NCIS: Los Angeles - Matryoshka, Part 2

I am a bad fan.

I had a lot of assignment-y-type things due on Tuesdays through February, and as a result I would procrastinate and be doing them at the last minute. So I kept missing NCIS: LA. And then, when I got behind, I was just like 'ehhh I'm too tired to blog about it and catch up.' Bad. Shame on me.

So I'm gonna attempt to marathon all the things and catch up and yeah. (Even though I have a class presentation tomorrow, and one the day after that, and an assignment due the day after THAT.)

Anna is flirting with some dudes in Russian, in a bar. And then when she switches to English, she no longer sounds Russian. As per usual.

She lures one of the guys outside and then pushes him into a van, which just so happens to contain Sam. Hey this prison guard guy they kidnapped looks slightly like San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey! I'm gonna call him Russian Buster from here on out.

Real Buster has nicer hair, though. 

Everyone back at Ops (except Granger and Hetty) are super-worried about the risks being taken by Callen and Sam in Russia. Granger's all 'meh who cares if they die they die' and Hetty's like 'my team is invincible, what are you talking about'.

Someone sneaks up on Anna and she whips out her gun, but it's just a Hetty iPad attatched to a Segway.  Which is totally necessary. You know, she couldn't just use a phone or something. or Skype. Hetty would never use such a plebian method of communication.

I'm inclined to point out that Sheldon did it first. And better. 

Anna refuses to refer to Arkady as her dad. Oh good! She has daddy issues! Something else for her and Callen to bond over!!

Back at Ops, Eric and Nell run some simulations of the plan, and Nell delivers some badass wisdom on Granger when he says 'life isn't a video game'. Cos "In a video game, you get to start over."
Hey Granger, when have you ever played a video game?? They're fun. You hate fun.

For some reason, Anna is wearing a blanket, over her regular clothing to sleep - and then she falls asleep on Callen's shoulder like two sentences in to his description of the plan?? How ridiculously contrived is that?

For some reason there's some sketchy guy they need to investigate, and Granger decides to send Eric out in the field. ERIC?! And how dare you, sir, tell him to put on pants! He's clearly allergic to fabric beyond knee-length!

HAHAHA WE GOT ERIC FLEXING AND WEARING COMBAT PANTS AND OH MY GOD

Anna asks Callen what he 'thinks of her'. And he gives the only correct response - "That's... kind of a... broad question." Blah blah blaaah, bonding over absentee fathers, yadda yadda 'maybe broken is normal'... Gag me with a spoon.

The guy Deeks and Kensi were going to talk to does indeed start shooting, and Eric freezes up, but then he plays the hero, pulling out a flashbang that dazes the guy long enough for Deeks to shoot him. The others are impressed with his strategy, meanwhile I'm impressed with his aim! I think I kinda like Badass Beale.

Oh my god, they block the transport carrying Arkady and the CIA guy with a COW hahaha that's definitely something I've never seen before.

Nell is really proud of Eric for what he did earlier - and he looks at her with super-honest eyes and says he was scared that he - DAMNIT GRANGER YOU HAVE THE WORST TIMING, THEY WERE HAVING A MOMENT HERE!!!!

Granger, interrupting ALL your personal conversations.

They can't get out of Russia because the CIA guy is hurt so that would attract suspicion. He says he knew Callen way back in the day. He gets them to a safe house (which has a weirdly cryptic walkie talkie on the side of the road that claims to have an IED planted under it if he doesn't give the password. There's an old man at the house who has a meaningful look at Callen.

Callen finds a bunch of nesting dolls at the house, and one of those coins that his father had handed out to refugees in an earlier episode.

They have no choice but to leave on horseback, which Arkady is none too pleased about.

Callen and the old guy have a deep conversation without saying much at all. And then they get interrupted by the folks who are there to help them escape. DANGNABBIT! What's with all the interruptions?!! He says "I'll tell you another time". But you won't see him again!

HOLY CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!!!!!!!!

CALLEN HAS A FIRST NAME

IT'S GRISHA

AND HE HAS SOME MIDDLE NAMES TOO

You know, I'm not gonna lie, it's not the kind of name I would have expected for him. I was expecting something tough, like Gregor or Gabriel or Gryffindor.

