N.C.I.S. reflects this particular aspect of contemporary American society as well. That is why the particular job of Gibbs and his co-workers is so important -- as federal agents, they deal with issues of terrorism on a national, and in some cases even international, level. Early on in the show's history during its second season, a Federal Bureau Investigations agent by the name of Vivian Blackadder was involved in counteracting the effects of a terrorist operation in Spain. This particular episode demonstrated the fact that in many ways, N.C.I.S. is chronicling the most important societal issues in America today. Also, it is worth noting that the particular episode referenced in this paragraph took place not long after the destruction of the World Trade Center. Thus, the show actually portrays the important sociological issues that people are concerned about. Moreover, by doing so it allows people to visualize and contextualize some of the dangers that are facing America in contemporary society. This fact has a two-pronged effect upon society -- it both heightens the issues of terrorism and makes them scary for people, and provides a strange sense of comfort by allowing viewers to regularly see their country triumph in these terrorist situations.
It is important to understand, however, that terrorism does not just exist at the national or international level, but also at the state and local one as well. The previous references to school massacres certainly justify this statement. Many people consider these acts of violence to simply be domestic forms of terrorism that they are exposed to at home. As such, there is a wide body of literature pertaining to how to effectively deal with school associated terrorism and violence. There are a number of distinct measures being implemented, such as campus-based communication systems that students can access via internet, mobile devices, and on-campus monitors (King, 2013). Other measures include beefing up communications with local law enforcement officials. This latter aspect, of course, directly...
Even though the characters in this show are not necessarily local, they still represent the strong arm of the law that is specifically tailored to counteract the forms that terrorism takes, whether or not they are foreign-based or domestic in origin. Again, by portraying issues that are relevant to contemporary American society, including terrorism in all of its myriad forms, this particular show is merely reflecting the times and the valid concerns that people have regarding their safety.
In summary, one could merely watch an episode of N.C.I.S., or perhaps an entire season's worth of episodes, and get a fairly comprehensive overview of some of the most noteworthy issues plaguing American society today. There is definitely an almost tangible sense of the ethical values evinced in this television show, which renders military personnel in law enforcement positions as unequivocally virtuous, while counteracting a variety of threats. Additionally, it is important to realize that many of the resolutions to those issues involve guns, which is a heated topic in society today. Lastly, it is valuable to realize the fact that contemporary threats such as terrorism, in a variety of forms, is reflected in this show as well -- which is certainly one of the most prominent social issues today.
References
Giddens, a. (2011). Essentials of sociology (3rd ed.). New York, N.Y.: W.W. Norton.
King, D. (2013). "5 years after Virginia Tech, campuses improve safety." www.bgnews.com. Retrieved from http://www.bgnews.com/in_focus/years-after-virginia-tech-campuses-improve-safety/article_0311e86a-5a23-11e2-ad29-001a4bcf887a.html
Thompson, R. (2002). "Pop culture takes on terrorism." The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/transcrime/articles/Pop%20Culture%20Takes%20on%20Terrorism.htm
Zakaria, F. (2012). "The case for gun control." Time. Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2121660,00.html
