NCIS: Los Angeles - Granger, O. - Review: "A Father's Love"

We finally learn that Jennifer Kim is indeed Granger’s daughter in “Granger, O.” Granger meets up with the North Korean spy to escort her back to Los Angeles. NCIS needs her help locating another North Korean spy in L.A. At first they believe the man is being hunted by assassins, but it turns out he is the assassin, there to kill Jennifer. While initially Jennifer is not very helpful, she eventually teams up with Granger to defeat the North Koreans. In the process she also admits she knows exactly who Granger is – her father. When all is said and done, she tells him she wants to cut ties with the North Korean government. He offers to protect her.

I suspected all along that Jennifer was Granger’s daughter but it was nice to finally have it confirmed. For such a gruff man, Granger showed a very tender side in how much he cared about Jennifer. I really like the thought of Granger as a father! I also liked seeing some interesting backstory for him. We don’t know a lot about his history. So this revelation was exciting! I was also thrilled to see the fun partner emphasis this week. Sam and Callen were cracking me up, and Kensi and Deeks were both teasing and sweet. Plus, Eric had some funny moments. I loved that the characters played a central role to the episode.

Sam and Callen

Sam and Callen were fantastic together this week – so funny! Their humorous dialogue started with Sam reminding Callen that Jennifer Kim had “laid the smack down” on him once. Sam loves to tease Callen about how Jennifer beat him up before Callen finally overpowered her. Then came the dialogue about the rock band and Anna.

This whole scene was terrific, utilizing so many different fun elements. I loved their banter about how Sam should be a detective for noticing the stamp on Callen’s wrist. And I loved the idea of straight-laced Callen going to see a thrash metal rock band. Sam was pretty amused, too! I loved how his teasing brought in Callen’s penchant for having no furniture – or furniture you have to put together. One of my favorite moments, though, was Sam’s reaction to learning Callen had seen the band with Anna! That disapproving look on his face was hysterical! Sam was not happy to hear his partner was taking Anna Kolcheck on a date! His face said, “Are you kidding me?” But it was also amusing that Callen didn’t really care what Sam thought. He just plowed right along like it wasn’t a big deal. I like that confidence! And even though Sam didn’t approve, it was sweet that he didn’t continue hounding his partner. After calling out Callen for pretending Anna didn’t have anyone else to go with, Sam gave up harassing Callen about Anna to tease him about seeing a thrash metal band. When he asks what that music entails, Callen’s response made me laugh: the perfect blend of volume and growling – something Sam would understand.

The whole cryotherapy scene also really cracked me up. Sam was on such a high, boxing in the air, prompting Callen to ask if he was having a seizure. Callen is surprised to learn Sam’s been at the boxing gym – he has a bad knee. But Sam explains he’s feeling great because of his cryotherapy. He claims it’s the fountain of youth. Callen is amused by this “ice bath-like” treatment. He tells Sam he’s kind of like Han Solo and implies the treatment sounds like giving yourself frostbite. Then he tells Sam that L.A. has clearly gotten to him. When he asks what a Midwestern farmer would think of Sam paying someone to freeze him, Sam’s response was hilarious: “That Sam Hanna’s one cool guy.” I loved that smirk on his face as he relished his pun. It was a pretty great answer. He even winked at Callen before walking away extremely pleased with himself.

Aside from their funny exchanges, I also enjoyed how Sam got right down to business and asked Hetty what Granger’s personal interest was with Jennifer Kim. Sam knew something was going on. But Hetty would only tell him it was complicated. Later he tried again but Hetty once again put him off, saying he would have to talk to Granger. (In this case I understand Hetty’s tendency to keep quiet, letting Granger speak for himself. This wasn’t her secret to share.) And then the partners go back to teasing one another. The final scene between Sam and Callen was cute. I liked how Sam asked what Callen’s thrash metal attire looked like. I certainly can’t picture Callen getting all decked out to go see a thrash metal band. Sure enough, Callen says he wore the same thing he wears to work. Go figure! He is who he is. Then they head off to the L.A. Clippers game together, wondering aloud if Hetty was a Lakers girl (fan) or a Laker Girl (dancer for the team). (At least that’s how I interpreted that dialogue. Anyone else have a different take?) These two have so much fun together, even joking about Hetty. (That is a pretty great image of her, I must admit!)

