Crime
NCIS: New York
In ‘NCIS: New York,’ Special Agent Sam Hanna continues to solve federal crimes for the military, this time returning to his roots in New York City.
Working as first responder in any capacity, I’d imagine one gets used to expecting the unexpected on a daily basis. That said, a serial killer borrowing heavily from the plagues found in the book of Exodus is not likely to be found in anyone’s job description.
Nashville fire department captain Don Hart—along with his sons, Ryan and Blue—already had enough on their plates responding to normal 9-1-1 calls. Now, they’re begrudgingly working in close proximity with the aptly named detective Rogue Kelly to quickly and quietly find the source of these biblical blunders.
All the while, the Hart boys’ home life is something of a battleground as well. Don and his wife, Blythe (Ryan’s mom), are still reeling from an act of infidelity planned out—but not committed—between Don and his former lover Dixie (Blue’s mom).
For these 9-1-1 dispatchers and first responders, saving lives is a family business. But like any family, drama is bound to arise—and at the end of the day, all that matters is whether they come through these hardships together, stronger than they were before.
Look, these never-ending network procedurals seem to know their place in the TV landscape. Something tells me the showrunners of 9-1-1: Nashville aren’t expecting any Emmys for this season. These series are something of an antithesis to the high-concept, big-budget streaming serials like Mindhunter or True Detective, and that’s not necessarily a negative thing.
That said, it would seem that in an effort to keep audiences engaged, Nashville is now dealing with a Zodiac-esque, biblically inspired killer that feels ripped out of an abandoned concept for a David Fincher film. So while the melodramatic, pulpy dialogue of these far-from-realistic characters may provide audiences with the network procedural feel they long for, the content here is surprisingly violent.
There are also some mild profanities in the mix. Don’s son Blue was a stripper before he joined the fire department. And there’s the matter of Don’s complicated relationship with Blue and Dixie since Blue was the result of an extramarital affairs years ago when Don and Blythe were separated.
Now, there are some very redeeming factors at work in the streets of Nashville. The tension here is far less frightening than that of many other true crime offerings. And Don and Blythe are working to strengthen their bond after the deep emotional pain he inflicted just recently by reaching out to Dixie once again.
But that leaves this 9-1-1 spin-off in a weird middle ground—too silly for crime thriller aficionados, too icky for fans of other similarly predictable network series.
(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)
After renowned architect Henry Babel reveals his model for Nashville’s newest skyscraper (ostentatiously named the “Tower of Babel”), guests at the unveiling are met with some unwelcome visitors. A killer has stuffed the model with killer hornets, which have made their nest out of pages from the book of Exodus. It’s up to Don Hart and his crew, as well as Nashville newcomer Rogue Kelley, to stop this killer before he releases chaos of biblical proportions on the city.
The hornets cause quite a ruckus, taking the lives of at least three individuals. One woman is fatally stung in the eye. Another man is seen lifeless, covered in sting wounds. When a pregnant woman gets stung, she foams at the mouth, choking on her own tongue—but first responders are able to save her.
The killer strikes again in the basement of an apartment complex: A room is suddenly flooded with animal blood as a woman with a broken leg (who is using a wheelchair) attempts to flee. First responders are able to resuscitate her, but she coughs up a lot of the blood herself in a moment more queasy than longtime fans of these series may be used to.
In a flashback, two women engage in a fistfight of sorts.
We hear a lot of talk about the infidelity that almost took place between Don and Dixie. Dixie and Blythe are forced to attend anger management together. It would seem that Dixie revels in the chaos she’s helped cause, and the two women spitefully argue during the group session. A male member of the group suggests that Dixie and Blythe should have sexual relations with each other to get back at Don—an idea quickly shot down by both women. Two male characters are hosed down in their underwear in an extended scene.
Some mild, but frequent, foul language includes five uses of “h—” as well as two uses each of “b–tard,” “d–n” and “a–.” God’s name is misused over 10 times.
Characters drink alcohol socially. Don is warned by his doctor that a nightly glass of wine is not good for his health: He takes the advice but only switches his drink of choice to scotch instead.
During a discussion about Don’s health, Blythe informs her husband about GLP-1 drugs.
A cross hangs on a wall in the Hart family house. Multiple Bible verses from Exodus are mentioned, and pages of the book are found at the sites where the killer has struck.
Jonah Parker’s first interaction with Plugged In came when he was just five years old, after his parents read a review for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and deemed the content too intense for him. What started out as a contentious relationship between Jonah and a staff of reviewers who knew not of his existence would later turn into an appreciation for the site’s ability to present media content in a way that was accurate and fair. Jonah enjoys analyzing how our entertainment echoes the creativity of our Creator while finding glimpses of Biblical truths within every genre. He believes that Robert Pattinson’s Batmobile is the perfect mix of cool and practical.
In ‘NCIS: New York,’ Special Agent Sam Hanna continues to solve federal crimes for the military, this time returning to his roots in New York City.
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