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NCIS: Los Angeles - Kolcheck, A. - Review: "Setting Up the Finale"

May 14, 2015

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The penultimate episode of the season picked up where we left off in “Beacon.” When crew members of a missing oil tanker turn up dead, the NCIS team renews its search for the ship that holds connections to Arkady. They eventually find the tanker with Arkady’s help, but the hundred million dollars of oil on board is gone – and so is Anna, the blonde woman from Arkady’s phone. Arkady claims she is his employee, but Callen eventually figures out she’s Arkady’s daughter.

Arkady has proven himself to be an interesting and funny character. He is charming yet difficult, uncooperative yet helpful (when forced). I thought it was an interesting development that Anna was his daughter. The revelation reminded me of the moment in “Beacon” when he and Callen both agreed that loyalty to family was the most important thing. It’s a comment that now seems extremely relevant. I’m not quite sure why Arkady wanted to keep his daughter’s identity a secret. But it’s clear he will do everything he can to find her.

Overall I found this episode enjoyable but not fantastic. We saw some nice action and good moments with almost all of the characters. But the emphasis was on the plot, and unfortunately it really wasn’t interesting enough to carry the show on its own. However, I felt this episode was meant to lay the groundwork for what comes next. It was intended to set up the finale, and it accomplished that goal well. It left me excited for the finale, where we will see the team travel to Russia to find Anna, the oil and the vicious thief who took them. And hopefully we will finally find out more about Callen’s father.


The Team

The team moment this week revolved around loaning things to your friends. We start off with Kensi telling Deeks his friend is using him as an ATM. Deeks is planning to loan the friend money, even though he doesn’t know what it’s for. Deeks admits he’s given seven loans to this friend who has never repaid him. (In actuality, it’s eight). And he is still thinking of helping him out again. But it turns out Deeks isn’t the only one in the loaning business. Sam has loaned Callen many items that his partner has never returned, and Sam is bitter about it. I thought all of this was pretty amusing. Callen was funny how he didn’t seem to feel bad about not returning Sam’s items. Sam was funny because he was so annoyed. And I enjoyed Kensi and Deeks’ different philosophies about his actions. Deeks saw himself as a good friend (who apparently doesn’t ask too many questions about these loans) while Kensi sees his actions as financially reckless. Even though she was making fun of Deeks, she was also looking out for him.

I was entertained that Eric ended up being the friend in question (and that Deeks protected Eric by not revealing that fact). But at the same time it also felt strange. Eric has asked Deeks for money eight different times? And Deeks gave it to him every time without a single return on his investments? Weird. Plus, the two had very different versions of what was happening. Eric thinks they’re “equity investments” when Deeks considers them loans. They clearly didn’t lay out ground rules before Deeks funded Eric’s business plans. And I wouldn’t think intelligent Eric would come up with a bunch of crappy ideas that never go anywhere. Sure, even smart people can be dreamers with bad ideas. But the scene left Eric looking like a clueless friend who is taking advantage of Deeks. And it portrayed Deeks as a kind but naïve guy who isn’t very smart with his money. The idea of this scene was funnier than the reality. But I did find it interesting that Deeks ultimately listened to Kensi’s advice and stopped loaning Eric money.


Sam and Callen

I enjoyed both Sam and Callen in this episode. Most of their interactions revolved around Arkady, leaving us with a lot of entertaining tongue-in-cheek banter. These three are so funny together. Arkady definitely has a different dynamic with Callen than he does with Sam. Sam puts up with him, but Arkady and Callen have a deeper connection. Callen has more patience with Arkady than Sam does. And Arkady seems to trust Callen. But Sam always seems to be amused by the Russian.

We saw all these dynamics play into their scenes together, beginning with Sam and Callen driving in front of Arkady’s car as he’s trying to escape. I thought it was funny that Arkady called them idiots when he had run the red light. And I loved Sam’s reactions to him. Telling Arkady he had road rage, putting down his silk suit, and commenting that he didn’t have a job were all great exchanges. Arkady was hilarious as he claimed Sam’s words stung, but he knew he said them because he cared. Callen was also funny when he found the guns in the car. The two partners were clearly amused with Arkady. They know he’s full of crap but they don’t let him get away with anything.

When Sam interrogates Arkady on his own, he’s tougher on the Russian. He outright tells Arkady he’s not his friend; he’s just “a source” to Sam. As he questions him, Arkady tries to punch him. The move was surprising. But Sam has quick reflexes. And he doesn’t get mad. The action only intrigues him more as to why Arkady is acting so strange.