Kensi and Deeks

I thought Deeks and Kensi were really cute together this week. From supporting each other on the basketball court to talking about weddings, these two were in sync. But they also continued to tease one another. Deeks had his typical goofy comments, like when he told Kensi that hipsters don’t like being called hipsters. I enjoyed watching him try to reach the apartment ladder, acting like he was “The Man” when he came nowhere near reaching the bottom rung. And then suddenly Kensi is harassing him, telling him that kind of jumping was why they lost the basketball game. I love how they switch back and forth so easily from supporting one another to making fun of one another.

It was also pretty amusing to see the spy’s girlfriend come in and think Kensi is having an affair with her boyfriend. It was over-the-top but fun. I loved how Deeks had to hold the woman back while she called Kensi a “slutty sidepiece,” telling her she needed butt implants to be the guy’s type. Wow! I’m always amused to see how Kensi and Deeks react to stupid, clueless people. The way they raise their eyebrows and give each other looks of amazement is so funny! That was the case with this woman, who worried more that her boyfriend might be a denim design thief than a North Korean spy. Kensi and Densi were in awe of her cluelessness!

But of course my favorite scene was Deeks and Kensi’s final scene. Earlier Deeks had mentioned he wasn’t too excited to go to the large wedding of Kensi’s friend. It was cute that Kensi tries to give him an “out.” But Deeks is a sweet boyfriend, saying of course he would celebrate her close friend’s wedding with her. And that leads them right

into talking about the type of wedding they would want to have themselves. I love that these two were hypothetically planning their wedding, even though there’s been no proposal. It just shows what a wonderful place they’re in. They both know what they want – and they’re both already thinking about the details. It’s adorable. It actually made me wonder if there could be a proposal this season. They really seem to be building on the idea that they know it’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of time now. Whether it comes this season or next, it’s definitely coming soon!

Of course, they still have to actually agree on those wedding details. It seemed at first they both loved Deeks’ idea of a small wedding on the beach surrounded by an intimate group of close friends and family. And then Kensi starts thinking of all the people she’d want to invite – the guys from work, her friends (Mandy, Mindy, Tiffany and Tiffany – I loved that we heard them mentioned again), people who’d invited Kensi to their weddings, everyone’s dates and her sniper school friends. Her list was growing by the minute. I think Deeks is going to lose this battle! But no matter the size of the affair, I do hope these two get married on the beach. The more they talk about it, the more fantastic it sounds!

Granger and Jennifer Kim

I thought the Granger-Jennifer Kim scenes struck a nice balance of feeling each other out, testing the waters, gauging if they could trust one other, and ultimately seeing that Granger’s actions spoke louder than words. It was interesting to watch the two together. At first Jennifer seems annoyed to have to deal with Granger again, telling him that he always shows up, bordering on obsession. But it doesn’t take long for Granger to earn her trust. After he removes her handcuffs, she claims she is not going to help him. But she soon does just that.

Once on the plane, I was surprised she gave up information so easily about knowing the man killed on the beach. But they didn’t talk business for long. Granger wanted to know more personal information. And he got his wish. When he asked if her mother had told her about him, Jennifer suddenly was very forthcoming: “I knew a man named Owen Granger was my father.” The sentence was so matter-of-fact that it shocked me, even as I suspected it. I actually gasped out loud! And it was emotional for Granger. He’d always suspected the girl’s mother had kept that information from her daughter. To find out the opposite was tough. And so was the fact that Jennifer didn’t want to talk about it. As soon as she dropped the bomb, she got up to make a fresh cup of tea. She acted like it didn’t matter. But it mattered to Granger – and I believe it also mattered to her.

