S06.E03: Praesidium

[MostlyC]

A member of the team is targeted by the Department of Justice; Hetty receives disturbing news.

 

 

[Trini]

Crap! Callen's "long" hair didn't last very long. :(  I'd love to hear the story of why.  Consolation prize(?): I think that's the most skin O'Donnell has shown on the show.

 

So they literally made Nell into Hetty this episode. Ugh. Go away Nell.

 

This is my "fluff" show, so I really don't remember anything about Draeger(?). Although, lately I've thinking that the show could use some recurring villains. Wish granted, I guess.

 

I made sure to do other things during the Deeks/Kensi scenes.

[NYGirl]

This show has kept me on the edge of my seat since the season began.  I'm a big fan of Hettie.

 

That being said it's just amazing how the bad guys outnumber the team, have these giant machine guns, and yet the team kills them every time.

 

I thought Nell had shot somebody before.. I could swear she did.  And we all know nobody lives on this show after being shot by the team.

[DeLurker]

The one baddie Lennox didn't get killed. Callen bashed his head on a shelving unit and it'll hurt until Christmas but he did not shot him. Progress.

[scmill]

Nell did shoot someone before, and I thought she killed him.  They left her in a crime site somewhere.  Seems like she was standing at the top of some stairs when she shot the guy?

 

Whatever Kensi told the woman from the Justice Dept made her take her minions and scuttle out.

Edited October 14, 2014 by scmill

[Trini]

Oh, and "more hand-to-hand combat" was on my TWoP wishlist for Season 6; and then in this episode Callen had a pipe/fistfight with a guy. Thanks, show!

 

Loved Sam doing his interview during a high-speed chase!

[Samantha84]

"Trust your training". Nell took the magazine clip out of the gun of her captor and Kensi, Deeks, Callen, and Sam killed him .. Nell did not. That episode was season four: "Kill House"

 

FYE: The guy that Nell killed was played by David Paul Olsen a.k.a Eric's brother and Daniela's husband. 

Edited October 14, 2014 by Samantha84

[pennben]

 

Whatever Kensi told the woman from the Justice Dept made her take her minions and scuttle out.

 

Yes, because we all know government agencies other than NCIS-related agencies are the enemy....wait, what? Of course they show them as being hamfisted, but her question to Kensi, as we all know, was quite fair--she was so far over the line with that move to leave on her own it is right to question it.  And saying that doesn't mean I discount the suffering that Kensi is going through (and that was really well played by her tonight), because that is real and even mistakes in judgment should not lead to whatever she went through.  Especially since we also know that Kensi was set up being there without adequate (read "any") emotional preparation by Hettie (because Hettie was counting on her to react emotionally, just maybe not quite as emotionally as she did...maybe) which remains unaddressed.  But, it's the Justice Department, we don't have time for those fools.

 

I just so wish they hadn't done the Afghanastan arc the way they did.  Like a magician, they are asking me to "watch this hand", where Hettie is a target, potential victim, who also spent her own money to get Kensi back, so I should root for her and forget what the other hand was doing in her shameless awful manipulation in sending Kensi in the first place.

 

Maybe there will be some explanation going forward that works for me, but until then, they really need to get back to cases of the week and not have me continue to be annoyed by this storyline nonstop.

Edited October 14, 2014 by pennben

[DeLurker]

I like Vance when he shows up on NCIS: LA but not on the mothership.

 

Kensi cries pretty.

[Misslindsey]

 

So they literally made Nell into Hetty this episode. Ugh. Go away Nell.

This. They have been doing this for a few seasons now, but this episode it was so over the top. Can't they make Nell her own person instead of another Hetty? As much as I enjoy Hetty, one of her is enough. I wish Eric would get to be super awesome, like Nell does almost all the time. I feel like since Nell came onboard in season two they have dumbed Eric down a bit and made him more awkward.

Edited October 14, 2014 by Misslindsey

[anna0852]

So Vance triggered the hearing to get Hetty out of LA. Interesting. He's not wrong about her being...resistant to protection. And he both gets answers about the Afghanistan op plus reminds Hetty she's not all powerful. Pretty sneaky of him.

Why exactly was Deeks at Kensi's place?

Guess Callen's undercover op is done if he's cutting his hair.

Loved Sam's interview with the investigator!

Edited October 15, 2014 by anna0852

[mrsdalgliesh]

Samantha84 got one of the Nell-in-combat episodes -- the other was the one last season where she was left alone at the boathouse with David from Numbers and had to knife him in the leg and side to keep him from killing her.  She also shot a car to get a suspect to stop way back when she first appeared.

 

But yes, please stop with the Nell-as-substitute-Hetty, both in and out of costume.  I do think they're making an effort now to have Eric show his strengths, and I loved it when the Justice Dept guy said "tell me everything," and Eric got that gleam in his eye.  The rest of that was a little too comic, but only because other parts of the episode were so serious.