Later when Callen comes back, he and Arkady have a serious conversation about the coin. I was happy to finally see Arkady telling him the truth. It’s about time he gives Callen some real information. Not that he gave them a lot here, but at least it was something. Arkady tells Callen the coins he found were used to identify refugees who wanted to escape from Russia. Callen’s father may have been the man handing out the coins. While Arkady doesn’t know for sure, you get the feeling his dad was definitely the man on the other end. And you also get the feeling Arkady values how much this information means to Callen. He knows this is a big deal for the agent. I hope this bit of information is followed by even greater revelations.

Callen was clearly thinking about his father during the entire case. I think my favorite scene was the one in which Callen goes home to look through his box of clues about his family and Hetty shows up. The scene starts without any words, yet it grips your attention. As Callen looks through his few pictures and news clippings that leave him with more questions than answers, you can see how unsettled he is. He’s distracted and tense. But Hetty is there for him. Callen doesn’t tell a lot of people what’s he’s thinking when it comes to his family. But he trusts Hetty. She can see how concerned and preoccupied he is. She gives him potential information about the coin while at the same time encouraging him not to focus too much on personal matters that could interfere with his job. But for Callen, his job and his personal history are intertwined. Knowing who he is affects every aspect of his life. His desire to know more about his background could easily impact his job. I don’t believe he would endanger anyone else to find out information. But he would certainly defy orders to gain some peace of mind.


Kensi and Deeks

I would love to have seen better interactions from Kensi and Deeks in this episode. They definitely had some funny moments that made me laugh but they also had some cheesy moments. The first was Deeks’ suggestion that the brother and sister shipping duo could have been lovers. The dialogue was so strange that I was happy to see Kensi acknowledge it made no sense and was just gross. Granted, Deeks excels at weird and gross. But this one was more odd than charming.

And I found the scene at the hospital funny yet a little too goofy. When Deeks tells Kensi to go distract the security guard with her cleavage, their dialogue was amusing but also over-the-top. Kensi was perfect as she again called Deeks out on his craziness by mouthing “Really?” to him. It was the same thing the audience was thinking. Oh, Kensi. You never know what this guy’s going to say, do you? He’s a whacky one – and he doesn’t mind being inappropriate. But I guess that’s Deeks for you. I just didn’t think this was Deeks at his finest (or funniest). And their threats to the prison guard also didn’t hold their usual zing for me.

But they did share some good moments together, too. I liked their banter about Deeks being a “sugar daddy,” saying he has to keep his “ladybird happy.” And I enjoyed their chasing of the prison guard. Deeks saved Kensi’s life by jumping on the man right as he pointed a gun at Kensi. They were both funny as Deeks emerged from his tackle, with Kensi commenting that he was living out his pro wrestling fantasy and Deeks talking about how awesome it felt.

In fact, Deeks came to Kensi’s rescue several times this episode. After a car backed into them, Deeks yelled for her to duck while he shot at the driver. I was glad to see Kensi okay. The crash looked pretty bad. And it was followed by a comical exchange about her hearing. I loved how they both smiled after their lines, showing how they amuse each other. Then Deeks saved Kensi on the ship by yelling “Down” so she would duck and he could shoot the man behind her. These two really do work well together as a team. They trust each other and react quickly to the other’s actions.


Other Thoughts

- I thought it was uncharacteristically foolish of Callen not to let Sam check for a bomb before they broke into Arkady’s house, especially considering Arkady had rigged his own car to blow up recently. It also seemed a little odd that they would break into his house and his safe and look through all his things. Granted, they were worried about him and they were also looking for information about the ship. But it still felt weird. They even memorized the passcode to his safe. Arkady is lucky they are trustworthy.

- It was nice seeing Sam so supportive about Callen’s father, telling him it was cool his dad was a hero. Callen may have inherited that quality from his father.

- I loved the glimpse at the minimal furnishings in Callen’s house. We already knew that his bed was a mattress on the floor, and now we see him sitting on the floor looking through his box of mementos. Perfect.

- Did you notice the two other guys with the NCIS team on the ship? When we saw them I thought they were definitely going to die. Instead, after they head up the stairs you never see them again. That made me wonder why they were there in the first place.

