All Episodes Talk: NCIS: Los Angeles

[HurricaneVal]

Count me in on the Harm/Mac confusion.  It seemed like they did get together, then it didn't work, and careers, and....  Now goo-goo eyes.  Yuck.

I'm also not digging the new girl in Ops.  Everyone was like "Hey, gurrrl!  Whassup?!?" like they all knew her, liked her, and were really happy to be working with her.  When for all intents and purposes, she's a total stranger to Eric--who should know, or at least be familiar with, everyone else NCIS uses in his capacity--rude to Eric, and I thought quite disrespectful.  She did get the job done, with that tool she had, but you know what?  There's this thing called the internet and email and server sharepoints etc. that tool could have been transmitted through for Eric to have been using long in advance of her driving up from San Diego to just barge in and slap on the screen.  I did not appreciate the "Shove over, Grandpa!" vibe from her.  (And I like the actress...)

Nell would have squashed her like a bug.

[may flowers]

2 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

I'm also not digging the new girl in Ops.  Everyone was like "Hey, gurrrl!  Whassup?!?" like they all knew her, liked her, and were really happy to be working with her.  When for all intents and purposes, she's a total stranger to Eric--who should know, or at least be familiar with, everyone else NCIS uses in his capacity--rude to Eric, and I thought quite disrespectful.  She did get the job done, with that tool she had, but you know what?  There's this thing called the internet and email and server sharepoints etc. that tool could have been transmitted through for Eric to have been using long in advance of her driving up from San Diego to just barge in and slap on the screen.  I did not appreciate the "Shove over, Grandpa!" vibe from her.  (And I like the actress...)

Nell would have squashed her like a bug.

That raises a question I had - has Jasmine (I think that was her character’s name) been on the show before? She said that Sam and Callen were her mentors at NCIS - is she someone from an earlier episode?

[dju]

It's a tired routine, I can't think of the exact season/moment, but the show has definitely done that ~bring in a sub for OPS who has a 'lemme show you what's what' attitude that leaves Eric flustered~ schtick before. It's not particularly inventive or effective.

I was left feeling pretty underwhelmed by the finale, I don't know if it was too plot heavy (I could've used more character moments) or if the plot was just boring, but there was nothing there for me to invest in.

I liked the small Deeks and Kensi 'I love you' exchange as a fan, but even that felt underwhelming and misplaced. And I usually really appreciate Military's writing so, I don't know, it seemed the motivation in general for the ep wasn't fully present.

[JayDub]

One of the things I found most disconcerting about the show was the sheer number of NCIS related characters they tried to work in this year or at least it seemed like it to me.

I quit watching the show for a couple of years and frankly I'm not sure why I started again and to be brutally honest the show for me has lost it's appeal for a second time.

Probably going to watch the first couple of episodes next year to see the end to this latest fiasco and then quit for good.

[LittlePeas3]

23 hours ago, dju said:

It's a tired routine, I can't think of the exact season/moment, but the show has definitely done that ~bring in a sub for OPS who has a 'lemme show you what's what' attitude that leaves Eric flustered~ schtick before. It's not particularly inventive or effective.

I was left feeling pretty underwhelmed by the finale, I don't know if it was too plot heavy (I could've used more character moments) or if the plot was just boring, but there was nothing there for me to invest in.

I liked the small Deeks and Kensi 'I love you' exchange as a fan, but even that felt underwhelming and misplaced. And I usually really appreciate Military's writing so, I don't know, it seemed the motivation in general for the ep wasn't fully present.

I wonder if the underwhelming feeling is because episode 21 (especially) and 22 were written so well, we hoped the last 2 would be just as good? 

[CountryCrazy]

I usually enjoy this show but the 2 parter season finale was BORING 😏 I couldn’t  care less about the JAG stuff and was just happy seeing it over and now indications are more JAG crap when the show returns 😡! Time to move on and just drop the JAG hour because I watch for NCISLA characters and the new girl was contrived and so stupid - bring back Nell! 

[JayDub]

1 hour ago, CountryCrazy said:

I usually enjoy this show but the 2 parter season finale was BORING 😏 I couldn’t  care less about the JAG stuff and was just happy seeing it over and now indications are more JAG crap when the show returns 😡! Time to move on and just drop the JAG hour because I watch for NCISLA characters and the new girl was contrived and so stupid - bring back Nell! 

1. The JAG stuff was only important to the fans of that show. It adds nothing to NCIS-LA.

2. Not a Nell and Eric together fan. 

3. Endings that take more than one season are fine if it makes sense.

4. As far as the Deeks and Kensi "I love you" if you're in a situation that could end  your life what better time that to tell someone how you feel.

[AntiBeeSpray]

4 hours ago, JayDub said:

1. The JAG stuff was only important to the fans of that show. It adds nothing to NCIS-LA.

2. Not a Nell and Eric together fan. 

3. Endings that take more than one season are fine if it makes sense.

4. As far as the Deeks and Kensi "I love you" if you're in a situation that could end  your life what better time that to tell someone how you feel.

