NCIS: Los Angeles - Season 8 Premiere - Review: "A Ring, an Injury & a Confession"

“NCIS: Los Angeles” opened its eighth season with a two-hour, two-part episode introducing a whole new set of problems for the team. And they may not be easily resolvable. The entire NCIS team is on the verge of losing their jobs. Kensi is in some kind of medically-induced coma until she can be transferred for medical treatment. And Hetty will once again be in the hot seat in Washington D.C. after (falsely) admitting she’s the mole to save her team. On the happier side, Deeks actually bought an engagement ring for Kensi. A lot can happen in two hours.

“High-Value Target, Pt. 1”

In “High-Value Target,” the first part of the season opener, the office gets a surprise visit from the Under Secretary of Defense – a man named Duggan (Jackson Hurst). He states because the L.A. office never found its mole, the office has been compromised. So he voices plans to replace Granger, Hetty and the rest of the team. Seeing the mole story end up here was a bit surprising. After numerous mentions last season, it seemed as if we were going to see a resolution to this storyline by finding out the mole’s identity. But instead it appears that information has been swept into a larger narrative of repercussions. Doesn’t the Under Secretary’s task force want to weed out the mole before holding someone accountable?

While things are going downhill quickly at work, Deeks is off making a secret deal with a bearded Jewish man out of the back of his car in a parking lot. Deeks calls the man “Dirty Harry Winston.” And then the man hands him a small package. As he unwraps it, suddenly it becomes clear that Deeks is buying an engagement ring! On the down-low? In a shady parking lot? With a man he seems to know from criminal dealings? This scene felt weird. Granted, it was exciting to learn Deeks is moving forward and taking last season’s marriage conversation with Kensi seriously – very seriously! But buying a ring like this, in secret, in a somewhat sketchy deal, detracted from the specialness of the moment. Then again, it’s Deeks. I’m sure Kensi doesn’t mind how he buys it. And he probably got a good deal!

Back at work, Kensi comes looking for Deeks as he’s checking out the ring under a microscope. So he slips it in his pocket and learns the employees are supposed to suspend work on all cases while they’re being investigated. But a nuclear threat is looming so our group isn’t about to let that happen. Refugee aid materials have set off radiation alarms. And radiation medical machines in the area have gone missing. The aid materials are next heading to Syria where terrorists could be planning a nuclear threat. So NCIS has work to do.

But they have to do it on the sly. Deeks volunteers at the refugee organization to find out more information. Before he gets there, though, he has a conversation with Kensi about their next chapter. Is everything at work a sign they need to make a career change? Kensi isn’t worried, but Deeks straight-up asks her how much longer she is going to do this job. Kensi replies this is who she is – protecting people is all she knows. Deeks then surprises her by answering that she would also be an amazing mom. He even describes himself changing his lifestyle for a child. Kensi takes it all in and says she has thought about it a lot but doesn’t think she’s ready yet. It was nice to see this couple having a serious conversation about the future. Deeks has clearly envisioned his future life with Kensi.

Later, as he’s volunteering, Deeks tells one of the employees he’s trying to get his fiancée to move to Bali (an item on Kensi’s bucket list). Twice in these episodes Deeks calls Kensi his fiancée (the second time when Kensi is being transferred for medical treatment). But Deeks isn’t really her fiancé yet, and Kensi calls him out on this misidentification. In his ear, she tells him he doesn’t get to call her that because he only “pre-proposed.” She says it was unofficial and she was open to it following a legitimate offer. But that hasn’t happened yet. Nonetheless, it’s fun to think that Deeks is already thinking of her as his fiancée.