But Callen will be Callen and he will be a badass no matter what his name is. I'm just so glad he knows! (But really, wouldn't that reveal have been best saved for like, a season finale or something?? I mean it's the ONE big mystery this show's had since Day One...)

NCIS: LA - Matryoshka

Apologies for the late post, I had a lot of schoolwork and decided that should take priority for once...

Kirkin got kidnapped from a spa. Looks like we're back with the Russian plotline.

Callen apparently got beat up on a plane, and there may or may not be footage of it. Also, Eric is wearing a kilt. I can't tell whether that's a step up or a step down from his usual cargo shorts.

I see London, I see France...

Callen goes into a bar, and gets threatened, then decides that the best method of escape is to spit fire at the dude. FIRE. And then Sam chastises him after the fact for a lack of a heads-up, to which Callen casually delivers the line 'I think I need some chapstick. I think I burned my lip!' You can borrow one of my chapsticks, Callen, I have like 50 and I've only opened like 3. Hope you like strawberry.

Turns out the person who kidnapped Kirkin was a woman, working alone - Deeks is skeptical because he thinks not all women have the skillset of Kensi, which is hella sexist bro, I thought we were past that?! Anyways, she and him have some pretty great banter, then they all go to a shipyard where they find Kirkin and get set upon by a mysterious woman on a motorbike, who they chase down and *gasp* it's Ana!

OK she keeps flirting with Callen and it's getting super-obvious. Ugh. There are more subtle ways of conveying attraction, writers.

Eric may or may not have been going commando under his kilt. But he won't tell Nell which one.

Hetty has an exact replica car of James Dean's car. Weird. Kinda morbid.

"You know I died in that thing, right??"

They start talking about how attractive Deeks is, how he has 'soulful blue eyes'. Yes indeed...
Arkady is alive! Or was, two days ago. If he is otherwise when they find him...

*Self-five for the Princess Bride reference*

Callen decides to be all gallant and whatnot, and help Anna find Arkady. Anna's accent is STILL both not Russian and also terrible. I could do a better Russian accent than her.

Somehow, Eric LARPs and has lots of game-playing groups, but considers himself lonely. Awww, sweet little nerd. And then he refers to himself in third-person. Oh Eric.

Kirkin thinks Deeks' hair is 'glorious'. I mean, he's not wrong.

Glorious indeed.

Blah blah blah, undercover, blahhhh... Kensi and Deeks are cater-waiters again, and their little tiny bossman is kinda high-strung. But at least Deeks gets to wear a bowtie!

DAMN Callen! That is a sharp suit! Like Matthew McConaughey sharp! Navy suits with black lapels are so in. But there's a near-snafu when their faces aren't in the software for their fake IDs, so Kensi has to act like a clueless waiter and interrupt, which is hella awkward. Callen's undercover nickname is 'Cal'. Very little imagination went into that one.

Some random girl at the party is being very clingy. Callen and Anna are dancing (not terribly productive, guys). Apparently he learned ballroom dancing by osmosis. Which is impressive. But then again, most things about Callen are impressive. Deeks and Kensi take down a security guard aaaaand then Anna and Callen start making out in an upstairs hallway. Which was really awkward and REALLY OVERACTED. Good grief. I keep making that 'ugh' noise every time the two of them talk/look at each other/are in the same shot.

While they were busy doing that, Sam was doing the ACTUAL dangerous work, and then crawled out a window and stuff.

Turns out some CIA dude that everyone thought was dead was being held captive alongside Arkady, but they are only being sent in to get that guy, not Arkady. Hmm. And only Callen and Sam are being sent in to get him. SO NOT ANNA RIGHT?!!

Crap, Anna is going with them.

And it's to be continued...

NCIS: LA - Come Back

Oh my god! So remember how Kensi had that fiance who turned out to be a bad guy?? Well my roommates and I have been watching Scandal lately, and the guy who played her fiance was a double-crossing male hooker. Why does he always play sketchy dudes??

KENSI AND DEEKS ARE MOVING IN TOGETHER!!! YAAAY! Eric is excited for them and it's adorable.

Hetty owns a building where something sketchy happened, and then she sends Kensi and Deeks off cryptically to be on protection detail for someone - DUN DUNNN IT'S JACK, HER EX-FIANCE!!

Hi. Remember me?