I was a fan of JAG, but honestly... it adds nothing to it as it continues the usual shipper-baiting. So over that kind of thing in shows. (Heck I didn't even watch the ep. I caught up via an article about it.)

[123BP]

On 5/21/2019 at 3:44 PM, dju said:

I liked the small Deeks and Kensi 'I love you' exchange as a fan, but even that felt underwhelming and misplaced. And I usually really appreciate Military's writing so, I don't know, it seemed the motivation in general for the ep wasn't fully present.

I'm tired of the Kensi-Deeks "I love you" scenes - there seem to have been a lot the past few seasons, and then there was "the wedding" this season to make their love "official." I don't think Military has been very good for several years (the premise for "Better Angels" was so stupid it made the performance by Dani--which was excellent--irrelevant for me).

On 5/21/2019 at 3:44 PM, dju said:

I can't think of the exact season/moment, but the show has definitely done that ~bring in a sub for OPS who has a 'lemme show you what's what' attitude that leaves Eric flustered~ schtick before. It's not particularly inventive or effective.

I remember that from Getaway when Nell and Eric went undercover at that couples retreat in S8, but it's probably been done before or after that -- and for me, that was okay (it was the guy from the Red episodes, Danny B.), but I expect Eric to be a little more mature now.

On 5/21/2019 at 1:28 PM, may flowers said:

That raises a question I had - has Jasmine (I think that was her character’s name) been on the show before? She said that Sam and Callen were her mentors at NCIS - is she someone from an earlier episode? 

Yes, Jasmine Garcia was the former Marine in The Queen's Gambit, the episode about girls from the US being shipped overseas as ISIS brides.

Edited May 23, 2019 by 123BP

[123BP]

10 hours ago, LittlePeas3 said:

I wonder if the underwhelming feeling is because episode 21 (especially) and 22 were written so well, we hoped the last 2 would be just as good? 

Bingo! That's exactly how I felt. The One That Got Away and No More Secrets were SO well-written, acted, and directed these last two felt plodding and dull in comparison. I get it that Gemmill was a writer for JAG and really wanted to bring the series full circle, but it just didn't work in these episodes. There was no real urgency to anything and there was no real purpose in having Mac and Harm as guest stars, any more than there was a reason to have Talia return for 2 minutes or even Sabatino (it could have been ANY CIA operative). And then you had Jasmine Garcia back. It was almost like a variety show, there were so many guest stars.

I wish Gemmill was better as the showrunner; he's been a huge disappointment imo and not done the series any favors by having Mosley in S9, killing off Hidoko, and then making a mess of Linda's absence in S10 (I know she was injured, but the Hetty "intrigue" is really wearing thin after so many years; just have her be on an assignment and leave it at that--and get a regular fill-in). Also, he needs to treat ALL of the NCISLA characters with more respect and not focus so much on specific ones just because they have a vocal fan base on social media. The strength of the show has always been the ensemble cast. That's why other shows like NCIS, Blue Bloods, This Is Us, TBBT, and others do well--and they have good, character-driven stories (like The One That Got Away and No More Secrets). Here's hoping Gemmill gets his act together in S11.

[LittlePeas3]

27 minutes ago, 123BP said:

Bingo! That's exactly how I felt. The One That Got Away and No More Secrets were SO well-written, acted, and directed these last two felt plodding and dull in comparison. I get it that Gemmill was a writer for JAG and really wanted to bring the series full circle, but it just didn't work in these episodes. There was no real urgency to anything and there was no real purpose in having Mac and Harm as guest stars, any more than there was a reason to have Talia return for 2 minutes or even Sabatino (it could have been ANY CIA operative). And then you had Jasmine Garcia back. It was almost like a variety show, there were so many guest stars.

I wish Gemmill was better as the showrunner; he's been a huge disappointment imo and not done the series any favors by having Mosley in S9, killing off Hidoko, and then making a mess of Linda's absence in S10 (I know she was injured, but the Hetty "intrigue" is really wearing thin after so many years; just have her be on an assignment and leave it at that--and get a regular fill-in). Also, he needs to treat ALL of the NCISLA characters with more respect and not focus so much on specific ones just because they have a vocal fan base on social media. The strength of the show has always been the ensemble cast. That's why other shows like NCIS, Blue Bloods, This Is Us, TBBT, and others do well--and they have good, character-driven stories (like The One That Got Away and No More Secrets). Here's hoping Gemmill gets his act together in S11.

I so didn't get the point of Talia being in episode 23.  Seriously, if she is going to be on, she needed to be at the wedding and causing a little Kensi/Deeks stress, not rocking up at the boat shed, talking with Callen and Sam, then leaving and having nothing really to do with the plot.  It seemed like it was filling in.  I really liked the Talia character, but her appearing was redundant, the storyline didn't go back to her. 

I kind of get the use of Sabatino, he is always getting in the way or has some finger in the pie when it comes to things the NCIS LA agents do. and seeing him is ok. 

