User reviews

You shouldn't expect it to be like the original. Mark Harmon isn't even involved in this one.

The stories are improving as they go. If it survives the first season it will be a miracle. We've watched all of the NCIS shows and this is by far the worst.

The lead, Olivia Swann, is AWFUL. She is wooden and what is meant to sound authoritative ends up sounding petulant and rude. She seems incapable of actual emotions. She definitely can't carry this show. Most of the cast are growing on me a bit after several episodes. Still not sure if we'll stick with it but PLEASE get that chick an acting coach.

I always give a new show 3 episodes. Of course some are so good you can give a 10 right off the bat.

The best thing about this show, as in NCIS Hawaii, is the scenery! And the accents, as an American I love watching foreign shows especially from the UK and Australia.

The lead NCIS agent, who I don't know from anything else, is a bit of a dud. If you think of the leads in original and even New Orleans you had charismatic actors on well written roles.

Seems like since New Orleans ended they have trying hard to keep franchise going but not doing a very good job of it.

I will give it 2 more episodes but I am not holding out much hope.

First: Why do Arrogant Americans with bad attitudes like to go around the world and treat everyone in a condescending manner? For example FBI International and now NCIS Sydney?

The original NCIS was great. NCIS: Los Angeles was not even half as good, NCIS: New Orleans sucked more, NCIS: Hawaii sucked even more, and NCIS: Sydney sucks the most.

The writing is shallow and the acting is dry. Agent Michelle Mackey is not even close to be as interesting as L. J Gibbs. While Gibbs is confident and competent, Mackey has only a back attitude.

I will not watch more of this.

I can't see this show lasting more than one season.

The first episode is ok. I like the idea of it being in Sydney and having the opportunity to include Australian actors and to have some of the cultural differences.

I think it can be a good show, they just need time to develop the characters and their back story. The one issue have is with the Michele character, the actress just seems to be ether trying to hard or the writers are really off on who she should be. She's really stiff and uptight, they could be doing it because Sydney is her first command and are going to have her be more relaxed as the season progresses. I hope so, because like I said I think the show has potential.

If this was a full fledged Aussie show it would have had better writing, better acting, better premise overall. You inject the we are superior American ncis and it is just not even remotely watchable..

Beautiful scenery of course. It's Australia. That's the highlight of this waste of time television so called series.

But let's move on to the brights side of this show. Uuhhm uhhhmm thinking pondering wishing that there was an even a possibility of an upside.

There is not another than the scenery

How do you make this so called series better mmmm you don't . Just cancel it and fingers crossed there will be something actually intelligent and interesting that comes next. Doubt it !!

Walk away quickly from this quickly !!!

The Aussie version has big shoes to fill. NCIS is a big franchise and has been very successful. The original NCIS is my Favourite. It's hard to beat Gibbs and the team. NCIS Los Angeles I enjoyed also. I struggled with New Orleans just a me thing accents and all. However I loved what I've seen so far of NCIS Hawaii has me looking forward to the next Series. With NCIS Sydney I think they are trying a little hard to push the ocker thing which is a shame. The last part episode 2 was a lot better... more natural. I thought the story lines were good in both episodes and yes the acting a little stiff, but we know Aussies can act just give this cast a chance.

I'm not sure where to start with this one. The first episode was unbelievably unreal. Stealing helicopters. All the young actors trying to be funny. The bland acting of everyone. The short haired girl, I mean, are we just looking at some kind of Nell clone? Jethro would have tossed every one of these characters out. Where is the strong female on the show? I am also one of the ones that thinks the Hawaii version sucks too. I enjoyed the original, Los Angeles, tolerated New Orleans, but I won't put this one on a season pass. I won't even record it, I will watch if I just happen to catch it in passing while looking for another show to watch. Can't imagine this one getting renewed. I didn't care for ANY of the characters. Poor casting on this one.

This series has potential. People need to remember it's not going to be like the original, it can't be a carbon copy.

This is a perfect opportunity to showcase Australia. For too long Australian TV has been dominated by reality tv. Hopefully people give this a chance and it paves a way for more networks to go back writing these types of shows.

We use to have Blue Heelers, Water Rats, Stingers etc, it would be great to have more Australian productions on our networks and less reality.

Everyone just needs to get around it and enjoy it.

Yes Mackey is annoying but we are only 3 episodes in. Give the show a chance.