Sam and Callen start bantering about something that Sam was writing on his computer that Callen accidentally read over his shoulder. They track down a car belonging to a Mabel Perkins, it's at a chop shop, and suddenly Callen and Sam are outnumbered by some thugs (also a squirmy little evil guy with an electric drill) but they make short work of them.

Jack had been acting as a guide for a dude named Riggs who was documenting historical sites and artifacts, but then working with some sketchy people who were probably planning to steal it. Jack alerted Hetty, and then someone tried to kill him. Hence the protective detail.

Nell used to have the nickname of Indiana Jones (how adorable is that) and then Eric mentions her needing a whip and she gets a little TOO excited about that.

I've got a costume idea for Nell's next Halloween...

Also she may or may not have spent a summer following a band around. I love it when the nerds get some character development!

Jack's married and Kensi does a terrible job of acting like she's fine with it. Granger shows up at the safe house unannounced and that's how you get shot, bro.

Replace 'ants' with ' getting shot' and yeah, basically. 

Callen and Sam show up at the motel where the shooter's car came from, and the guy at the desk lies to them, runs away, shoots at them and then gets shot by them... Because... I dunno. I'm lost.

There was a text on the dead guy's phone from someone called Geb (not Jeb) Callen asks 'as in Bush?' But no, that one's name would be pronounced Jeb-exclamation-point. John Oliver has taught me well. 

Something-something undercover meeting with the Riggs guy, yadda yadda I'm too tired for this stuff... Riggs and a shady Egyptian dude show up at the meeting point, call Sam on a phone, spy on him, and then speed away? What the hell was the point of that... 

Jack doesn't know what Netflix is. Because he's literally been living in a cave, remember? Poor guy... Life without Netflix *shudders*

For real Granger, announce yourself before knocking!! You should know better than that! 

Also Riggs is dead. Oopsie.

They think Jack might have betrayed everyone and told the bad guys where he was to save his family. And now he's getting all reminisce-y with Kensi. And then people start shooting at them, cos he's a dumb-dumb double-crosser and put her in danger. BTW that actor's name is Matthew Del Negro and he REALLY plays a type. The bad guy stands over Kensi waving a gun, Jack says 'no kill me instead' and then they all kind of stand around waiting for the backup to arrive just in time. 

Also it turns out Jack's brave would-be sacrifice was all for nothing, because Hetty placed his family under protection as soon as it appeared he was in danger. Sheesh. 

This woman thinks of everything. 

And then she gives Kensi a hug and makes her feel better. Awwe.

Deeks said 'Granger Danger' hahahaha I love it. And Jack approves of Deeks, which is a stupidly symbolic gesture cos I don't think it really mattered if he liked Deeks or not... Since, you know, Kensi's an adult and all...

And she ended the episode by saying 'always' and I JUST watched the last Harry Potter movie on Friday and Alan Rickman is dead and AGHHH now I'm reliving it Kensi why would you remind me of something so painful?!!?!?!!

NCIS: LA - Angels & Daemons

Callen's girlfriend Joelle isn't his girlfriend anymore, and she has another boyfriend ALREADY?! So naturally, Callen decides to run a background check on the guy... Also Sam is grumpy cos Callen ducked out of their carpool.

Have I told you recently that I love Eric's hair? Cos I love Eric's hair.

Tres chic, Mr. Beale.

There was a dead guy found in the marina, who wrote a book, that Sam read, (listened to) and also he was the head of a tech firm at some point and made a lot of moolah. His name was Overson, and his former partner in the tech company sued him and got no money, so now he's living in his car.

Nell doesn't like boats, neither do I. She goes to investigate Overson's boat with Kensi and Deeks, gets in some sass while she's at it. OK so Deeks made a clever joke about mishearing 'Silicon Beach' as 'Silicone' but when Kensi corrects him, she stresses the 'beach' part - twice. That's not the part he got wrong, girl. Strange choice of emphasis.

Apparently Overson was interested in backing an app that allows the anonymous posting of secrets (basically like Whisper, that stupid app that Buzzfeed keeps pushing on us).

Yup.

The girl at the company teared up when Kensi told her about Overson dying - I think they were more than coworkers...

Something something, they find the Powell guy who was supposed to be living in his car, something something, holy crap it's only 10:17??

Sam can maybe read minds and then guesses the colour Callen was thinking of. It was blue. Funny, I would have guessed gray. Callen likes gray. But he does wear an awful lot of blue (probably because it sets off his eyes!)