The Harm and Mac bit, also a little redundant, they just pissed off the old JAG fans by not having them together as a couple, and because they were guest stars and it was only a supporting role, JAG fans were even more disappointed with the outcome.  I am thinking it could have been any ship, with any XO and CO, and Harm being there and Mac being Hetty's secret weapon against the Russian diplomat really could have been anyone.

[GHScorpiosRule]

3 hours ago, 123BP said:

I get it that Gemmill was a writer for JAG and really wanted to bring the series full circle, but it just didn't work in these episodes.

Honestly? I've been wanting to see Harm, specifically back on my screen for YEARS. I personally would have preferred it if he had come back on the mothership NCIS, since that's the show that had its backdoor pilot. And despite the antagonism between Gibbs and Harm, by the end it was all like "I owe you one" so I really thought I'd see him again. We got Chegwidden and Bud, but no Harm.

3 hours ago, LittlePeas3 said:

The Harm and Mac bit, also a little redundant, they just pissed off the old JAG fans by not having them together as a couple, and because they were guest stars and it was only a supporting role, JAG fans were even more disappointed with the outcome.  I am thinking it could have been any ship, with any XO and CO, and Harm being there and Mac being Hetty's secret weapon against the Russian diplomat really could have been anyone.

Yup. And even if it was just Harm, I would have loved it because it's David James Elliott and I wanted to see what he'd been up to all these years. And I'm beyond pissed at what he gave us. And I'm stating it here, because it happened on this show.

[mageala]

In any episode that involves the team looking for a sniper, why is it always Sam who points out a spot and says "That's where I'd be" when Kensey is the one with Sniper experience?

Edited May 23, 2019 by mageala

[ymeagain]

On 5/22/2019 at 2:53 PM, LittlePeas3 said:

I wonder if the underwhelming feeling is because episode 21 (especially) and 22 were written so well, we hoped the last 2 would be just as good? 

Those 2 were really high bars to top.

On 5/22/2019 at 9:10 PM, AntiBeeSpray said:

I was a fan of JAG, but honestly... it adds nothing to it as it continues the usual shipper-baiting.

Yea, I liked JAG, but this bringing in of Harm and Mac seemed pointless. I mean, Chegwidden's character has had a point when he's appeared on the show--and I like him.

On 5/23/2019 at 4:50 PM, mageala said:

In any episode that involves the team looking for a sniper, why is it always Sam who points out a spot and says "That's where I'd be" when Kensey is the one with Sniper experience?

All of them--except Deeks--have training as snipers (Callen was the sniper in Allegiance and in Out of the Past or Rude Awakenings), and both Callen and Sam were the snipers in the S9 finale.

I think my fav scene was Callen completely ignoring Hetty. Loved that and hope he stays pissed at her in S11. She just interferes in his life whenever she feels like it (I liked Hetty in the early seasons, but I'm tired of Hetty, the manipulator).

[AntiBeeSpray]

4 hours ago, ymeagain said:

Those 2 were really high bars to top.

Yea, I liked JAG, but this bringing in of Harm and Mac seemed pointless. I mean, Chegwidden's character has had a point when he's appeared on the show--and I like him.

All of them--except Deeks--have training as snipers (Callen was the sniper in Allegiance and in Out of the Past or Rude Awakenings), and both Callen and Sam were the snipers in the S9 finale.

I think my fav scene was Callen completely ignoring Hetty. Loved that and hope he stays pissed at her in S11. She just interferes in his life whenever she feels like it (I liked Hetty in the early seasons, but I'm tired of Hetty, the manipulator).

I'm wondering if they're doing it to try to bring in the JAG audience. That said, trying to pull old games isn't going to win them that many new viewers. Viewers don't like being manipulated.

Wow. She's that bad now? I like Hetty. It's too bad that her character's been wrecked.

[Maverick]

 I thought part of bringing back Harm and Mac was to test the waters for a JAG reboot. 

[crowsworks]

On 5/17/2019 at 3:35 AM, LittlePeas3 said:

Nate is probably the only shrink Callen may talk to.  He has such trust issues, there is no way he would open up to a random person.  However, doesn't the guy who plays Nate have a role on another show these days?  This may be one of the reasons this hasn't been addressed.  

bring back Nate - the whole group NEEDS a full time - on call - shrink!

[LittlePeas3]

On 7/8/2019 at 5:25 PM, crowsworks said:

bring back Nate - the whole group NEEDS a full time - on call - shrink!

Agreed, it could even cover a few episodes arc, they have many issues that need addressing.

[LittlePeas3]

So, while filling in the time waiting for the new season, yay, they are filming already! Anyway, am watching season 8 right now. Random question follows: 

The Queen's Gambit.  

The introduction of Jasmine Garcia.  Seriously, would someone who had partaken in a hit and run/hit with the intent of kidnapping, really been able to become an agent or even a technical advisor of some sort or another?  I would have thought a criminal record of this type would have ruled her out of this?  

[Tony Dickson]

That bad, huh?