NCIS: Los Angeles - The Queen's Gambit - Review: "Effortless Emotions"

Two weeks into the new season and “NCIS: Los Angeles” is boasting no shortage of drama. “The Queen’s Gambit” picked up where the double premiere episodes left off. Kensi is still in a coma receiving medical attention (though she’s been transferred back to the states). Hetty is in Washington D.C. answering for the mole investigation. And back at work, the team must go on with a new case. That case involves the abduction of a Muslim man. A female Marine sergeant runs him over with her car and hides him in her storage shed. But NCIS finds him and learns his cousin was pretending to be a Hollywood producer/casting agent to procure young women as ISIS brides. The woman was trying to stop human trafficking.

Back in D.C., Hetty also works the system to gain information on Under Secretary of Defense Duggan. In the end she reasons with the actual Secretary of Defense and buys herself time to find the mole. Throughout the episode, everyone continues to worry about Kensi – especially Deeks. While talking to an unconscious Kensi in the hospital, Deeks proposes marriage. He is heartened when Kensi moves her hand. But doctors say it’s an involuntary reflex that may be part of a larger injury.

Though this episode still featured a case-of-the-week, it was a more serialized episode, which played to its advantage, utilizing heartfelt emotions built through the tense, continuing plot drama. Kensi’s unspecified medical issues left Deeks distraught and frustrated. His concern for his girlfriend was obvious and sincere. The rest of the team also demonstrated unwavering concern. These genuine moments gave an enjoyable earnestness to the episode. Yet it was still balanced by the funny, lighthearted trademark moments of the show.

Kensi and Deeks

The first time we see Deeks, he is visiting Kensi in the hospital. Kensi’s mother, Julia, (introduced in season three episode “Blye, K., Part 2”) is at her daughter’s bedside. Deeks gives his future mother-in-law a hug and quickly turns his attention to Kensi. Not afraid to use terms of endearment in front of Kensi’s mom, Deeks asks his “baby” if she can hear him. But she is unconscious. Deeks and Julia talk about Kensi as a child and Deeks affirms Kensi is still as fearless as she used to be.

Later a doctor tells Deeks she doesn’t know when Kensi will wake up from her coma. But the good news is Kensi’s tests showed no sign of cranial bleeding, stroke, seizure or skull fracture. She did, however, have a protruding herniated disc in her neck that had to be removed overseas. It’s possible the surgery could leave her with a paralyzed left hand or leg.

Throughout the episode Deeks shows his concern for Kensi. He calls to check on her at work and tells Sam and Callen maybe they shouldn’t visit until she’s awake. When the case is finished he returns to sit by her side. That’s when he tells an unconscious Kensi he got her something. Pulling out his engagement ring, he says he wanted to find the right time to propose – on a beach at sunset like they’d talked about. But life doesn’t always work out as planned. Deeks’ life plans are now up in the air and he clearly doesn’t want to lose the chance to ask her this important question. Even if she can’t hear him, he has to say the words: "Kensi Marie Blye, will you please wake up and marry me?" The words are pleading, anxious and heartbreaking. Deeks no longer wants to wait for a life together. But he doesn’t know if Kensi is able to hear them.

Of course, he certainly hopes Kensi will hear the words and wake up. And as he puts the ring on her finger, Kensi’s right hand suddenly twitches. But the doctor says Kensi is showing signs of an upper motor neuron injury that may not be reversible. They just have to wait and see. As they leave the room Deeks puts his hand on Kensi’s but she twitches again, moving her left hand away from his. Eric Christian Olsen was fantastic throughout the episode but especially in this distraught moment with all its emotion. Deeks was worried for Kensi – and their future together. That one tiny hand movement hurt his heart, bringing up all his fears. I loved seeing these real emotions play out on screen.

Sam and Callen

Though Sam and Callen weren’t the focus this week, they had some nice moments together. The first comes when Callen questions if they did the right thing by going to Syria; the trip had awful repercussions, after all. But Sam reminds his friend they saved lives and knew the risks. These two turn to each other when they’re facing difficult questions.

We also saw some fun moments between them. I enjoyed the elderly cleaning woman who took a liking to Sam and kept flirting with him. And Callen’s interest in Persian rugs was amusing. When he learns the rugs cost almost a quarter million dollars, he can’t help expressing his shock and disapproval (which was uncharacteristically rude to the man they were interviewing). Once outside, Sam had to tell his partner he was embarrassing. But Callen doesn’t care. He says if he is going to pay that much for a rug, the carpet better fly. (“Okay, Aladdin,” Sam retorts.) Later Callen also tried to point out that Sam must have been obnoxious when he was young.