 

Like Trini, I watch this as fluff, but do enjoy the return of villains and callbacks to previous episodes -- and unlike Trini, I ship Deeks and Kensi, so I really liked seeing some focus on them in this episode, especially how it started.  The scene in the boathouse was well done by both.  Then, for the inside baseball fans, it was fun to see DR's husband/ECO's brother as the gunman Nell shot.  That must have made for some good off-camera jokes.

[Misslindsey]

 

the other was the one last season where she was left alone at the boathouse with David from Numbers and had to knife him in the leg and side to keep him from killing her.

It is sad that I know this, but it was Colby from Numb3rs, because the whole episode I just wanted him to run or have Don and Charlie show up. Thanks for the Nell in combat recap, because I forgot the details of them.

[Samantha84]

Yes, that was David Paul. Wondering if anyone else noticed him. 

Marks his 3rd appearance .. he was in Dead Body Politic and Kill House [season 4]. 

Edited October 14, 2014 by Samantha84

[mrsdalgliesh]

 

It is sad that I know this, but it was Colby from Numb3rs

 

Oh, that's right.  I'm sorry that I know you're right. :-)

[anna0852]

Okay, now that I'm not having to post from my phone I have some further thoughts, mostly about Kensi and Deeks. Those who are less than thrilled about this aspect of the show, skip this post.

 

Just how many times has one stayed over at the home of the other? They were way too comfortable waking up with that call to Ops for this to have been a one-time occurrence. There is a certain lack of awkwardness that I thought was fairly noticeable. 

 

Kensi has been trying so hard to bury Afghanistan and it is clearly getting harder and harder for her to do so. The fact we didn't see her entire interview really drives that home. As did that wonderful scene between her and Deeks afterwards. I am convinced that the only reason she hasn't cracked yet is because she is talking to Deeks. He does understand what she went through and knows the best advice/comfort to give. Even though it's probably tearing him up to have to do so. I also find it very telling that Kensi is willing to let him see her cry, something that she would never do in front of any of the others.

 

If Vance orchestrated this hearing to get Hetty out of LA, does that mean he can now call it off?

 

I never needed to see Granger in bed with anybody.

 

Hetty is going to be pissed when she sees what happened to her house.

 

More shirtless Callen please.

 

I felt bad for Nell. I know we've see her use her weapon before and I know she used that knife very well but killing someone is a whole different thing, even it is life or death.

 

Mattius is a dead man.

[betsyboo]

I never needed to see Granger in bed with anybody.

 

More shirtless Callen please.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ALL OF THIS.......

[webruce]

Nell, G, and Deeks, were all not interrogated. G, made a nice escape, and Sam knew he was going to.

Michael Thomas asked Hetty some pointed questions. I figured her fainting spell, was faked. Thought maybe it was from seeing that her Security Guard David Duke Fletcher was killed.

Director Leon Vance had his people bring Hetty to the Museum to talk. He said her team has a leak? All her home locations given away to baddies. Owen Granger and Vance didn't know them all. Hard to believe it's Eric or Nell. It must be a unknown in the bungalow. Not sure if Lawyer Matthew Ogilvie knows all that about her? But if he is her Lawyer for everything he would, or should.

Now were the man and woman that followed Hetty on Vance's team? Or on Mattis Dreager's team? But they can't be his, or his men wouldn't have fallen for the Nell as Hetty rouge. Nell did a real good job looking like Hetty.

Liked Sam in the closet to attic escape route saying he wished Hetty wasn't so short. Shooting up the place was not good. Hetty will be so upset. "Bugger!" lol.

I wondered if Granger should have told Wallace that people were breaking into Hetty's place?

Eric really baffled Wallace's associate with all kinds of stuff. Ava Wallace's ride with Sam was funny.The shootout with Craig Lennox in the Mustang and Sam and Wallace in the Challenger, I am surprised no one was hit. It was funny how Callen went into Lennox's business for help.Then had to chase the man with Sam preoccupied.

Then it seems Kensi's talk to Wallace made her all satisfied. Wonder what all she told her?

Kensi breaking down and holding Deeks was good. She has to cry over that ordeal. She wants to be strong but some of that should have come out more often.

[Trini]

 

More shirtless Callen please.

Now that you mention it, I wonder why we've never seen shirtless Sam -- he's the one with the body for it.

[HurricaneVal]

I'm still mourning the loss of the golden tipped locks.  Sigh.  They sure didn't last long.

 

But shirtless Callen was a nice consolation prize.

[KittenPokerCheater]

Such a better episode than last week.

 

Sorry Callen had to get back to his ncis military-style cut.  I liked the longer hair.

 

Hetty is a great character but I am getting so. very. tired. that she is so completely untouchable, the perfect spy, and never has to answer for anything. I hate that she get away with everything all the time (thus far).  I'd like to see her actually get into some trouble and need serious help to get out of it.  