- When you find out Arkady’s daughter has been kidnapped, you feel awful for the man. But considering the team’s mixed feelings about Arkady, I thought going to help his daughter didn’t raise the stakes as much as it should for a finale episode. Still, Russia holds a big opportunity for Callen to delve into his father’s history. So I’m excited! And you never know – maybe Anna will end up connected to Callen.



What did you think of "Kolcheck, A.?" How much are you looking forward to the finale? Do you have any predictions about what Callen will find out about his father? 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.

49 comments:

  1. Hoping Anna will somehow be connected to Callen's backstory too. As usual all your observations were well based and intuitive. Now, it's up to the finale to GIVE US SOME ANSWERS ALREADY ,PEOPLE.

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  2. Tonya PapanikolasMay 14, 2015 at 2:27 AM

    That would be an exciting story, right? Thanks for the nice words. Yes - I'm ready for the finale to FINALLY give us some answers! It better deliver! :)

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  3. Hi Tonya! I always love your reviews, and this is no exception. Unfortunately, I thought this episode was kind of "meh." I have so many questions, and I know very few of them will be answered by the end of the finale. Why do they open so many doors? I want answers, damnit! :) I think my Densi-centric views are the issue. My expectations are too high. WHAT'S IN THE BOX, FOR GOD'S SAKE??

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  4. I always look forward to your reviews. The episode really felt like it was setting up for next week which is probably why some people found it good, not great. To me it felt kind of like when you read a book and the first few chapters are setting up the story and the real action happens later in the book. This episode definitely felt like they were the first few chapters of the story. I particularly enjoyed the Arkady/Callen/Sam interactions. Arkady definitely adds a new flavor to the Callen/Sam dynamic. And of course being the Callen fan I am, I'm thrilled anytime we can get more of his story. I am also curious what Anna's connection to Callen will be. I do hope we will get to meet Callen's father. Could this also mean we will finally learn what the G stands for. After 6 seasons it really feels like its time to answer some of these questions.

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  5. Your description on Callen, especially his need to know "affecting every aspect of his life" so true. It is what drives him, and many times constricted him from being in the present. I think he is finally in a place where he learning to balance the need for a past with his desire for a future.

    I liked that even though Sam vacillates between annoyance and amusement he knew Arkady enough to question the grab to smack his head into the table.

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  6. I love every episode with Arkady in it. He's just so damn entertaining to watch. I do hope we get to see Papa Callen in the finale.

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  7. I have this odd idea about Deeks' siblings love theory. In the Season 5 Finale, Deeks told Talia that he and Kensi are "very close", "but it's much more of a brother-and-sister relationship", then even as partners " that would be against regulations". Deeks knows "the twisted frustration of forbidden lust" very well, I guess!

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  8. I'm so over Callen's backstory. How many government resources has been used to assist him with his quest? How super human is Kensi? Get broadside by a car and not a scratch. The writers gotta stop with this. They are not the Avengers.

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  9. I thought this was a great set up episode. I think we'll only get a few hints in the finale and answers are going to wait for the season opener. I figured Ana was Arkady's daughter, it wouldn't make sense that she was anything else. I still think there is a deep connection between Arkady and callen father. I think he is either protecting his father with his silence or he's protecting Callen from finding out something he doesn't want him to know about his father. either way, I've always thought Arkady's reluctance to tell Callen what he knows was odd. they are supposed to be friends so why the secrets if not to protect someone. His reluctance to tell Callen about his daughter I thought was odd too. He trusts Callen, so why the secret. one crazy thought popped into my head. Could Ana be Callen's half sister? it's a crazy idea and way too soapy for this show but it wouldn't that be a fun dynamic to watch.

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  10. If Kensi didn't like Deeks, half of everything he says to her would be sexual harrassment. Imagine your male co worker telling you to show someone your cleavage to distract someone? Speaking of Deeks , where is his story arc!? They teased it and now we have to wait 5 months until they may or may not pick it up again?

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  11. Does anyone else feel like Arkady is Callen's actual father and that all the other stuff has just been him lying?

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  12. Not half sisters they will have a romantic relationship in season 7.. Callen and joelle break up

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  13. Tonya PapanikolasMay 16, 2015 at 5:49 AM

    Ileenieweenie - thank you so much! I understand about the episode being "meh." It wasn't stellar for me, either. It's so true - they've raised so many questions that I'm not sure we're going to get answers to right away. I want answers, too!!! When are we going to get them? OMG - the box!!! Man, it's been a long time since we've seen that thing. I also want to know what's inside. And I want to know what's going on with Deeks' investigation. I have a feeling it's going to be next season before we find out. Ugh.

