A lesson from NCIS.

I’ve wrestled with guilt on Tuesday nights, thinking my time would be better spent reading, rather than watching my favorite show, NCIS. I figured if I studied published authors my writing would improve. I’m surprised to realize I was learning to be a better writer as I watched the show. I had this revelation when Script Frenzy, http://www.scriptfrenzy.org/, dared me to participate in their April screen writing event. Thinking about writing for T.V. reminded me that television programs tell stories just like books do. Watching NCIS, has taught me about character development and plot, and also given me a sense of how these two devices work together to tell stories.

The show utilizes and highlights the characters that will make each week’s ‘whodunnit’ mystery, most interesting. An NCIS agent will take the lead in an investigation with relevance to something the viewer knows about his background. For example, both Ziva and Tony, have childhood issues stemming from poor father figures. Their father hang-ups drive sub-plots for each of them during various episodes. So does Gibbs’ unhealed grief from the murders of his wife and daughter. As the character deals with their personal problems they grow. I’ve watched Ziva evolve from a cutthroat trained killer, to a conscientious agent. In addition, every episode, throws in red-herrings and plot twists that mislead the NCIS team and viewers. (Well, except for Gibbs, whose gut instincts typically solve the crime).

There’s comic relief, too. Ziva has a funny habit of mixing up aphorisms, changing the meaning. Don’t get me started talking about goth Forensic Specialist Abby. A discussion about her character could be book length. I can’t omit Ducky and McGee, they’re favorites of mine, too. (While I’m on the subject of McGee, I’ll mention he shouldn’t have used his co-workers personalities as models for characters in his book. That’s a no-no for writers).

Anyway, the point is, I’ve become attached to the characters on the show. If I can get my readers to become emotionally involved in my characters like I am with the NCIS cast, my books are sure to be successful. Analyzing NCIS has given me a new perspective on television. Will I still read? Of course, but I’m not going to beat myself up for watching television, either. Will I write a script in April? Not this time, I’m too focused on my middle grade mystery series, maybe next year.

Here’s a Ziva-ism for the road.

Tony: Where is she?

Ziva: She’s probably passed on by now.

McGee: The term is passed out.

Ziva: Whatever. The girl is tired.