Nell and Eric (and Deeks)

Nell gets another chance to be in the field this week – but unlike previous attempts, this one felt fitting. And Nell definitely rose to the challenge. Shortly after she confides in Eric that she may want to stay in Ops after realizing agents are not indestructible, Granger sends her out in the field with Deeks. At that point I was worried this was going to be a repeat of previous episodes where Nell’s lack of confidence hinders herself and the team. But she pleasantly surprised me, surpassing all expectations.

Partnered with Deeks, she first goes after the female suspect at the storage unit. After the woman runs off, Nell jumps over the stairs to tackle her, pulling punches before Deeks breaks them up and declares Nell the obvious winner. I loved how Deeks showed his confidence in Nell. When the suspect badmouths Nell for chipping her tooth, Deeks defends her, saying “That’s my substitute partner you’re talking about!” Later he tells Nell that Kensi would have been proud of her. And when Nell claims she has a lot to live up to, Deeks doesn’t miss an opportunity to tell Nell she is a great partner and he’s glad she’s with him. With everything going on, his compliments were touching.

Then Nell goes undercover as an actress trying to audition for the sketchy casting director. When she doesn’t get invited to audition, she, Sam and Callen have to corner the guy. But Nell jumps on a table, punches him and cuffs him before Sam and Callen can lift a finger. The two men are quite impressed. Nell is really getting the hang of being a field agent. Two fights in one day for the “Nell-verine,” as Callen calls her.

I must say, I’ve never been the biggest proponent of Nell as a field agent. She has never seemed quite at ease in that role to me. But this week she stepped into Kensi’s shoes wonderfully, just when the team needed her most. Hetty’s confidence-building talks have paid off. Nell finally fit the role. Though I can’t see her staying in that role permanently if/once Kensi returns, it was great to see her step up to the challenge. She was a bad-ass!

Eric, meanwhile, is clearly thinking about being a field agent himself. I loved the scene with him at the gun range, practicing his marksmanship on the zombie target. His dialogue with Granger was some of the best of the episode. As Granger questions how he learned to shoot, Eric replies, “Sam’s been helping me – but I play a lot of ‘Call of Duty.’” As Granger walked away rolling his eyes, Eric confidently tells him, “I know deep down you believe in me, sir.” And Granger replies, “Oh, yeah. You’ll be the first one I call when the zombie apocalypse hits.” But true to form, Eric has confidence in himself, quoting Robert De Niro’s character in “Taxi Driver” to himself when he’s left alone.

Hetty

Hetty definitely had the upper hand with Duggan this week. After seeming like she had no way out, she knows just how to deal with him in Washington D.C. First she pretends to be sleeping while he is talking to her. Then she turns the tables on Duggan’s henchwoman by getting her drunk, eliciting embarrassing stories from the girl about Duggan. Hetty is a mastermind. I was actually quite surprised that Duggan had accepted her deal and let the team keep working in L.A. He didn’t seem like he was going to allow that, but apparently he did.

I got the impression Hetty just needed to get to D.C. to talk to the real people in charge. When she finally talks to the Secretary of Defense, he understands Hetty. That understanding leaves her free to suggest what she really wants – 90 days to resolve her security issues or she will resign. The suggestion is reasonable and the man lets her go, ticking off Duggan even more. At this point it’s clear that Hetty had a plan for being arrested. And it wasn’t just giving up and sacrificing herself if she doesn’t have to. Granted, she will resign if it comes to that. But hopefully it won’t.

Other Thoughts

- I loved Deeks’ line asking why the female suspect kept the victim in her storage unit: “Was Tinder just too much work?”

- It was funny that Deeks made Nell, in her mailwoman outfit, say “Special delivery” when she caught the bad guy – an homage to Kensi. At that point Sam and Callen realize Deeks is already putting his stamp on Nell.

- I enjoyed how Callen accepted Granger’s offer to go for a drink even after everyone else bailed. Granger’s relationship with the team has progressed so much. (And Nell and Eric are going to a live action puzzle experience together? Fantastic!)

- I thought it was weird that Kensi moved both of her hands when the doctor claimed she had a left neuron injury. So why was she moving both the left and right hands?


What did you think of "The Queen's Gambit?" Do you believe Kensi heard Deeks' proposal? How did you like Nell in the field? Are you worried for Hetty? Sound off 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.