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  14. Tonya PapanikolasMay 16, 2015 at 5:53 AM

    Thanks, Linda, for the kind words. How sweet! I think you're right about why people thought the episode was average. It really did feel like it was setting things up for next week. I love your analogy of the book, and this episode being the first few chapters. Great comparison! Arkady does add a new flavor to the Callen/Sam dynamic, doesn't he? Wouldn't it be wonderful to finally meet Callen's father?!! And learn what the G stands for? I am so curious as to what he's going to find out about his dad. It better be something good. Six seasons is too long to wait!

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  15. Tonya PapanikolasMay 16, 2015 at 5:54 AM

    Arkady really is hilarious! I love watching him, too. He's so funny. Oh, I'm wishing for a Papa Callen sighting, too! Fingers crossed. :)

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  16. Tonya PapanikolasMay 16, 2015 at 5:57 AM

    Haha, Patty - I hadn't thought about Deeks' statements like that. I guess he does know about the twisted frustration of forbidden lust! Thanks for sharing your idea. Love it! (And I never bought that statement of his about Kensi and him feeling like brother-sister. That was a bunch of B.S.!) :)

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  17. Tonya PapanikolasMay 16, 2015 at 5:59 AM

    Hey Stinka. Thanks for your comments. Callen's backstory has taken way too long to come to fruition. (And that's assuming we actually find anything out next week.) So I understand how you'd be over it. And I also was really surprised that Kensi wasn't hurt at all after that horrible crash. I like things to be realistic, too - not treating the characters like superheroes. So I totally understand where you're coming from. :)

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  18. Tonya PapanikolasMay 16, 2015 at 6:11 AM

    Hey Rebecca. I love all your thoughts this week! "Cool aggravation" is such a wonderful way to describe Arkady. And Sam really did vacillate between annoyance and amusement with him! Lol. Great point about how Sam knew Arkady well enough to know he was acting out of character to try to smack him. Sam was perceptive enough to see something was wrong.

    The Densi moments did show a nice trust between them. I love how you say their personal relationship has strengthened their professional one.


    I absolutely love your description of Callen. I totally agree that Callen's desire to know the truth about his father (and in turn himself) really does drive him. It has constricted him from being in the present before, hasn't it? It's nice to see him finally get to that balanced place you mention, where he balances the need for a past with the desire for a future. I love that!

    I hope they answer a lot of our questions next week. I can't decide if I think Anna is going to be the new love interest or not. I think other options could be more interesting. But we'll see!!

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  19. Tonya PapanikolasMay 16, 2015 at 6:18 AM

    Hello Ann. I suspect you're probably right about only getting some of the answers we're waiting for in the finale - and then getting more in the season opener. It does seem like there's a definite connection between Arkady and Callen's father. It would be interesting if it was a really deep one like you think. Interesting idea about how Arkady is either protecting Callen's dad by not talking or protecting Callen from finding out something he doesn't want him to know. His reluctance to share info with Callen is a little odd. So your ideas totally make sense. I don't know why he kept the secret of Anna from Callen. But I had the same crazy thought you did, wondering if there was any way she could be Callen's half sister. Maybe it isn't that crazy, who knows. I think it would be an interesting story! It might be soapy, but they wouldn't have to deal with the soapy drama as much as the fallout. It would definitely be an interesting dynamic to watch. Not sure if it will turn out to be true, but the thought crossed my mind. Great minds think alike! ;)

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  20. Tonya PapanikolasMay 16, 2015 at 6:20 AM

    I'm still not sure. Everyone has thought they were breaking up all season but it hasn't happened yet. So I'm interested to see if he does hit it off with this Anna - or if she's there for another reason. Can't decide which way it's gonna go. :)

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  21. Tonya PapanikolasMay 16, 2015 at 6:21 AM

    I hadn't even considered that option. But you never know! It doesn't seem likely but I love shockers. It's fun when people think outside the box. Thanks for sharing your thought. :)

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  22. Tonya PapanikolasMay 16, 2015 at 6:23 AM

    Haha - what you say is so true. Sooooo true! Lol. It makes me laugh just thinking about it. They always get away with a lot in this work environment! Oh, and I totally agree about Deeks' story arc. I hate it when they introduce something important that seems like it should be dealt with immediately - and then they make us wait 5 months to get any answers. Ugh!!! They shouldn't have introduced it so early if they are not going to follow through for awhile

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  23. possibly but they haven't broken callen and Joelle up yet and they've given them scenes together. so who knows.

