SPOILER ALERT: The following contains spoilers for NCIS: Sydney Season 3, Episode 1.

NCIS: Sydney has become a staple in the CBS lineup, which is fantastic when so many international spinoffs don’t get that on American TV. Now in its third season, the series seems to still have its ups and downs. But its Season 3 premiere adds just enough plot and personality-wise to separate it from other procedurals.

The core of “Gut Instinct” is resolving the issues from the NCIS: Sydney Season 2 finale. Michelle Mackey is undergoing a psychiatric evaluation after being betrayed and almost shot. Bluebird Gleeson has resigned from the team. JD Dempsey is trying to move on with his personal life. All of this is handled well, even if audiences know how it’s going to be handled. Mackey’s scene with the therapist in particular is taken right out of the genre playbook, with her shrugging concerns off and the therapist warning her that she can’t ignore them forever.

However, Mackey gets right back onto center stage when she questions the sudden return of two U.S. Navy pilots who have been missing for six years. She’s the only one to cast doubt on their stories because they don’t remember what happened to them in the intervening time. The audience is naturally on Mackey’s side here, as over half a decade is a long time to not recall, and many viewers likely remember the plot of Homeland. Thus it is not a huge surprise that the soldiers have been weaponized—but the how definitely is. The reveal of people having C-4 inside them is squirm-inducing, and the scene in which Doc Penrose and new arrival Travis work to surgically remove one of the payloads is equally uncomfortable.

NCIS: Sydney still has a slightly hard time knowing when to dial back on its comic relief. There are a few bits in “Gut Instinct” that feel like writer Morgan O’Neill throwing in an extra one-liner just because. However, the main comedic subplot about JD having started an online dating profile is something that can be utilized for the whole rest of the season. It also throws a bone to the JD and Mackey shippers out there when she tells him that “You’re a catch, Sergeant.” But trying too hard to be funny is not a huge detraction from the episode. And with all the cliches in the crime drama genre, if that’s the biggest problem, that’s pretty good.

The reminders of Blue’s absence are also somewhat ineffective, just because actor Mavournee Hazel is still in the opening credits, so viewers know Blue will return eventually. In her stead, Travis is a pretty good substitute, and it’s an added bonus that O’Neill gives him a critical part to play in the fourth act. The character could just have been used for more comic relief and comparisons to Blue, yet instead he actually makes a contribution to the main storyline. With the heavily serialized nature of Season 2 apparently behind it, NCIS: Sydney gets off to a good start. It’s not quite on the same level as its American counterparts but viewers can see why CBS has made an effort to keep it on the schedule.

NCIS: Sydney airs Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. Photo Credit: Courtesy of CBS.

Article content is (c)2020-2026 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.