NCIS: Los Angeles

That wasn't a bad place from which to head into another hiatus.

As one storyline reached its inevitable conclusion, two other mysteries popped up on NCIS: Los Angeles Season 12 Episode 9.

Sabatino ended up leaving town largely empty-handed. Then again, he wasn't even supposed to be there in the first place.

So no harm, no foul.

Obviously, his presence was no great secret as Kilbride was aware of Sabatino's being in town and tracking down the counterfeit superbills.

He was great as the butt of jokes, both by Kensi and the goth store owner. It was possible to see Sabatino as a suburban dad going through a midlife crisis.

It was hilarious to think that Sabatino was an aspiring heavy-metal musician before joining the CIA, quite the career change.

All that time with Deeks has allowed Kensi to roll with whoever her partner is on a given day.

The superbills case certainly took a dogleg tu...
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Really? A two-parter?

Well, at least NCIS: Los Angeles Season 12 Episode 8 had a case of the week with some meat to it, unlike NCIS: Los Angeles Season 12 Episode 7, which had a lot of character catch-up with a dollop of casework thrown in.

While the storyline felt a bit inflated, carrying over into a second episode, the upside is that it means more Sabatino.

There can never be too much Sabatino, who is one of the series' best recurring characters.

It's great to have someone who doesn't take himself too seriously.

I mean, look at that hairstyle. What kind of undercover work requires a man bun?

Sabatino was brutal with everyone he ran into at OSP, most especially Sam and Callen. The humorous banter flew among the three of them.

It's simple to understand why, as a CIA officer, Sabatino doesn't surface more on the show.

First off, the CIA isn't supposed to be working domestically desp...
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It was time again for that quarterly episode detailing what all the team members are up to and/or feeling.

There was even a little case of the week tucked inside NCIS: Los Angeles Season 12 Episode 7.

Muy poco.

That's all right, though. It wasn't meant to focus too deeply on the implications of cybernetic soldiers.

This was mainly to advance the storyline that Deeks is about to become a probie.

This is too bad because Roundtree has been doing such an admirable job of being everyone's inexperienced punching bag. Even Fatima's since the concept is that she's so much older than Roundtree.

Nah, she's just been around longer and has gotten settled in at OSP. Plus, she's supremely confident, even more so than the oft-cocky Roundtree. Surviving capture by terrorists will do that for you.

Unfortunately, Martinez's interviews for Deeks' applications for FLETC weren't all they could have been. We saw h...
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Of course, this holiday episode was full of Christmas miracles.

We got to meet the former foster brother who had the most impact on Callen on NCIS: Los Angeles Season 12 Episode 6.

The rest of the team got to face challenges as well.

After hearing veiled references to Callen's 30-plus foster homes, it was fulfilling to meet someone who was there to experience young G.

Using flashbacks to young Ray and callow Callen was an effective way to explain their back story.

How pray tell did Hetty learn of Raymond and Paula's arrest for drug smuggling from whatever patch of the jungle she's been visiting? Or is that just a Zoom background?

She truly is the poster woman for remote work.

And having to supply Linda Hunt with only one outfit for six episodes has got to be beneficial for the production budget.

It was heartbreaking when Raymond didn't even recognize Callen after Callen so fondly r...
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It's change time for Kensi and Deeks.

The couple was at the heart of NCIS: Los Angeles Season 12 Episode 4 and NCIS: Los Angeles Season 12 Episode 5.

The first episode was lighthearted; the second not so much.

The life shifts are coming fast and furious at them.

First came Deeks' position as liaison to NCIS being temporarily suspended.

Then came a bid on a house, followed by talk about fertility treatments.

That's just what they need, the tension of house-hunting followed by the pressures of attempting to become parents.

Add in his unemployment and being bar owners during the pandemic and they have every reason to be tense.

Why not instead tackle one major life moment at a time, rather than a different one each episode? It doesn't take much to push Deeks into a manic episode.

Does anybody truly believe that Deeks' departure from OSP will be permanent?

W...
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Finally, an episode this year that captures what makes NCIS: Los Angeles enjoyable.