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  24. glad to see i'm not the only one who gets crazy ideas. we'll see but it would explain everything.

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  25. I thought that back in season 4. but with the Resnokov, N episode in season 5, Arkady being Callen's father wouldn't make sense.

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  26. Yeah, I think the Deeks investigation will be during season 7. Thank goodness there IS a season 7! I heard there's going to be a big surprise in the final credits on Monday, so maybe it'll be Deeks going to jail or something. (I'm horrible at guessing these things, but hey, what the hell.) I just hope at the end of the series Kensi and Deeks are together and happy... with maybe one or two mutant ninja assassins running around. :) A girl can dream!

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  27. Someone else might have already said this, but earlier in the series we learned Callen's father was named George. It would stand to reason that Callen's first name would also be George. Learning that Callen's father may still be alive or that he has a long lost brother or something would be way more interesting than discovering his first name. I find Callen's backstory less and less interesting...

    ...UNLESS it turns out Arkady is his uncle or something awesome like that. I should write for this show.

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  28. LOL! Not the Avengers - priceless!

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  29. I've thought about that—maybe an uncle?

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  30. Great review! I have to say that I love it when it focuses on Callen. I think that Callen finds out about his father. But I think his father probably died in the prison or wherever he was taken. I think that Arcady took in Ana as his daughter to provide her safe passage from Russia. I think she will come back with Arcady and Callen will be interested because she knew his father or was saved by his father. I love how Callen goes to Sam before making the decision to go to Russia. Let's hope he doesn't go lone wolf on this again. Can't wait!

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  31. It was his grandfather named George. Supposedly his father's name is Nikita Reznikov.

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  32. Ah, yes. I thought Nikita Reznikov ended up being the old man who died who wasn't Callen's father...? I can't remember now.

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  33. The old man turned out to be Michael Reinhardt but his real name was Hans Schreiber. He was the one writing in the journal keeping track of all the orphanages Callen was in from 5 - 18.

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  34. Thanks, Molly! Oh, I hadn't even thought about Anna not being Arkady's real daughter but someone he took in and looked after like a daughter. I love that idea and all the possibilities it opens! It would be really cool if she knew his father or was helped by his father. But it would be so sad to watch Callen deal with finding out his father died. Chris O'Donnell would be fantastic, though! Yeah, wasn't it cool how Callen went to Sam before making any decision? They are true partners. I also hope he doesn't go lone wolf on this! I actually hadn't seen that NCIS' Tony was going to be on the first episode of season 7. How interesting! Man, these teases make it hard to wait! Thanks for your great comments. :)

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  35. Deeks going to jail in the final credits? That would be awful! It would make me mad all summer long. Lol. You better be a bad guesser! But so happy about season 7! Thanks for the heads up on the surprise. Will definitely be keeping my eyes peeled. I'm with you on hopes for how Kensi and Deeks end up when the time comes to wrap. Oh, and Arkady really is awesome! The actor brings so much life into that character, it's fantastic!

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  36. Thanks for the reminder on all this, Rebecca! Much appreciated.

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  37. It can get confusing trying to remember it all, right?

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  38. Nope. We both get them. Lol. ;)

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  39. Thanks for reminding us of that, Ann! Couldn't remember that detail.

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  40. It really would be fascinating to learn Callen's father was still alive. And Arkady being an uncle would be priceless!

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  41. Great points. That's a possibility. Eager to see what happens on this front!

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  42. I've thought that too. If Arkady is related to Callen in some way, it would explain everything. An uncle would make alot of sense.

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  43. I hadn't thought of this either. what a great idea. I so hope his father isn't dead. I agree COD would be fantastic in those scenes but I hope they give him a break and at least let him meet his father.

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  44. I do think that Arkady is the one who gets Callen and his sister out of Russia when his mother is killed. how they get to the US is the big question at the end of the Callen, G episode.

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  45. I REALLY hope I'm wrong about Deeks!!!

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  46. OH NO! I may be right! Read this: http://www.enstarz.com/articles/86115/20150514/ncis-la-season-6-finale-to-have-a-post-credit-scene-ep-teases-chernoff-k-ending-video.htm

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  47. Me, too!!!

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  48. Ah, fascinating. Forgot that, too.

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