Fortunately later she gets a little more talkative, telling Granger how she’d run away to attend spy school. But her attitude is also brash, telling him she knew he’d wanted to see her on her 10th birthday, but she hadn’t wanted to see him. These are hard things for a father to hear. Granger understands she probably felt abandoned. But Jennifer claims she had all the love she needed from her mother. Her next words are also harsh as she says her mother served as both parents – Granger was just an American calling from a hotel room.

Suddenly we see stoic Granger trying to hold back his emotions. He proves here that he cares about his daughter, thinking about her before anything else. She is throwing everything she can at him, acting like she doesn’t care, and he is the one to apologize. No matter the reason, he wasn’t there. Blinking back tears, he says he’s sorry. You could tell how hard this was for him. It was hard to acknowledge to his daughter he was never around. Clearly he had wanted to be at some point. I loved this tender side of Granger. Seeing him as a father added a whole new dimension to his character.

Throughout all of this, I liked how Granger was patiently persistent, ignoring Jennifer’s intimations that she didn’t need him. Though she didn’t seem to care her father had been absent, Granger expresses his own regret, saying he missed the opportunity to be her father and hopes someday he can be her friend. This comment surprises her. He wants to be friends with a North Korean spy? Granger answers simply, commenting that he doesn’t make friends easily. And suddenly they have something in common. Just when it seemed like they weren’t getting anywhere, a commonality gives them a shared bond.

Granger continues to prove his love as the father-daughter team works together to catch the North Korean shooters. He is intent on protecting Jennifer. And when she asks, he readily gives her his backup weapon. At this point I wasn’t sure she could be trusted. But Granger trusted her implicitly. That faith in her started making Jennifer trust him. She knows Granger put himself on the line for her. He wanted to keep her safe. I loved the look she gave him from the ambulance. She realized she could trust this man. And she appreciated his concern for her.

When they talk on the beach later, she trusts him enough to tell him she wants to cut ties with the North Koreans. Before she even tells Granger what she needs, he says he will protect her. He will do anything he can to get her out of trouble. Once again the conversation turns personal as Granger says he will also help her find her mother. Proving she now trusts Granger, she reveals to him her real name – Yujin – a sign she now wants to develop a friendship with her father.

Other Thoughts

- I enjoyed the opening scene with Sam and Callen taking on Deeks and Kensi on the basketball courts. I loved how each pairing talked smack to one another. It was great having a lighthearted team moment. But it was also sad how they ignored Eric and his desire to play. Poor Eric! Little did they know he spent three years on the varsity basketball team!

- I loved how the apartment landlord called Kensi “toots.” Kensi never does like those kinds of nicknames!

- It was so funny to hear Eric’s theory of Granger’s relationship with Jennifer Kim! He may have been way off base but at least he recognized something was going on. It was also funny how Nell shot him down, prompting Eric to respond, “You don’t have to be so mean about it!” And then later I loved how he made sure his comments were going to stay between them!

- I’m glad they addressed the mole again. I wonder if we will find out any more about the mole this season.

- I thought Jennifer Kim looked a little hesitant and scared fighting the North Koreans. This didn’t seem like the same girl who beat up Callen.

- I love that Deeks said “Granger Danger” right to Granger’s face. Too funny!

- It was interesting that Jennifer knew Granger was her father all along. This makes me go back to the interrogation in the boat shed and replay everything in my mind. She certainly didn’t seem like she was meeting her father for the first time. She didn’t seem interested in him or care that he was sitting across from her for the first time ever. But then again, she puts on a tough act.

- I like how the writers consistently make fun of quirky Los Angeles trends – like cryotherapy (and in previous weeks, all the newest health food trends). These little touches add a lot!


What did you think of "Granger, O.?" Were you surprised when Jennifer admitted Owen was her father? Did you have a favorite Sam/Callen moment? What do you think of Kensi and Deeks' wedding talk? Don't forget to leave your thoughts 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.