"NCIS: Sydney" brings a whole new vibe to the NCIS world. Sure, some compare it to the OG series, but rarely can a show reach the hights of its original. That being said, I never liked the original, so maybe I'm just a clean slate. However, this show does have its own flavor, diving into Sydney's scene with fresh characters and storylines. Albeit, the storylines aren't ground breaking, but compared to any aussie dramas its actually decent lol. It might not be what die-hard fans expect, but if you give it a chance on its own terms, you'll find it's got its own enjoyable factor and keeps you hooked in its own way. At least give it a season, there are no cool shows like this on Aus tv.

I quite enjoyed the first episode. I like Todd Lasance from other Australian dramas and was curious what kind of character he'd portray here. Bit of a typical too smooth, too cool NCIS guy. What's new. Every other spin off has the same "problem". We'll see if his (and any other) character will have a decent backstory.

People yammering they can't unterstand what Aussies are saying, use subtitles, learn something about Australian mannerisms and slang. Or you know, use context.

People saying Sydney isn't accurate for naval stuff. I didn't know and I don't mind. I'm European and this is an escapism TV show with action, guns and dead people. Do I think any of it is portrayed to be accurate real life. F* no. Is any other action show, medical drama or such like real life. Again. F* no. So sit back, relax and give the first couple of episodes a try and make up your own mind.

The female leads are over acting and they are really arrogant most of the time, the words that come out of mackey her mouth don't go together with her person, and you can really see that they are acring. When i watch a show i want to believe that the people are the caracters that they play and i don't with them. Such a shame, this can cost a lost. The other actors are good and the stories too. Love the nerd and the doctor. They are typpical ncis caracters , a little bit off . I have watched all of the ncis franchise shows and even after the medium ncis new orleans this show will Come at bottom of my list because of the acting isseus.

I am a big fan of the original NCIS that has run for 20 seasons. I was hoping for a hard hitting NCIS new series but this is not it! The 1st episode is very, very bad! Watched the 1st episode and had to shake my head as I was watching the 1st episode. It was that bad! The regular NCIS: Sydney characters are absolutely not believable as law enforcement personnel. This NCIS: Sydney is even more poorly written then NCIS: Hawaii. The dialog is ridiculous, laughable and silly. Where did they find theses screenwriters for this series? Very little to like about the characters here. Mostly all talk and not a lot of action only the aftermath of the action. I will watch the 2nd episode hoping a better episode since the 1st episode is a total disaster!

Update: Review on 2nd episode: Total trash! Lots of contrived plot and over acting presentation. Many technical gun tactics/gun play problems to. There is zero likable in the characters. The mixing of Sydney national police personnel and NCIS just not clicking for this viewer at all!

Just watched episode 3, and it the way NCIS Sydney is presented! To many sharp cuts with titles to explain their drone destination zooming. Also, the dialog is horribly scripted. Makes the actors look hollow and out of normal interaction. Actors are way out of shape too! You can tell by their running style and speed, and cannot not jump over a 2 foot wooded fence.

I've watched the NCIS franchise since Gibbs started the first boat, but this is a bit of a stretch. We get it, US Navy is all over the world and they somehow made it to Sydney, too. Agent Mackey is made so unlikable, it spoils the whole show and even the likability of the other characters, though no personality, doesn't help. The interpersonal relationships are non existant, the weirdness of the team and constant "misunderstanding" of local culture are another testament of US Americans' ignorance of other cultures. Three episodes in and I give up. Not even interested to find out why Mackey is so unlikable. Kudos to Oliva Swann.

The lead NCIS actress (Olivia Swann) is tough to watch. She looks like she came from the fashion runway and expects to have a personal assistant standing next to her all the time.

The Australian lead detective (Todd Lasance) is not bad, but he has no independant voice. He always cowers to Swann. Their attempt at buddy chemistry is cringe-worthy.

The best actor in the group is the coroner, William McInnes. He really acts professionally and is credible.

The other Australian detective, Tuuli Narkle always seems to be trying to find a boyfriend, and that is kind of annoying. She spends a lot of time flirting with Sean Sagar, the other NCIS character.

It makes it unprofessional and uncomfortable that the four main characters act like they are on the Love Boat.

The medical intern is playing by the horribly annoying Mavournee Hazel. It seems like every police show has some kind of weirdo character. Criminal Minds has Garcia, NCIS had Abby Sciuto, NCIS New Orleans had a lot of weirdos in the cast. The FBI shows each have the slightly off center scientist or researcher.

Apparently there is some requirement that police shows have some total airhead as a main source of research and scientific investigation. Hopefully she will tone it down.

