Tonight’s NCIS: NEW ORLEANS, may have viewers thinking that they accidentally have tuned in to SUPERNATURAL, THE ORIGINALS, The History Channel or COPS.
When a Navy Lieutenant is murdered during a funeral procession for a Navy Reservist, the NCIS: NEW ORLEANS team must determine if the two are connected.
When questions arise about grave robbing, a 300-year-old murder weapon, suspects who might be interested in procuring old bones, and the theft of artifacts from a cemetery start showing up in the evidence, it is unclear if the perpetrators are linked to the stolen antiquities trade, witchcraft or something else.
The title of tonight’s episode is “Second Line,” which refers to a New Orleans tradition of the “happier” parade that follows the “main line” parade during a funeral. In its roots, the main line was the sad part of a parade, sometimes carrying the coffin, but mourning the departed with dirges.
Following the main line is the “second line” parade. This is the part of the procession often depicted in the media as “jazz funerals,” and has a brass band, dancing, revelry, and walkers twirling parasols or handkerchiefs. While participants in the main line generally know the deceased, passersby, tourists, and even Navy Lieutenants can join the second line procession, which is more joyous and tends to celebrate life rather than to mourn death.
Brass bands celebrations are just one of the unusual things associated with the Crescent City. The beautiful cemeteries located above ground due to flooding and the near-to-or-below sea level have become a target for tomb raiders who steal antiquities at night despite some cemeteries locking up at dusk.
Founded May 7, 1718, by the French Mississippi Company, under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city was named for Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, who was Regent of the Kingdom of France at the time. Jean-Baptiste was governor of the colony for over 30 years.
A character named Karl Baptiste (guest star Darri Ingolfsson), a distant relative of Jean-Baptiste, is part of tonight’s investigation. With a family that dates back to the area for 300 years, Karl may have insight into the case. The character’s family was responsible for establishing colonies in Mobile, Alabama and Biloxi, Mississippi in addition to New Orleans.
Called “The Father of New Orleans,” Jean-Baptiste wrote in 1717 that he had discovered a crescent bend in the Mississippi River, which might make the area less susceptible to hurricanes and tidal surges. While that bend has not protected New Orleans from either, the nickname “Crescent City” stuck around.
NCIS: NEW ORLEANS stars Scott Bakula, Lucas Black, Zoe McLellan, Rob Kerkovich, Shalita Grant, Daryl ‘Chill’ Mitchell and CCH Pounder.
Guest stars include Gary Basaraba, Bert Belasco, Devyn Tyler, Davin Smith, Silas Cooper, Kate Adair and Chauncey Slack. “Second Line” was written by Nancylee Myatt and directed by Tony Wharmby.
Grave robbing, beautiful scenery, history and folklore, murder at a funeral and maybe a splash of historic New Orleans witchcraft?
NCIS: NEW ORLEANS airs tonight (April 5) at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS in the United States and on Global TV in Canada.
