S13.E21: Down the Rabbit Hole

[thewhiteowl]

The NCIS team must quickly find Callen after he falls for Katya’s trap using Sam’s deepfake to coordinate a weapons deal.

[MDL]

I missed a few minutes on and off during the ep.

Questions:

Did anybody think that that was really Ana who got shot?

Did the ep show how that was done (computer generated deep fake, makeup and special effects, some victim who actually got shot, or ???)

Please remind me of Joelle's motivations for the cold blooded (although well deserved) execution of Katya and her accomplice.

 

Callen says he loves Ana, and they walk away hand in hand.....did the coming attractions indicate that she is (once again) in danger, or did I miss hear?

 

[Slade347]

I know it's easy to forget since it's happened to her about forty times give or take, but Joelle was kidnapped and tortured by Katya in one of her revenge on Callen schemes. I think Joelle lost a finger in the process.

When Callen was talking to Katya about them teaming up to take out Pembroke, I couldn't help but think that would have been more interesting than this silly deep fake thing we got. That said, I don’t exactly have confidence in this show being able to pull that off.

 

[wlk68]

4 minutes ago, Slade347 said:

I know it's easy to forget since it's happened to her about forty times give or take, but Joelle was kidnapped and tortured by Katya in one of her revenge on Callen schemes. I think Joelle lost a finger in the process.

When Callen was talking to Katya about them teaming up to take out Pembroke, I couldn't help but think that would have been more interesting than this silly deep fake thing we got. That said, I don’t exactly have confidence in this show being able to pull that off.

 

IIRC, Joelle lost a leg. 

[milkyaqua]

Joelle lost a finger and a leg due to Katya so yeah, I was surprised and not surprised that she took her out and yes, it was a long time coming.

As for Pembroke, I hope if they do choose to take this up next season they don't draw it out.  And what about the other iron maidens who helped out Katya?

[ymeagain]

This episode is one of my favorites. One of Military's best in a long time. Intense and powerful performances by both Chris and LL. I even liked Joelle, and I haven't liked her since season 7. lol I didn't find the deep fake storyline boring (it was better than the adoption one). I believed that Callen would work with Katya to take down Pembrook, and I hope they continue that next season. That and his reunion with Hetty should be good.

Edited May 16, 2022 by ymeagain

[mythoughtis]

Nope, I still don’t like Joelle.  Nor did it seem realistic that Callen would work with her.  
 Nor do I think Hetty would have been a party to the torture of children such as shown in Callen’s  memory. 
For once I actually felt like the actress who plays Anna portrayed some emotion.  She’s so wooden most of the time. 
Considering that I hate the entire  Katja and Pembrooke storylines, it was surprising that the episode did hold my interest.  I was impressed that Sam’s  wife’s death was referenced by the boss.  That was a good emotional moment for him. 

 

[Maverick]

 So was this plot dragged out for so long because they were trying to get the original Katya actress back and finally said screw it and recast (with a soap opera plastic surgery twist)?

 I had to laugh at Katya ripping off her mask like she's in Mission: Impossible.  

[misstwpherecool]

Just a theory but was it Katya that was really shot. She said or mumbled something right before being shot like 'Thank god' as in the boss in here. Please correct me because I missed it or don't recall.  Anyway especially with the plastic surgery twist in play did Katya hire or use a double and a ear piece to have an stand in talk to Callen?

People are talking next season so darkside Joelle could be a story Or deep fake Katya/Joelle could be as well. 

[123BP]

On 5/16/2022 at 6:16 AM, MDL said:

Did anybody think that that was really Ana who got shot?

I don't think that scene was about viewers believing Anna had been shot. I think it was about whether Callen believed Anna had been shot, and with all the deep fake stuff, it was a 50-50 chance that was the "real" Anna. I didn't think she'd been shot.

The episode was awesome, maybe the best episode this season. I missed not having Eve Harlow as Katya, but it is what it is. Everybody else did a terrific job, especially O'Donnell and LL. They are really good partners. And Joelle was back and helped the team and took out Katya (karma). And Kilbride was so calm and didn't make have any sarcastic comments (maybe because Deeks was missing). I liked that he was in Guatemala and not at the courthouse. The only thing that I might have done differently was not have Katya use another shipping container as a prison, but other than that, I liked everything else.

The deep fake stuff was weird and sort of creepy, but it's even creepier that it really exists.

On 5/16/2022 at 12:51 PM, ymeagain said:

I believed that Callen would work with Katya to take down Pembrook, and I hope they continue that next season.

Not sure I believe this. Callen might've been playing her. After Callen marries Anna, I wonder if he'll still go after Pembrook.

[LittlePeas3]

I so hope the deep fake stuff is finished.  It was a horrible storyline and I really hated it.  Well, more so the coming and going of the episodes and the lack of continuity.  They needed to do them in succession, not one here, one there.  The ending, with Callen and Anna saying I love you would have been more convincing if they actually looked at each other.  It just seemed like they said it for the sake of the ending, rather than actually meaning it.  

Finally, they also found a new reason for a cast member to be missing other than having to do a deposition.  How original!