I have been an avid NCIS since the very beginning, I love the original, I love NCIS Hawaii and I love NCIS Los Angeles.

NCIS New Orleans I didnt care for and I have to say I am not fan of this one after the first episode.

See for me NCIS is about the characters, the play between characters and the chemistry, the crimes comes second to me.

I dont feel the characters in NCIS Sydney and unless they pull it together in the writers room I m afraid this branch is not going to last long, the formula is there we just need a little more personale and complex from the crew.

This is of course based all off the pilot episode and I am not giving up on the show just yet.

NCIS is absolutely brilliant along with NCIS Los Angeles and NCIS New Orleans. It tails a bit when we get to NCIS Hawaii but NCIS Sydney is atrocious. It's just very stiff with none of the brilliant witty banter of the original!!! Did not like Agent MacKay from the get go and the more the episode went on the more I despised her - throwing her weight around with arrogance not genuine passion for the job!!!

The characters here felt very fake and not entertaining. There's nothing to draw you into their lives like the rest of the shows.

Will not be watching anymore episodes of this. Will stick to the original and the best!!!!

I don't get all the bad reviews. You need to give a new show several episodes before you judge it. Mackey has a background. I think her personality is actually amusing. She also has a sense of humor. There is some negative banter going on back and forth but I believe they will come together as a team and there's already potential for romance. I didn't like the head slapping on the original, not necessary. No one wants their head smacked. I'm sure the US team will eventually all get weapons. Interesting to see them without one a few episodes. The characters have some of the usual quirks but that's ok. They are becoming endearing to me. I like the soundtrack, I love Australia and I will continue to watch.

I don't know who told this actress that tough means never moving your upper lip, or that sneering looks like strong emotion, but the character of Blue is so grating we called her 'worse than Abby'... and yet she's not in it as much so she can't drag down the show the way the lead actress (playing Mackey) does.

It's... just plain bad acting. The writers have described the cast/characters as 'quirky', which is often self-aggrandizement for 'I will get on your nerves'-and yes, they all have their moments of annoyance (the two younger leads who are partners should both stop calling themselves hot; it's not cute)-but again, they don't ruin the show the way a first-lead with no nuance can.

She's not good, or someone gave her bad direction. You decide.

From every aspect this is a waste of time. Not a single bit of dialogue comes across as convincing; instead its either completely wooden, over the top, or uses a lame substitute for humour. Such bad casting, acting and direction almost seems as if someone was actively sabotaging the production. Each of the scenes is clumsy and poorly directed, and acted. This is bad on so many levels I see no hope that this will ever improve enough to even become so-so. The aspect of law enforcement, and military investigation is so bad it's not even beyond the level of a bad joke.

Do yourself a favour and give this one a miss.

I really like NCIS:Sydney! I've watched NCIS from the start, and always hoped they would come to Australia for an episode arc like they did in JAG... now a whole series, how lucky! I was afraid they would double down on Australian-isms to make us all seem like Crocodile Dundee, or conversely that they would make the Australians be "All hail the Americans", but neither of those things happened, thank goodness! Everything the Australians said could easily have been spoken by me, the jurisdictional stuff was explained realistically (how NCIS would partner with the AFP in real life), and conflicting views on the AUKUS agreement had fair air time, which is also warranted. I love all the characters so far, and am interested in seeing how they all develop. Really looking forward to the rest of the season!

My mom & I actually enjoyed this show. Way more then the Hawaii one. I never watched the original, loved the Los Angeles one. It always takes about 6 shows for actors to find their footing & mesh their characters I feel. The Australian actors are good, of course love the accents. I just think they've made the lead American woman a bit too angry, hopefully they'll lighten her attitude up. But as she's been in combat situations, I think the attitude is just showing that she's still suffering from the effects of her combat. Otherwise I enjoy her banter with lead Australian man. The tech woman has found her strength, which is nice. The other actors I enjoy too. My mom & dad went to Australia in 1999 so she gets a delight in seeing places she's been. I hope this show makes it.

I'm a huge NCIS fan and love all the others but this is just appalling. I'm embarrassed to be Australian.

We do not talk like that and throw that many stupid 'let's have a gander' around unless you actually live in the outback. This is Sydney and they are professionals! It's just embarrassing. The acting is stiff and over acted by most. Cutting away to iconic Australian animals like we pass them in the bush all the time. ... give me a break.

Casting is poor. I cringe throughout every episode. I gave it 3 episodes to see if it got any better and found myself having to fast forward through the bad acting and hideous lines. Can it before it gets any worse.