While Duggan is busy trying to convince Granger to turn on Hetty, Hetty is becoming introspective. Her team is shocked to see her packing her desk. She doesn’t appear to be putting up a fight. It’s unlike Hetty to give up so easily, but fortunately Nell offers her a little pep talk. Nell reminds Hetty of her own advice: You only lose when you stop fighting. “I think I read it on a fortune cookie,” Hetty retorts. And when Nell insists that Henrietta Lange is not a quitter, Hetty quips, “Neither was Don Quixote.” Hilarious comebacks notwithstanding, this resigned side of Hetty is one we’re not used to seeing. But it felt fitting. Everyone needs a little encouragement now and then. Even Hetty. When the going gets tough, you need people around you to pick you up. And fortunately Hetty has great support. In the end Nell gets through to her. Hetty isn’t going down without a fight.

Meanwhile, Sam and Callen are busy tracking down a suspect. The man tries to trap the two men in a fire – but Sam runs through the fire to catch the man. They tussle and Sam’s leg catches fire. Flames are actually coming from his pants. Fortunately Callen puts them out just in time. But Sam’s way of returning the favor is comical. The suspect won’t talk in the interrogation. So Sam starts talking to him in what I assume was Arabic. When Callen asks what he said, Sam claims he told the guy that Callen found him sexually attractive and he couldn’t guarantee his protection from the “blue-eyed devil.”

Eventually Duggan realizes what the team is doing and approves an operation to use the suspect to smoke out the terrorist money-man. This requires an undercover operation. In the most gratifying disguise, Kensi poses as a pregnant woman with a baby carriage, giving Daniela Ruah’s real pregnant belly a moment in the spotlight without being covered by the traditional Muslim abaya cloak or computers or helicopters on top of her. (It’s always fun to see what creative ways the show employs to hide Ruah’s pregnancy.) But the operation goes awry after the bad guy shoots their suspect. Deeks takes after him on a bike, struggling to keep up, repeatedly uttering, “Serpentine!” as a sort of swear word, but he ultimately ends up in the back of a truck while the man gets away.

After that the team must operate without Duggan’s knowledge. The group shows up at the expensive house of the terrorist money-man. Deeks is the one to find the man but he turns the gun on poor Deeks and forces him to take his shirt and clothes off in an absurd scene that seems to be nothing but 1) a nod to female fans (don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining – except from a plot/artistic standpoint) and 2) a plot device to give Deeks a reason to swallow his ring. As he’s asked to take off his pants, he surreptitiously takes the ring from his pocket, but the guy notices, forcing Deeks to shove it in his mouth. When they get in a fight, Deeks inadvertently swallows it.

Then the man takes off, but Callen intercepts him, jumping on top of him into the swimming pool. I couldn’t help but think we’ve seen this exact scene before in a previous season. But watching Sam make fun of Callen, implying he had better moves in the fire, was amusing. As the first episode comes to a close, Duggan finds the new suspect in custody and learns the four NCIS agents have boarded a plane to stop the real terrorist. And Deeks spends a lot of time in the bathroom where, in a very gross image, he comes out with his hand in a towel – clearly having salvaged the ring once it, uh, exited his body. Wow – this ring story keeps getting worse and worse. That might be the grossest engagement ring story of all time!

“Belly of the Beast,” Pt. 2

The premiere continues with “Belly of the Beast,” where we see the team following the high-value terrorist Asakeem to Syria. It doesn’t take long before the agents spot their target and apprehend him. But Asakeem’s terrorist friends use a rocket launcher to shoot down their military helicopter. Deeks hits his head but seems to be okay; so do Sam and Callen. But in the aftermath of the crash, Kensi is pinned under the helicopter and can’t get out. As the men work to free her, Kensi loses consciousness. That makes the situation even more urgent. But finally they inflate a boat underneath the chopper to raise it up and pull Kensi out. That’s when Deeks sees she is bleeding and Sam determines she has a leg fracture. Kensi needs surgery or risks losing her leg. And no one knows if she has a spinal injury.

Showing their dedication and unity as a team, they all decide to stay with Kensi, despite the dangers. But they suddenly realize Asakeem has escaped and Callen has to track him down. When he finds him, the two get into a fight and Callen’s gun goes off, alerting the bad guys to their location. That leads to a gunfight in the desert.

