Australian Foreign Minister Susan Quinn (played by Daniela Farinacci) delivers a speech in front of the USS Navajo, a US Navy nuclear submarine. A man climbs a nearby tower and appears to aim a rifle to the place. However, he instead holds up a protest banner. At the same time, a sailor aboard the submarine begins bleeding uncontrollably and falls lifeless into the water.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP), led by Sergeant Jim “JD” Dempsey (played by Todd Lasance) and Constable Evie Cooper (played by Tuuli Narkle), begin an investigation. They consult with forensic pathologist Roy Penrose (William McInnes) and his new assistant Bluebird “Blue” Gleeson (Mavournee Hazel). Suddenly, two American NCIS agents arrive: Special Agent in Charge Michelle Mackey (Olivia Swann) and her partner DeShawn Jackson (Sean Sagar). Under a government agreement, NCIS assumes control of the investigation into the sailor's death.
Creator: Morgan O'Neill
Stars: Olivia Swann, Todd Lasance, Sean Sagar
Dempsey is not happy with the agreement, as he must do the legwork since NCIS agents cannot carry firearms on foreign soil. The joint team discovers that the deceased sailor was involved in a bar fight the night before and was in the company of a blonde woman he met on a dating app. The profile was hacked and the mystery woman was last seen with the sailor and a missing officer. Shockingly, it is revealed that the sailor died from radiation poisoning.
The possibility of a leak at the Navajo reactor, the focus of the ongoing protests, is raising concerns. When Defense Department official Colonel Richard Rankin (Lewis Fitz-Gerald) removes the sailor's body from the AFP morgue, Mackey becomes suspicious. As she digs deeper, Rankin threatens her career, which is already under scrutiny due to a previous court-martial in which she was acquitted.
In true NCIS style, the characters' backstories take a backseat to the weekly case. The show is distinctly Australian, produced by Morgan O'Neill and featuring local writers and crews. Set in Sydney, it explores the dynamic between NCIS agents Mackey and Jackson and their AFP counterparts. The collaboration is established to expose an international cabal seeking classified American and Australian military intelligence.
Despite its Australian origins, the series may seem more tailored to American audiences. The inclusion of awkward explanations, such as defining “AFP” and equating the Foreign Minister with the US Secretary of State, may be absent from the Australian version of Paramount+. Such details seemed unnecessary, assuming viewers, especially NCIS fans, were already familiar with these concepts.
Aside from these moments, the show follows the typical NCIS formula: wit, military terminology, acronyms, chases and shootouts. With a relatively unknown cast, the characters may need a few episodes to find their groove. In particular, the AFP characters seem more intriguing than their NCIS counterparts in the opening episode. The real test will be how the characters develop as they tackle various cases.
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