NCIS: Los Angeles - Rage - Review: "Callen's Journey Through the Past"

I knew back when we first saw Sam and Callen undercover as a prison inmate and guard in “Inelegant Heart” that I wanted to see more of their covert personas. At that time they were pulled off their undercover work to help investigate a black market website used to track down Hetty’s information. Though I’d hoped for it, I didn’t think we’d see Callen return to his inmate disguise. But I was pleasantly surprised to see him back in his orange jumpsuit this week. Sam didn’t have a big undercover role, but Callen returned to prison (minus his previous substantial beard) to help infiltrate a white supremacist group believed to be in possession of nuclear material.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen an episode that focuses on Callen’s past. I love it when they delve into the characters’ histories, and Callen’s is especially intriguing. I liked how they used the flashbacks to give us a peek into his earlier days and the path he could have taken. The similarities between Callen and Charlie enhanced the story. And it was nice to see what a difference Hetty has made in Callen’s life. I thought the ending struck the perfect tone, balancing Callen’s sadness over Charlie with gratitude for how far he’s come.

I also enjoyed the intensity of “Rage.” Most of the time on “NCIS: Los Angeles” it never really feels like the characters are truly in danger because things generally get resolved by the end of the episode. But the writers this week accomplished a tension that made you fear for Callen and wonder what was going to happen next. They did a nice job of taking you along for the ride, which was packed with action.

The episode did deal with a much heavier topic than usual. The racist white supremacist group was disgusting and scary. The awful things they said sickened me and made me feel extremely uncomfortable. But I guess that was the point. Viewers should be uncomfortable with the things they said. I liked that Sam got to deal with one of the white supremacists personally. You hated seeing him on the end of such hatred. But watching him emerge victorious over these wackos was rewarding.

Callen and Kensi

Since I don’t like to read about or look at pictures of an episode before it airs, I was totally caught off guard by Kensi going undercover as Callen’s girlfriend. But I thought it was fantastic. In fact, I liked how the audience didn’t get any hints of Kensi’s intention before she showed up at Callen’s hideout. That made the surprise even better. As a tough-looking Kensi got off her motorcycle and greeted Callen with a “Hey, baby,” I barely had time to process what was going on before they grabbed each other in a wild, passionate kiss. I actually gasped when it happened. It threw me for a loop – but a good one. It was so fun to watch. Sage and Walinski have some undeniable chemistry. Callen and Kensi definitely sold it! They both were willing to go all out for the job. As they canoodled and held each other close, I couldn’t turn away. And Callen surprised me with his boldness as he told the boys he hoped they didn’t mind a little noise from the bedroom. His Walinski alter ego was cracking me up.

I was also shocked when the two of them turned up in bed together looking naked. Yes, they have to commit to their undercover characters or risk being found out. But that has to be awkward, doesn’t it? Even pretending to be naked with someone takes things to a whole other level. (I assume they were pretending, even though it looked pretty real as Kensi covered herself when getting out of bed.) But it was fun to see Callen in a totally different light, acting different from his normal self. And Kensi looked sexy with her new shorter, tousled haircut and smoky makeup. They were both entertaining to watch. I love when the show throws unexpected scenes at you like this that shock you in a fun way.

Callen and Charlie

Another thing I really liked was the relationship between Callen and Charlie. From the moment Callen hears Charlie talking about how he didn’t know his mother or family, Callen identified with Charlie and started looking out for him. He knew the boy was impressionable. Charlie was a white supremacist criminal, but Callen sees he is also a lost young man who didn’t have anyone guiding him growing up. And Callen knows it’s not too late. He knows that Charlie still can change his path if someone cares enough to help him. That someone is Callen. It was sweet to watch him take the boy under his wings and try to steer him toward making better decisions. He ultimately wanted Charlie to see that he had other options in life. Because of his own past, Callen had a lot to offer Charlie. And he seems to get through to him.

But then tragedy strikes. You feel the shock when Charlie gets shot, devastating Callen. Here was a boy who makes the right decision thanks to Callen and yet he still loses his life. It understandably upsets G, though he doesn’t blame the shooter. He just feels bad about how it all ended for a young man who could have had a positive future. At first I was quite surprised at the choice to kill Charlie – until I saw how it served the story. In the end it made for some very touching moments as Callen contemplates his own life.

