Mike GrussOne month.
It's not too much. All I'm asking is that Norfolk's Economic Development Authority spend one month of its budget doing nothing but convincing the writers of "NCIS" to set more scenes in Norfolk.
If city leaders want to capitalize on Norfolk's image and convince others to "celebrate" the city on a regular basis, this is their best chance. This is their Super Bowl commercial. This is the best way to use local resources - to persuade fancy Hollywood writer types that Norfolk is the ideal setting for a crime drama. Oh, and it's not a bad place to live if forensic scientists aren't sniffing around your apartment.
So don't blow it, Norfolk.
I've been thinking about this a lot recently because somehow, 19.9 million people watched "NCIS" last Tuesday on CBS. I was looking through the Nielsen ratings and "NCIS" was more popular than "A Charlie Brown Christmas." It was more popular than "How I Met Your Mother." Sadly, it is not as popular as "Two and a Half Men."
According to the always-malleable ratings system, "NCIS" is the second-most watched program of 2008 that's not a reality show.
Once you distinguish it from "JAG," "Law & Order," "Law & Order SVU" and "Murder, She Wrote: The Spanish-American War Years," it's a pretty strong program. Blood, guts, mystery and science, the pillars of hour-long drama.
But for Hampton Roads, the show is important because about once every three or four episodes Norfolk appears in the plot.
I think I want to move to fictional Norfolk.
Oh sure, I love real Norfolk and call it home, but I might love fictional Norfolk more.
In fictional Norfolk, a chicken left in the oven burned down a guy's apartment.
In fictional Norfolk, people protest at the Navy base.
In fictional Norfolk, Harbor Street intersects with Granby in a bustling downtown, then all of a sudden, federal agents tackle people in the middle of the street. Regrettably, this has never happened to me in real Norfolk.
In fictional Norfolk, it's always bright and sunny just like perfect Santa Clara, Calif., weather.
Fictional Norfolk looks like fun. And a little bit dangerous.
An overwhelming majority of the other 19.9 million viewers must feel the same way.
So that's why the economic development folks should go to Hollywood and pitch a few more story- lines about Norfolk. Ripped from the headlines? Made up? I don't care. Just make sure the city is depicted as traffic-free and cosmopolitan, with light rail and affordable homes. Maybe even suggest having one of the agents apprehend a bad guy at a pristine-looking school where all the students earn A's.
Once people learn there are not dead bodies lying around everywhere, they'll move to real Norfolk in a heartbeat.
Mike Gruss, (757) 446-2277, mike.gruss@pilotonline.com
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Funny
I watched an scene of NCIS being shot, once. The scene took place in an alley behind a bar in Norfolk. Strange thing is, I was watching the filming from my room at the Sheraton in San Pedro (Long Beach area) CA.
As a Santa Clara,CA native, I wish I could have brought that sunshine out here when I moved...
NCIS
Having had the privledge of working on JAG as an extra many years ago, I wish I could have done some work on NCIS. I am betting it's the same great crew! So far they've mentioned Va Beach, Norfolk and Chesapeake in episodes, and so far they've pronounced Norfolk correctly. It's a great show, and you just have to be willing to suspend disbelief a little. It would be great to be able to travel between DC and Va Beach in as little as 20 minutes! I think there was an episode where Abby traveled down to Norfolk in a cab! It's a great show, and hope it continues for several more seasons!
Military TV drama is not sexy or cute
Who really believes that's how NCIS works and they have n odd ball as the
brains of it all. I thought JAG was nothing more than lawyers on a rampage but Big TV made the JAGS look like super heros and Navy Chiefs out as crooks.
NCIS Fantasy
Hey Mike, Can you hook me up with Abby from NCIS? I've always had a weakness for women with tattoos wearing plaid skirts.
I think this is a great idea!
And really right on time. I just got through watching the episode where a gorgeous bikini-clad beauty queen was found dead in the public restroom on Virginia Beach (there was more than one, too). Now, I have been to California - alot - and Virginia Beach sure did look a whole lot like Venice Beach in that episode!! Palm trees and art deco style buildings in the background, the whole bit...and to think that they made it from the Washington Navy Yard (were NCIS is supposed to be headquarted - it doesn't look like that in real life, believe me - its surrounded by the 'hood!) to VA Beach and back in just under an afternoon!!! Traffic was light, and public transportation abounded!! Man, what it must be like to live there! Oh, wait---I do live there....uhhhh, could somebody tell me what part of the oceanfront that was? I must have missed it on the drive during the boardwalk's Christmas light tour.....
2 major issues
First, Norfolk is only a short drive from DC on ths show.
Second, Virginia Beach is a rocky coastline with mountains.
Other than that, one of my favorites.
NCIS
NCIS is by far one of the best action/mystery shows left on TV. But we always get a kick out of how they just drop by Norfolk from up in Arlington? It takes them 20 minutes to get back and forth. But who cares, they do a heck of a job!
NCIS Norfolk
I've been in this area for 50 years....I thought all of Norfolk was fictional.
There is also a real stories docudrama being shot here
More blood and guts from our transient town and gory crime stories shot in this area. Take the other aspects that make great film ideas such as our City's government and the old boys politics makes for great actual location for potential film. It all happens here on a daily basis. The real life script fodder and it gets so Hollywood would have to shoot it in another town. Then, there are towns that look similar to depict the scene because Norfolk would not want that national attention.