Criminal Minds: Season 12 is a slight step down from previous years due to the drastic cast changes that began with Shemar Moore’s departure in the eleventh season and now the firing of Thomas Gibson. Still, I do enjoy the core cast and the stories are compelling enough.
While Vega$ wasn’t quality, or even consistent, entertainment, I did find this to be an enjoyable enough series that rode almost solely on Robert Urich’s charms, with honorable mentions toward Bart Braveman and Greg Morris, rather than the writing.
Becker was a show which is easily forgotten especially since it never reached the creative levels of Cheers or Frasier, but as it is, I found the series had some truly hilarious moments and a strong supporting cast.
Joan of Arcadia was a short-lived but well acted drama-fantasy highlighted by Amber Tamblyn in what could’ve been a star-making role, alongside Joe Mantegna and Mary Steenburgen. At times it might not have been greatly compelling but it there were entertaining episodes spanning the two seasons.
NCIS: The Thirteenth Season is another solid year for the venerable series and while not all 24 episodes were top level, more than enough were to make this one of strong years, however the departure of Weatherly’s DiNozzo will test the writers and cast as he is a hard actor and character to replace.
Elementary: The Fourth Season is another fun ride with some decent mystery storylines mixed in with further character development, and obstacles, for Sherlock and company.
It’s not always a given that a series going into its seventh season would be any good but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed NCIS: Los Angeles thus far and appreciate the advancements the writers and producers have made with these characters.
Criminal Minds: Season 11 still has some entertainment value mainly for its cast, though it is a letdown after a nice 10th season, but seeing the departure of another veteran cast member makes me wonder if next year will be its last which will be hurt once Thomas Gibson is gone following his much publicized dismissal.
Code Black: Season 1 is a well acted medical drama practically on the parts of Marcia Gay Harden and Luis Guzman. However, as compelling of a drama that it is, there’s not much here that distinguishes it from the numerous others that have come before. Still, the characters are at least well written so it is worth watching.
NCIS: New Orleans is hardly a great show and a shell of a series compared with NCIS or even NCIS: Los Angeles, however it is at least fluff entertainment and with Scott Bakula at the helm, enjoyable enough even if the stories aren’t entirely memorable.
“NCIS: New Orleans” is I’d say passable entertainment and an OK start for its first season thanks in part with some satisfactory storylines and story arcs to go along with the charisma Scott Bakula still possesses even in the much maligned “Enterprise.” This 6-disc DVD set is well done with some decent enough bonus features and good video/audio transfers.
“NCIS”: The Twelfth Season is another solid year for the venerable series that excels mostly to the ensemble cast which, for the most part, has been together since the beginning. The stories also remain compelling with new and different obstacles for the team including a deadly antagonist to start the season out with a bang.
The fourth season “Person of Interest” is another solid year for the series expanding the world and adding the new element in another machine, an adversary that makes the gang’s lives far more difficult and harder to help those in need. The performances all around are quite good and I only wonder where they go from here going into a 13-episode fifth season which, unless ratings improve, might be the series’ last.
“Person of Interest”: The Complete Second Season continues its upward trajectory from its inaugural season. The storylines are richer and more connected; the new supporting characters are great additions with two getting recurring main roles next year.
“Criminal Minds” Season 7 might not the best in the series, but considering the hole the producers had to dig out of with the whole Paget Brewster situation, they did a fine job with a reset buttons of sorts. The season also offers up some nice character development for each member of the team to go along with new cases.