?
Worst of all, even Caleb Foote’s (Magnum PI) Randy tends to be “bro out” in the workplace.
Someone should tell Wheeler that Mike Franks runs the precinct
I don’t know about you, but when I saw Randy reading the letters at the beginning of the episode while Lala was listening, it made me uncomfortable. This is a new level of cringe.
Yet despite the overwhelming misogyny, it reveals one good thing. Randy is wisely embarrassed when faced with the truth.
He’d better deal with this now before saying something that would make Mary Jo’s ears prick up in the workplace. Speaking of Mary Jo, lord, that woman is dressed for the gods.
We already know that Mary Jo was a woman who took great care in her dress and presentation of herself. Remember those heels from NCIS: Origins Season 1 Episode 4? Women have temperament.
I was completely shocked that Franks had the courage to confront Mary Jo over a message that he wanted to repeat “word for word.” That man is playing with fire.
Then again, Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid) pretty much runs the precinct. We might as well admit that Wheeler would do just about anything Franks asked him to do.
If anything, Wheeler is smarter than we thought. He doesn’t stand in the way of his best man and supports him in whatever he needs to get the job done.
However, Wheeler ended up asking Franks some questions about Lala and how she was “dealing with it.” Unless I’m missing something, what do we think this might be about?
What happened to Lala started long before Gibbs showed up
I know we’ve discussed lesbians above, but the spotlight is mostly on this woman in NCIS: Origins and we have so much more to cover. Again, what is going on with this woman?
NCIS: Origins did a great job portraying Mariel Molino’s (Promised Land) Lala as a stable and in-control character. Everything we thought we knew about this character was washed away in one episode.
I want to ask, does your boyfriend have a problem? I know Lala needs to close herself off while working. Most people bite their tongues and talk nonsense at work.
But why does a lesbian need to shut herself in a box at home? She has a handsome, cute, ambitious boyfriend who can cook and clean. What am I missing? Did he say something derogatory?
Whatever happened to Lala started long before Gibbs showed up, but maybe two broken people can help each other put the pieces back together again.
It wouldn’t work in the real world, but this is TV magic we’re talking about. When it comes to movies, no relationship brings people together. If you don’t believe me, watch Tell Me Lies.
NCIS: Origins is a ballad of broken people
Thankfully, none of the characters in “NCIS: Origins” are as toxic as their counterparts on the show. Still, we are dealing with some very broken people.
Did you notice that when Gibbs put the knife to the seller’s throat, he kind of froze? It was as if he had had an out-of-body experience. It seems that Franks seems to be particularly concerned about it.
What did he think Gibbs would do? Sure, he went a little crazy with the guys in the truck in NCIS: Origins Season 1 Episode 5, but I don’t think he’s going to kill anyone.
Hopefully this marks a change of pace for Gibbs. He seemed eager to spend time with Lala, considering how hard he tried to get her to join him and Randy for a drink.
Audiences wanted to see more of the show’s supporting characters, and they got their wish. It’s also a refreshing break from Gibbs’ (Austin Stowell) possible plans to find the killer.
One of the main requirements for working in the National Intelligence Service appears to be emotional trauma and enough baggage to fail a psychological evaluation.
NCIS: Origins is progressing well with its character development. We can only hope this trend continues. I had to know if Randy, the NIS’s golden boy, had any secrets.
Finally I want to ask a question about the continuity of this episode. The guy who died at the beginning was catfished by his pen pal. I get that part, but that’s where I struggle.
Are phone calls between pen pals not allowed? He planned to meet, but didn’t think to confirm via phone call – not even to confirm that he was talking to a woman.
Then again, this character is stupid enough to try to sell out military secrets. It’s just another day at work for the National Intelligence Service.
Do you think we’ll eventually see a move from NIS to NCIS?
What do you think of Agent Lara Dominguez’s situation?
Leave a comment below to let me know what you loved about this episode, and join me again as I review NCIS: Origins.
Be sure to watch out for spoilers for the next episode of NCIS: Origins!
Watch NCIS: Origins online