The Flashbacks

Callen’s relationship with Charlie set up the flashback scenes at the end perfectly. As Callen mourns what could have been with the boy, he can’t help but remember how lucky he was that Hetty stepped in to change his life. Those flashbacks were a great way to let the audience experience Callen’s past for themselves. It’s almost hard to imagine Callen as an out-of-control youth, but seeing it made it real.

I loved how the episode showed a flashback in the beginning, even though we didn’t really have a full picture yet of what was happening. Callen remembers being thrown in juvenile detention and egging on the guards, who beat him up. Even back then, Callen was a tough kid. (This was later paralleled as present-day Callen gets beat up by the white supremacists.) Then the two ending flashbacks shed more light on the beginning scene. I loved how the final flashbacks were expertly weaved with Callen’s description of what happened to him, going back and forth between Callen’s thoughts in the present and his past visual memories. And then we end on a full flashback. After Sam walks away, G looks at the place where he crashed into the pole and remembers how that day turned out. He remembers Hetty telling him he would not be going back to social services but would be staying with her. He recalls her telling him he had great potential. She had a plan for him – one that we now know worked out very well.

The details really enhanced those ending scenes. I enjoyed how they showed a woman’s legs getting out of a car before you know it’s Hetty. (Although I immediately wondered if it was her.) And it was fun seeing Hetty so young. They did a great job of de-aging her. The dialogue was also fantastic. I especially liked young Callen commenting on how short she was, which just made Hetty laugh. These scenes emphasized the special relationship between Callen and Hetty. I loved the way he described Hetty showing up as “the hand of God” intervening. He doesn’t know why he was so lucky, but he realizes he was. Hetty has always been looking out for him. She pulled strings to get him released from police custody. And she noticed his potential even while he wasn’t living it. To see how he grew up makes you appreciate even more the man he’s become. And this episode made it clear it was all because of Hetty and her investment in him.

Other Thoughts

- I loved the reveal after the bus crash when we see Granger and Sam as the driver and guard. What a fun moment.

- It was cute how Deeks looked worried about Kensi when she was leaving to go undercover.

- Did you notice Callen’s goofy rolled pants when he was at the house with the other men? He was supposed to be a tough bank robber but unfortunately this made him look like a non-hip dad.

- It was fitting to see Sam anxious for his partner throughout the episode. Later I love how he called Callen his “brother” to racist Jimmie Ray.

- I can’t figure out why and how Callen had an NCIS magazine in his gun. Being undercover, that is a huge risk. And later it was revealed to be Dallas’ gun. So how did he get an NCIS magazine in that gun when he'd been in prison?

- I liked the scenes with Kensi and Dallas’ girlfriend Ginny. She was a good character who made you feel for her. Kensi dealt with her well, encouraging her to value herself and wondering why she was with a guy like Dallas. Ginny’s response was heartbreaking. I wish this plot had gone further and they had somehow incorporated Ginny into the rest of the story. It would’ve been satisfying to see her decide to take Kensi’s advice and value herself by helping them in a larger way, offering more redemption for her character.

- I was a little disappointed that Deeks didn’t get to drive the bus in the bank hostage situation. That would have been fun to see.

- It was funny to hear Granger weighing in on what type of skirt looked best on Jimmie Ray as Eric altered his photograph.

- I was surprised that Sam stabbed the guy who broke the FBI agent’s leg. He could have stopped him without killing him.

- It was a nice touch that Sam knew where to find Callen in the end because Hetty told him he’d be there. Hetty knew right where Callen would go to think about the events of the day.

- How fun that Sam and Callen were going to meet Kensi and Deeks for Korean BBQ after the case.


How did you like "Rage?" What did you think of Callen and Kensi's fake relationship? Did you enjoy the flashbacks? Please join our discussion in the comments below.

About the Author - Tonya Papanikolas

Tonya Papanikolas is an online, print and broadcast journalist who loves covering entertainment and television. She spent more than 10 years as a broadcast news anchor/reporter and now does everything from hosting to writing. She loves covering NCIS: Los Angeles for SpoilerTV. (She's a big fan of Kensi and Deeks!) She also writes SpoilerTV articles on other great shows.