NCIS: Los Angeles Season 12 Episode 3 started with a cosplaying CPA turned informant attempting to run down Sam at a meeting arranged by Hetty.

That was a sign of the wackiness that was to follow.

And there was even a liberal dose of character development, which is encouraging on a series which has this much mileage. 

Maybe there is an actual plan in place for the newer characters that have been added in recent seasons.

Fatima has been unbelievably mature for her age since her introduction on NCIS: Los Angeles Season 10 Episode 14.

That's why it was refreshing for her to admit to Callen that she wasn't sure how to download the data from Harris's impounded car.

Then she tried to stop the man breaking into Keilani's apartment, only to have him run and start firing at her.

We forget that Fatima is stil...
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The last truncated season ended with Chief Petty Officer Thomas Argento, a SEAL, being arrested for war crimes by Sam and Callen on NCIS: Los Angeles Season 11 Episode 22.

So what should have been the finale of last season ended up being NCIS: Los Angeles Season 12 Episode 2.

Was there any doubt about what the outcome would be in the fictionalized version of the trial of Eddie Gallagher? The prosecutor even mentioned Gallagher in case the storyline was being too subtle for some viewers.

This proved that some shows (I'm talking about you, SVU) do ripped-from-the-headlines better than others.

Tracie Thoms, who has become one of TV's most reliable character actors, was impressive as the prosecutor Castro, cool under fire even as her case was falling apart.

On the flip side, Heather Mazur as the opposition counsel had little to do but act snide and look dazzling in a red Nancy Reagan pantsuit, no mean trick.

...
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That could best be described as easing back into things.

NCIS: Los Angeles Season 12 Episode 1 was self contained with just a modicum of suspense. As it should have been. 

This was just a chance to catch up on what the characters have been up to since Covid prematurely shut down NCIS: Los Angeles Season 11.

They'll get around to tying up some loose threads starting with NCIS: Los Angeles Season 12 Episode 2.

No, this was about establishing the new status quo, to a degree.

Apparently Nell was back, even though she wasn't really back. Huh?

Hetty, in a cameo, coaxed Nell back into the office some time after the death of her mother and asked Nell to do her a solid, even though Nell didn't work for NCIS any more. She wanted to locate a missing Russian bomber without causing nuclear global annihilation.

No biggie.

It was a head-shaker at first as Sam, Callen, and SEAL, Frank Wallace, dis...
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A comic knows she's had a bad set when, instead of killing, she almost gets killed.

Rhea Moretti found out comedy is hard enough without someone gunning for you on NCIS: Los Angeles Season 11 Episode 21.

For a former NCIS tech operator, Rhea certainly held her own when attacked, using a chair to the head to get away from her would-be killer.

Rhea would be a fun character to have recur in the future. She dripped sarcasm over everyone she met, even outdoing Deeks, no mean feat. (He does look like he's waiting for the Hanson reunion tour.)

Admittedly, there probably isn't much call for a fledgling comic/former techie. Also, NCIS: Los Angeles already has, what, several dozen recurring characters. So where's the room for her?

Still, Rhea didn't throw away her shot. She made this appearance count.

Rhea also had a heart under that wiseass exterior. Rather than run after the attempted murder, she was more conce...
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That was kind of a headscratcher of an episode.

Not that there's anything wrong with a case that just happened to get solved on NCIS: Los Angeles Season 11 Episode 20.

Again the case was very much secondary to what was going on in the agents' lives.

The episode was such a big "huh?" that I didn't even realize Hetty didn't make an appearance, either conversationally or in person, until it was finished.

Is it a bad thing that we're getting used to Hetty not being there?

Nell wasn't there either.

Just ask Deeks, who hammered that point home over and over again, in case anyone had forgotten her leave of absence/resignation on NCIS: Los Angeles Season 11 Episode 19.

It was Deeks' turn to be the odd person out who substitutes in Ops. It's good to see that Fatima isn't going to be Nell's full-time replacement.

Instead, Deeks got sidelined with a broken toe. How he broke that toe was sadly...
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