Back in L.A. Duggan tells Granger this is the end for all of them and takes away their badges. But Nell, Eric, Hetty and Granger have learned about the chopper crash and decide to help unofficially. Nell and Eric break into the building and Nell and Hetty start a small containable fire in order to override the computer system and gain entry into Ops.

But Hetty is contemplative again, and this time it’s Granger’s turn for a Granger-style pep talk. First the assistant director questions why Hetty is letting Duggan come into their office and do whatever he wants. Hetty laments she may not like the man, but he was right – she was at the helm when their office was compromised. And now she blames herself for what’s happening to the team in Syria. But Granger reminds her the only thing that matters is finding them. He kicks her into gear. But that kick also sends her in a new direction.

While Hetty begins making secret plans, Nell and Eric gain approval to launch a drone but Duggan would have to order the attack. Granger decides to order it on Duggan’s behalf, without his knowledge. Eric knows there is no going back and hesitates at launching deadly drone missiles. But after a warning strike doesn’t deter the terrorists, they must launch a second missile, right on target. Sam knows it’s coming and helps Deeks move unconscious Kensi out of the way. But Callen looks like he may have been caught in the crossfire. As the smoke rises around them, though, Callen walks out of the rubble with his terrorist prisoner.

Now all that’s left is dealing with Duggan and getting Kensi medical help. The team takes her to a Navy ship where she’s rushed into surgery. But the doctor says it’s possible she might need neurosurgery. She needs tests they don’t have on the ship so she will have to be transferred and kept unconscious until she arrives at the military hospital.

Back home, Nell, Eric and Granger leave the NCIS building just in time. Duggan arrives and can’t find them – but he does find Hetty. As Nell receives a cryptic chess-related text message, Granger realizes Hetty is giving herself up as a pawn for the team’s advantage. She has decided to take the fall to save them. She offers Duggan a written confession in exchange for her team keeping their jobs. Duggan, however, has no interest in negotiating with her and handcuffs her. But Hetty is not scared. She didn’t fall on her sword for nothing. She is on a mission.

Nice Touches

- Sam and Callen’s discussions about a bucket list were amusing. And I found it interesting that Kensi’s bucket list included wanting to get married and have kids. She may not be ready yet but she definitely wants children someday.

- The dialogue offered several laugh-out-loud moments this week, including Sam and Callen’s response to Eric thinking the initials AHA on the text were an “aha” moment. They both look at him like he’s crazy before Callen says of him, “So smart…” and Sam finishes the thought: “…yet so Beale.”

- It was hard not to want to punch Duggan when he told Hetty she should open a museum with all her old weapons.

- Taking his shoes off on the chopper was such a Deeks move. He deserved the ribbing that followed.

- Eric and Nell had some cute moments this week, from talking about their “wonder twin powers” to their “We don’t need no stinkin’ badges” movie quote. And the image of Eric getting sick on the boatshed because it’s “on the water” was hilarious.

- Callen surprised me with his own movie references this week, first referencing “Say Anything” to Sam, and then shocking the audience by voicing his love of teen comedy film “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.”

- The best character award this week goes to Granger. Not only was he sassy with Duggan (making a joke about boxers when Duggan asked for his brief) and funny with Eric (asking him if he was on drugs or should be), but he went rogue to help his team. He might come down on them for working outside the box but when it comes to saving his team, he’ll do the same. He also had Hetty’s back. And I enjoyed Granger being hit on at the bar. “This is my happy face,” he tells the woman. But the best line was when he answered a call, assumedly from Hetty, and the woman asked him if it was his “little lady?” “If you only knew,” he responded, undoubtedly referring to Hetty’s stature.

What did you think of the season premiere? Are you worried for Kensi? Do you think Hetty will avoid trouble? Were you surprised at Deeks buying a ring? Voice 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.