NCIS: Los Angeles Season 5 = Amazing!

Last season NCIS: Los Angeles left viewers on a cliffhanger.  Deeks and Sam were both being tortured by associates of the Chameleon (Janvier) while Kensi and Callen were trying to find the nuclear devices before they were sold into the wrong hands.  Little did we know as viewers how this event would effect all of the characters for the rest of season 5.  The repercussions are still being played out in fact, even mid season.  Deeks went through a rough time dealing with his personal torture and he admitted to Kensi that thinking of her was what got him through without losing his mind.  Kensi also realized how much she had grown to love Deeks and it looked like they were going to start up a proper relationship.  But this was not to be, as Heddy sent Kensi off to Afganistan to work undercover as a sniper which left us all with our mouths hanging open.  How could they do this when they had just gotten together?  The writers of the show are trying to make sure that Kensi and Deeks remain a couple without hurting the momentum of the show.  Most of the time, when a popular couple gets together, the show then "jumps the shark" and no one is interested anymore because what they wanted has been fulfilled.  By keeping them apart but still wanting each other, they are making sure this show lasts for more seasons.  We know Kensi will eventually come back but in the mean time the dynamic of Deeks having to work with Callen and Sam together is hilarious.  Also, the Chameleon is still available for more episodes of torturing Callen.  At the end of the first episode this season, Callen watched as he was placed in a cell at a maximum security prison.  Janvier made sure to remind Callen as he was leaving of the book The Count of Monte Cristo, a story where a man is wrongfully sent to prison and after years escapes to exact his revenge.  Janvier will definitely be back for more.

Jack Ryan Reboot

I have been a fan of the Jack Ryan character since The Hunt for Red October (in fact that is what I named my red Saturn 4 door - Little Red October).  I have also liked every actor that has portrayed him and Chris Pine is no exception in this new spy thriller.  Starting with his origin story, we see Jack in grad school and then the Marines where he injures his back in a helicopter crash.  This incident was discussed briefly in Red October as Jack goes on his first assignment on an aircraft carrier.  The commander is giving him a hard time but his superior explains what an amazing guy Jack is, that he couldn't walk after a helicopter crash while a marine, but worked hard in rehab to be able to walk again.  We get to see this scene, finally, in the new Jack Ryan as well as how he met and fell in love with his wife Kathy.  Jump forward 10 years and Jack is in the CIA working on Wall Street, investigating illegal accounts set up by a Russian businessman.  Kenneth Branagh, who is also the director of the film, plays this roll and is an excellent villain.  This is where the film really gets exciting.  There is espionage, car chases, gunfights and intellectual cat and mouse games as Jack tries to stop the Russians from destroying the American economy as well as downtown New York.  Overall, I really liked the film and hope it does well enough in theaters to warrant a second film with Chris Pine at the helm.  While this story doesn't follow any of Tom Clancy's books, it has the tone and feel of them and feels like it could have been penned by the author himself.  Here's hoping for more Jack Ryan!