 

The Deeks/Densi scene was good but I don't like how the edited it- I wonder if there was a camera snafu when they shot the scene.  There was some Deeks' reactions that I wish we could have seen.   I hope that Kensi will get a little bit of time with Nate next week, because it seems like she could use it.

 

I am certain that Nell has shot someone before, but for now, I'll go with the the flow.  But she's another character that I feel like is being written as too perfect.

 

Best scene of the night, though, was when Sam was being questioned by the Agent while in the middle of a car chase. That was brilliant on toast.

[anna0852]

I hope that Kensi will get a little bit of time with Nate next week, because it seems like she could use it.

 

I'm guessing that Peter Cambor is not always available, which is why we didn't see him working with Kensi when she got back from Afghanistan. I really hope we hear Nate make reference to Kensi having been seeing some sort of therapist since he himself was out of the country/on assignment.

 

Because if it becomes clear that Kensi was not send to any sort of counseling while Nell gets Nate brought in because she shot someone (and I'm not discounting that killing someone is traumatic) then my respect for Hetty is done completely. If Sam and Deeks had to see a therapist, if Nell has to sit with Nate, the Kensi absolutely should have had to as well. To not do so is negligent at best.

 

What happened to the Hetty that made her agents get their annual physicals and pysch assessments and keep up with professional development courses? The steely-eyed bureaucrat that scrutinized after-action reports, enforced the budget and guarded the viability of undercover legends (like sending Callen to traffic school to preserve it!). Yes, she was the Master Spy and had also sort of weird stuff in her background but she was also much more competent at her job. I miss that Hetty. 

Edited October 16, 2014 by anna0852

[catray]

I kind of liked Callen with his long hair but that didn't last long!

RIP Hetty's house-- sucks to have all those bullet holes everywhere! Loved that she has a secret passage; I got a good chuckle out of Sam complaining how small it was (he did look giant in there). Hated Nell actually dressing up as Hetty, ugh. Nell has grown on me in her time on the show, but I hate it when she becomes (in this case literally) mini-Hetty. She is waaaaay to young and inexperienced to be mini-Hetty.

I liked Kensi showing some emotion over her capture by the Taliban (more than we ever got with Ziva after her ordeal in Somalia) but agree-- she needs counseling. We don't necessarily need to see it, but I think there needs to be some mention of it being dealt with. Thought the Deeks/Kensi scenes were good though.

Color me surprised that a couple of the hitmen made it out alive this episode-- highly unusual for this group!

Edit: I also feel like Nell has shot someone before, but maybe that was a more "controlled" situation? Given how they were hemmed in and out numbered that made it more traumatic? I don't know.

Edited October 18, 2014 by catray

[Jaybird]

Yes, because we all know government agencies other than NCIS-related agencies are the enemy....wait, what? Of course they show them as being hamfisted, but her question to Kensi, as we all know, was quite fair--she was so far over the line with that move to leave on her own it is right to question it.  And saying that doesn't mean I discount the suffering that Kensi is going through (and that was really well played by her tonight), because that is real and even mistakes in judgment should not lead to whatever she went through.  Especially since we also know that Kensi was set up being there without adequate (read "any") emotional preparation by Hettie (because Hettie was counting on her to react emotionally, just maybe not quite as emotionally as she did...maybe) which remains unaddressed.  But, it's the Justice Department, we don't have time for those fools.

 

I just so wish they hadn't done the Afghanastan arc the way they did.  Like a magician, they are asking me to "watch this hand", where Hettie is a target, potential victim, who also spent her own money to get Kensi back, so I should root for her and forget what the other hand was doing in her shameless awful manipulation in sending Kensi in the first place.

 

Maybe there will be some explanation going forward that works for me, but until then, they really need to get back to cases of the week and not have me continue to be annoyed by this storyline nonstop.

 

This +1000.  As "really bad" as it was, Kensi bears a lot of responsibility for her own trauma.  Hetty bears even more. 

[JessDVD]

We derailed about halfway through because I just cannot get into watching people whom I generally like, skirt the law and we're obviously supposed to be cheering at them. Hetty faking fainting to get out of the trial? Yeah, can't get into that. Ditto Callen escaping the boatshed underwater. I don't care if the justice dept's reasons are 100% above or below board, I just do not find it fun to watch the crew thumbing their noses at them. Reminds me too much of a few seasons ago in mothership when Colin Hanks' character was asking totally legitimate questions and we were clearly supposed to view it as him being a meanie face for challenging our pwecious Gibbs. And I actually like Gibbs, as opposed to Hetty, who I would not be at all sad to see depart.

 

Was that blonde girl with Granger supposed to be his wife? And I can always do more scenes of Kensi/Deeks waking up together...

Edited October 22, 2014 by JessDVD