NCIS: New Orleans: The Complete Series DVD Review

THE SERIES — 2¾/5

Season One:

In a city that keeps surviving disaster, one elite team is dedicated to making our shores a little safer. Dwayne Cassius Pride (SCOTT BAKULA) knows every corner of the Crescent City from his days as a deputy. Now, his mission has higher stakes as he leads an elite crew that tackles crimes that threaten national security. The Big Easy is in good hands with a supremely professional team with a passion for justice. Pride’s trusted right-hand man Christopher Lasalle (LUCAS BLACK) loves this city like few others. Newcomer Meredith Brady (ZOE MCLELLAN) unleashes her unique skills in interrogation to corner the crooks. Eccentric forensic scientist Sebastian Lund (ROB KERKOVICH) tackles the evidence with high-tech tactics while Medical Examiner Loretta Wade (CCH POUNDER) employs her wisdom and experience to reveal the secrets of the dead. Together, they can counter any threat, from escaped prisoners, to bio-threats, to unrepentant killers.

Season Two:

As special agent-in-charge, Dwayne Cassius Pride (BAKULA) is responsible for cracking cases threatening American security or involving military personnel. His hand-picked unit includes streetwise former NOPD detective Christopher Laselle (BLACK), ultra-dedicated agent Meredith Brody (Zoe McLellan), and their newest recruit, former undercover ATF agent Sonja Percy (SHALITA GRANT). While the investigators are on the scene, the evidence gets handled by the technical experts back at headquarters, including offbeat forensic scientist Sebastian Lund (KERKOVICH), unstoppable hacker Patton Plame (DARYL “CHILL” MITCHELL) and seasoned Medical Examiner Dr. Loretta Wade (POUNDER). From black market drones, to deadly new drugs, to a lethal home invasion, no situation is too extreme.

Season Three:

Nothing will stop special agent in charge Dwayne Cassius Pride (BAKULA) from defending his beloved city, with the help of reliable right-hand man Christopher LaSalle (BLACK) and unstoppable undercover expert Sonja Percy (GRANT). As the field agents hit the streets, their evidence is analyzed back at base by digital security expert Patton (MITCHELL), skilled medical examiner Dr. Loretta Wade (POUNDER), and idiosyncratic forensics specialist Sebastian Lund (KERKOVICH). As the team copes with a rogue sniper, a cartel’s conspiracies, and a deep rig primed to explode, they face a new crisis that hit closer to him. In the wake of betrayal compromising the unit’s integrity, they find themselves under investigation by FBI special agent Tammy Gregorio (VANESSA FERLITO), a hand-changing New Yorker who makes a fierce friend and a tireless foe.

Season Four:

A Nuclear Terror Threat. An Elusive Serial Killer. A Mystifying Supernatural Murder. These are just a few of the pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat cases facing the elite NCIS team in the fourth season of NCIS: New Orleans. But no matter the risks, the heroic agents, led by Special Agent Dwayne Cassius Pride (BAKULA), remain at the top of their game – from the action-packed season premiere to the explosive finale!

Season Five:

Special Agent Dwayne Cassius Pride (BAKULA) leads an elite team of agents and specialists as they take on assassins, conspiracies, and mysteries years in the making, all while recruiting some new blood into the squad. Bring home every chilling mystery and thrilling moment as the NCIS team upholds the law, defends honor, and faces their greatest challenges yet.

Season Six:

For Special Agent Dwayne Cassius Pride (BAKULA) and his team of the Naval Criminal Investigation Service, kidnappers, cults, traffickers and murderers are business as usual. But with the tragic loss of one of their own, these agents suddenly find themselves driven by more than duty; now it’s personal. Will Pride stay loyal to the law, or will vengeance push him over the edge? Experience every stunning surprise, dramatic reveal, and breathtaking cliffhanger.

Season Seven:

Leading the team is Special Agent Dwayne Pride (BAKULA), a native of New Orleans who is driven by his need to do what is right. Working with Pride is tough and acerbic Special Agent Tammy Gregorio (FERLITO), a former FBI Agent who was sent to New Orleans to investigate NCIS and upon completion joined Pride’s team, Forensic Agent Sebastian Lund (KERKOVICH), a brilliant scientist who left the lab and, after much training, became an agent, Special Agent Hannah Khoury (NECAR ZADEGAN), a seasoned agent who specializes in international counter-intelligence and has spent most of her career on overseas assignments; and Quentin Carter (CHARLES MICHAEL DAVIS), a former Marine with a wry sense of humor and an independent streak, who makes it a point never to stay in one place long enough to get too comfortable. Supporting them is coroner Dr. Loretta Wade (POUNDER), who is as eccentric as she is smart, and Investigative Computer Specialist Patton Plame (MITCHELL), an animated and talented hacker. Helping Pride is Rita Devereaux (CHELSEA FIELD), who after a successful career as an attorney with the Department of Justice, returns to her hometown of New Orleans to pursue a relationship with him.

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Quick Hit Review: NCIS: New Orleans is a series that I never quite got in to. While I certainly enjoy the parent series and even NCIS: Los Angeles, this always came in third despite a nice leading role for Scott Bakula. The locale does give this some flavor which I appreciate but everything else from the stories to the performances from the supporting cast, made it difficult to really find all that engaging or enjoyable.

