NCIS: Los Angeles
NCIS: Los Angeles
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NCIS: Los Angeles

"New city. New team. Same attitude."

7.5
Yr 2009
Rt 45m
Status Ended
Action & Adventure Drama Crime Mystery
Your Verdict

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Series Brief

Overview

The exploits of the Los Angeles–based Office of Special Projects (OSP), an elite division of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service that specializes in undercover assignments.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 45 /100

Critical reception for the launch of NCIS: Los Angeles was largely lukewarm, with many reviewers viewing the show as a formulaic, uninspired spin-off of its predecessor. Critics often pointed to thin plots and character tropes that felt derivative of standard procedural archetypes. While some recognized its ability to serve as a reliable, lighthearted procedural, others found it lacking the scientific depth and unique chemistry that defined the original series.

Despite the participation of talented cast members, reviewers felt the show struggled to carve out a distinct identity of its own. Comments on the production noted a lack of authentic Southern California atmosphere and cited performances that often felt threadbare, positioning the show as a highly standardized, predictable entry in the network crime-procedural genre.

“The plot is thin, and some of the performances are threadbare.”

“Not only are the notable character traits gone with LA but also missing is the science and forensics that made the original NCIS so very interesting.”

“Each episode serves up a self-contained mystery to be cracked through nifty technology, creative problem solving and a shoot-out or two.”

“Even the always-appealing Linda Hunt can't make her character -- the long-suffering supervisor whose gruff exterior hides a warm heart -- seem original.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

YouTube TV
US
Paramount Plus
CA • UK
Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel
CA • UK
Show 7 more
Paramount Plus Premium
CA • UK
Sky Go
UK
USA Network
US
Paramount Plus Basic with Ads
CA • UK
Paramount+ Amazon Channel
CA • UK
5
UK
Now TV
UK
Why fans love it

Since 2009, this spin-off has leaned into the technical side of high-stakes federal investigations. The show focuses on the Office of Special Projects, a division where success depends on blending into criminal environments across California. By keeping the narrative centered on undercover operations, the series trades standard police procedural beats for fluid, fast-paced action involving U.S. Marine and Navy personnel.

The longevity of the series relies on the dynamic working relationships within the team. Chris O’Donnell and the rest of the cast operate through shifting alliances that prioritize mobility and surveillance over traditional interrogation rooms. The setting of Los Angeles offers a constant backdrop of sun-drenched industrial landscapes, grounding these complex military-backed mysteries in the realities of the city.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 7
Longest run 323 eps
Chris O'Donnell
Chris O'Donnell
as G. Callen
323 episodes
Peter Cambor
Peter Cambor
as Nate Getz
40 episodes
Daniela Ruah
Daniela Ruah
as Kensi Blye
323 episodes
Eric Christian Olsen
Eric Christian Olsen
as Marty Deeks
301 episodes
Barrett Foa
Barrett Foa
as Eric Beale
301 episodes
Medalion Rahimi
Medalion Rahimi
as Fatima Namazi
77 episodes
Renée Felice Smith
Renée Felice Smith
as Nell Jones
257 episodes
Caleb Castille
Caleb Castille
as Devin Rountree
64 episodes
Show 67 more
Miguel Ferrer as Owen Granger 115 episodes Nia Long as Shay Mosley 30 episodes Gerald McRaney as Hollace Kilbride 54 episodes Adam Jamal Craig as Dominic Vail 24 episodes LL Cool J as Sam Hanna 323 episodes Linda Hunt as Henrietta "Hetty" Lange 282 episodes Rocky Carroll as Leon Vance 10 episodes Matthew Del Negro as Jack Simon 4 episodes Laura Harring as Julia Feldman 5 episodes John M. Jackson as A.J. Chegwidden 6 episodes Anslem Richardson as Tahir Khaled 6 episodes Claire Forlani as Lauren Hunter 7 episodes Jackson Hurst as Corbin Duggan 4 episodes Adam Bartley as Carl Brown 4 episodes Kurt Yaeger as Ferris 5 episodes Jeronimo Spinx as Thompson 8 episodes Sammy Sheik as Tobias Thoma 4 episodes Carl Lumbly as Charles Langston 4 episodes Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Michelle Hanna 7 episodes Andrea Bordeaux as Harley Hidoko 22 episodes Long Nguyen as Dang 6 episodes Patrick St. Esprit as Roger Bates 4 episodes India de Beaufort as Alexandra Reynolds 4 episodes Alicia Coppola as Lisa Rand 5 episodes Jeff Kober as Harris Keane 9 episodes Daniel J. Travanti as Garrison 5 episodes Melise as Jennifer Kim 4 episodes Peter Jacobson as John Rogers 10 episodes Pamela Reed as Roberta Deeks 14 episodes Mercedes Mason as Talia Del Campo 7 episodes David S. Lee as Pavel Volkoff 7 episodes Dawn Noel as LAPD Officer Jessica Cole 4 episodes Don Wallace as Frank Wallace 5 episodes Marsha Thomason as Nicole Dechamps 8 episodes Moon Bloodgood as Katherine Casillas 6 episodes Erik Palladino as Vostanik Sabatino 21 episodes Kayla Smith as Kamran Hanna 6 episodes Duncan Campbell as NCIS Special Agent Castor 34 episodes Nicki Micheaux as Effie Carlson 4 episodes Vyto Ruginis as Arkady Kolcheck 29 episodes Ravil Isyanov as Anatoli Kirkin 7 episodes Brian Avers as Mike Ranko 4 episodes Christopher Lambert as Marcel Janvier 6 episodes Bill Goldberg as Lance Hamilton 6 episodes Ella A. Thomas as Jada Khaled 4 episodes Douglas Weston as Alex Elmslie 5 episodes Olesya Rulin as Zasha Gagarin 5 episodes Karina Logue as Ellen Whiting 8 episodes Ava McCoy as Jordyn Roundtree 4 episodes Bar Paly as Anna Kolcheck 35 episodes Richard Gant as Raymond Hanna 7 episodes Elizabeth Bogush as Joelle Taylor 15 episodes Natalia del Riego as Rosa Reyes 10 episodes Kathleen Rose Perkins as Rose Carlyle 5 episodes Beckett Gunderson as Young Callen 5 episodes Milissa Sears as Leah Novak 4 episodes Lesley Boone as Nina Barnes 6 episodes Timothy V. Murphy as Isaak Sidorov 4 episodes Kavi Ladnier as Shyla Dahr 10 episodes Matthew Godbey as LAPD OIC Dan Evans 9 episodes Esai Morales as Louis Ochoa 7 episodes Max Martini as Arlo Turk 5 episodes Tye White as Aiden Hanna 5 episodes Brian Leigh Smith as Bomb Tech Aaron Roberts 5 episodes David Paul Olsen as Tom Olsen 7 episodes Roman Mitichyan as SUV Gunman 14 episodes Kent Shocknek as Reporter 6 episodes
Signal Match

Similarity

Where NCIS: Los Angeles overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

undercover navy los angeles, california spin off u.s. marine military crime investigation
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
September 22, 2009
Status
Ended
Episode Runtime
45 minutes
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
1,252