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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →NCIS: Sydney offers the familiar pleasures of a crime-of-the-week procedural, relocated to Australia and built around American NCIS agents working with the Australian Federal Police. In her November 7, 2023, review for PerthNow, Wenlei Ma finds that recognizable formula easy to watch but argues that the series’ treatment of AUKUS, nuclear submarines and US naval power is so uncritical that it can feel propagandistic. That is her interpretation of the episodes she viewed, not proof of the producers’ intent.
A familiar NCIS procedural in Sydney
Ma describes a conventional case-of-the-week structure: crimes bring the team together, investigations proceed, and order is restored. The opening story begins with a US sailor’s death in Sydney Harbour during a ceremony celebrating the US–Australia alliance. American agents and AFP officers initially argue over jurisdiction, then are directed to work together.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
![NCIS: Sydney - Season One [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41Oqw0z4VDL._SL160_.jpg)
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NCIS: Sydney - Season One [DVD] | $21.66 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
![NCIS: Sydney - Season Two [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41Ko2DIE-mL._SL160_.jpg)
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NCIS: Sydney - Season Two [DVD] | $20.20 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![NCIS: The Twenty-Third Season [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/412yPfrsEyL._SL160_.jpg)
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NCIS: The Twenty-Third Season [DVD] | $39.97 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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NCIS - Season One | $54.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
![NCIS: Sydney Season 1 [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41VQQz78mrL._SL160_.jpg)
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NCIS: Sydney Season 1 [DVD] | $30.84 | Buy on Amazon |
The central team pairs NCIS special agent Michelle Mackey, played by Olivia Swann, with partner DeShawn Jackson, played by Sean Sagar. Australian Federal Police officers JD Dempsey and Evie Cooper are played by Todd Lasance and Tuuli Narkle. Forensic pathologists Roy Penrose and Blue Gleeson, played by William McInnes and Mavournee Hazel, round out the group Ma describes.
For viewers who want a dependable procedural, that familiarity is part of the attraction. Ma calls the show predictable, but acknowledges the appeal of the franchise’s established pattern. Her shorthand is: “So far, so predictable. But that’s the appeal of NCIS, right?”
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#1 Best Overall
What the Australian setting adds
The Sydney setting supplies recognizable local texture without changing the basic procedural machinery. Ma notes locations and references including Bondi Beach, Hawke’s Brewery and Carriageworks, alongside Australian cultural details. The result, in her account, is a familiar franchise format staged in a distinct place rather than a reinvention of the format itself.
Her review says eight first-season episodes were made available to her. That describes the review access, not an independently verified total for the season. The series was reported as due to begin streaming on Paramount+ in Australia on November 10, 2023; that historical date does not establish current availability in Australia or elsewhere.
Rank #2
Why Ma objects to the AUKUS framing
The central criticism is political. Ma argues that the episodes she saw present AUKUS and a stronger American naval presence in the region as uncomplicated benefits, while giving little attention to the concerns surrounding them. She also objects to the treatment of nuclear submarines and extensive surveillance technology.
Her specific complaint is that the series accepts “without question” the idea that more nuclear submarines are a good thing and that more American ships in the region “works out well for everyone.” Ma points to a line delivered offhandedly in episode three as an example of that framing. Her conclusion—that the show can feel like propaganda—is a critic’s reading of the episodes, not an established finding about who shaped the production or why.
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Rank #3
- SEASON 23: Includes all episodes from the twenty-third season of NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
- ACTION & DRAMA: Follow the elite team as they investigate high-stakes naval crimes and uncover complex mysteries.
- BELOVED CAST: Features the talented ensemble cast that has made NCIS one of television's longest-running dramas.
- PHYSICAL FORMAT: Comes as a physical disc set, perfect for collectors and fans of the long-running series.
- GREAT FOR FANS: An ideal addition to any NCIS collection, letting you relive every thrilling moment anytime.
How to weigh the review
Ma’s assessment turns on a tension between entertainment and political framing. The familiar investigations and Australian setting may suit viewers looking for an uncomplicated procedural, while viewers attentive to military and law-enforcement narratives may find the show’s assumptions more consequential than its case mechanics.
- Procedural appeal: Ma recognizes the appeal of a predictable pattern in which cases are solved and order is restored.
- Local detail: Sydney locations and Australian references give the series a regional setting within the established NCIS approach.
- Political criticism: Ma says the episodes she saw endorse the benefits of AUKUS, nuclear submarines and a larger US presence without meaningfully engaging with opposing concerns.
- Limits of the judgment: The review is one critic’s account of the episodes available to her. It does not establish production intent or provide a comprehensive analysis of the full season.
Read on those terms, the review is not simply a verdict that NCIS: Sydney is bad television. It recognizes why the formula can work, then argues that the show’s easygoing presentation makes its military and political assumptions especially difficult to overlook.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Crime, Drama
Rank #4
- NCIS
- Season One