SPECIAL FEATURES – 2/5

[bg_collapse view=”link” color=”#4a4949″ expand_text=”Click to See the Features for Each Season” collapse_text=”Show Less” ]

Season One:

Spin-Off Episodes are available from “NCIS”: Season 11, ‘Crescent City’ Parts 1 & 2 where the three main characters are introduced. Accompanying them are commentary tracks by Actor/Executive Producer Mark Harmon and Creator Gary Glasberg.

Episode Commentary on ‘Musician Heal Thyself’ with writer Jeffrey Lieber and executive producer James Hayman.

Deleted Scenes (3:18) – ‘Musician Heal Thyself’, ‘Chasing Ghosts’, ‘Stolen Valor’ and ‘Baitfish’

Launch Promos (4:17)

Spooktacular (5:03) goes over the Halloween episode, ‘Master of Horror’

Episode Commentary on ‘Careful What You Wish For’ with Lieber and Hayman.

Mardi Gras: The “NCIS” Way (4:45) looks at filming the episode ‘Le Carnivale De La Mort’ with comments by the crew.

After the Storm (5:54) is a featurette on New Orleans and areas still in shambles but how Katrina was woven into storylines, even slightly.

Starting Up in New Orleans (14:07) looks at assembling a crew to work on “NCIS: NO” and coordinating between New Orleans and L.A. and establishing a certain look.

A Big Easy Success (30:04) – Here we get an overview of the first season and its successes in discerning itself from the “mothership”.

How Rob Got the Job (3:58) – This featurette talks about how actor Rob Kerkovich came to be on the series via auditioning.

Touring the Set (4:47) – The production designer leads viewers on a tour of the primary sets.

The Write Angle (21:30) looks at the writing on the series.

Strike Up the Band (8:33) covers the music that is so prominent on the show.

Season Two:

Episode Commentaries – Writer/Co-Executive Producer Christopher Silber and Writer Christopher Waild provide commentaries on ‘Sister City’ Parts 1 & 2.

Who Wore It Best? (4:45) is a featurette on the red dresses wore by the men in the episode, ‘Insane in the Membrane’

Dressed to Thrill (8:35) looks at the costume design on the series.

Crossing Over: A Look at Sister City (15:37) looks at the making of the crossover episodes and features interviews with the cast and crew.

Bullets and Beignets: Exploring Season Two (21:06) is an overview of the series’ second year with topics discussed about the plots.

Percy and Plame (12:13) is a featurette on the new character, Sonja Percy as portrayed by Shalita Grant, and Patton Plame played by Daryl “Chill” Mitchell whose character was introduced last season and is now a regular.

Now You See It (7:18) looks at the locations used in and around New Orleans.

All the World’s a Stage (3:52) finds the actors talking about how they came to their profession.

Deleted Scenes are available on ‘Sic Semper Tyrannis’, ‘Blue Christmas’ and ‘Sister City Part II’

Season Three:

Episode Commentaries

• ‘Aftershocks’ – Brad Kern (writer/executive producer)
• ‘Pandora’s Box, Parts 1 & 2’ – Christopher Walid & Christopher Silber (writer/executive producers on NCIS and NCIS: NO respectively)

Opening Pandora’s Box (12:14) is a look at the cross-over two-part episode that began on NCIS and concluded on NCIS: New Orleans.

NCIS: New Orleans Season 3: Let the Good Times Roll (28:03) extensively delves into the storylines of the third season of the series and furthering the characters arcs.

The New Girl in Town (8:21) profiles the entrance of Vanessa Ferlito and her character.

Propping It Up (4:22) looks at the props department.

It Takes a Video Village (4:57) is about those who work behind the scenes like the first assistant director, gaffers, and others talking about what they do.

Season Four:

This season comes with a few featurettes: Season Four: Big Easy Does It (23:40), “Chill” Out (6:00), #1 Fan Questions (2:07) and Scott and Chelsea: Double Date (7:00). Also included are some Deleted Scenes.

Season Five:

King Cake: The 100th Episode (11:03) – This featurette looks at the episode ‘In the Blood’ and a new twist for Pride. Of course.

Cast and Creole: A Look at Season 5 (23:33) breaks down some of the storylines and character developments over the course of this fifth season.

Who Dat?: Hannah Khoury (10:54) is an introduction to the newest series regular and her character.

Off Subject are a series of short featurettes where the cast talk about various subjects, such as what would they be doing if they hadn’t become an actor or talking about turning down roles.

Season Six:

The only features included is Six of One (21:30) and The Demise of Christopher LeSalle (12:32) featurettes.

Season Seven:

The final season is light on features, there is Season 7: Pride and Joy (22:32) on the making of the seventh season and the logistics of filming during a pandemic; The Best of Times (2:08) is a short featurette showing those behind the camera; The Perfect Pair (4:51) is a featurette on the relationship between Pride and Rita.

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VIDEO – 4/5, AUDIO – 4/5

All seven seasons of NCIS: New Orleans is presented with a 16×9 enhanced 1.78 widescreen aspect ratio. It’s nothing great but does showcase some of the more colorful locales of New Orleans. And each episode comes with a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, outputting decent enough dialogue and the action scenes show a bit of depth.

OVERALL – 3/5

NCIS: New Orleans for me personally was one of the lesser within the NCIS-verse. It has some charm here and there and I generally like Scott Bakula in the lead but other than the locale, there’s not much setting this one apart.