There's a secret code that Overson found embedded in one of the apps he was supporting, that somehow compromised national security (don't they always). This is the thing called the 'daemon' - hence the episode title.

It's the Flibbit (mock-Whisper) app that it was hidden in! The one with the redhead girl who was crying earlier. Someone needs to go undercover. That sounds exciting! Eric wants it to be him, but boo, it has to be Callen. Undercover Eric might have been fun. Kind of an adorable Chuck-esque type of flustered? Man, I miss Chuck.

Nell can be Sarah.

The lighting in Ops makes Eric's hair look green. Weird.

Sam tries to relate to the redheaded girl Jessica, about how they're both often overlooked (her cos she's female, Sam cos he's a racial minority). Callen loves the slide at the company. I could never use a slide at work - it would mess up my nice work clothes. You think they could ask for a slide at Ops? Actually, Granger would never allow it. It's a fun thing. Granger hates fun.

Kensi and Deeks go to talk to Powell's lawyer, but right before they reach him (they weren't hurrying, they were talking about puppies), he gets shot. Sniper-style.

Guns! Shooting! Excitement! 

Nell figures out that the shot came from the building that houses the Flibbit app office. Well isn't that convenient! The security guard gets in a fight with Sam, then he says that the programmer guy is a Palestinian cyberterrorist. But Callen was with him the whole time. It's a different person, a girl, who we've never even met. Also Deeks uses the word 'keytar'. 

Clearly, only psychopaths play the keytar. 

Also I'm pretty sure senators have better things to do than be on a stupid secret sharing app like this. At least I would hope so. 

Wow, they really got their money's worth out of that slide in this episode, didn't they? Turns out the lawyer sold the daemon to the bad guys who were Pakistani terrorists. There were three of them working at the app company - but none of them killed Overson. It was Powell. 

Callen had bought a ring for Joelle? Oh, poor sad Callen. Or maybe not. I can't tell. He's a good liar. 

NCIS: LA - Core Values

I didn't notice that 'kayak' was a palindrome. I love palindromes. And so does Eric. Awwwe. Callen just said 'Egad'. I'm dying.

The guy who collapsed, bleeding, at the beginning of the episode, was a marine who had radioactive poisoning. His wife is pregnant, and he told her he had taken on a second job - but he hadn't gotten that one, it was actually at a nuclear plant. Keeping secrets! Bad marine man!

We get in some more Callen jibes - "Maybe one day we'll discover that kale is poisonous and yoga's bad for your spine". I like his thinking (I hate kale, but you knew that already).

I'll take two of these. One for me, one for Callen. 

Oh hey! My dad and I both had a 'Hey I know that guy' moment - but about separate actors - mine was this guy, who played FBI agent Peter Elliot on CSI: Miami (I'm gonna refer to him as Peter) and dad's was about this guy who's playing a scientist. We both said each of them are always the bad guy... I wonder which one it'll be this time?

Kensi and Deeks both go undercover at the nuclear plant where the poisoned marine had been moonlighting, he as a security guard, she as a janitor. It's weird though, he was observing a group of protesters outside the plant, and one of them was talking into a megaphone, and he sounded exactly like Deeks.

Deeks wants to have a moustache, Kensi disagrees. He compares himself to Albert Einstein.

Well, I mean, they both rock the poufy-hair look.

But just because one can pull off a beard, does not mean they can pull off a moustache. Let this photo of Toronto Blue Jay Russell Martin be exhibit A:

And click here if you need proof that Russell looks his best at his beardliest. (That's totally a word)

Someone left a note for Sam to meet him in secret, it was the scientist guy. He said one of the pools under which the radioactive material is stored was significantly drained and the plant is a 'disaster waiting to happen'. And Peter wouldn't let him tell Sam & Callen.

Granger went to talk to the poisoned Marine, and they had the exact same tone of voice. One of them has radioactivity poisoning, and the other one is just a boring person. I'll let you guess who was who.

The fuel rods of radioactive material were exposed because of the drop in pool level - and there was a two-hour 'glitch' in the video feed as the pool was being drained. There's no backup. And that was the night that the guard was poisoned.

So my dad was right at first, the scientist guy is the one who shut off the valve and turned off the alarm and the backup pool-filling stuff. The guard went in and looked around on his rounds while the water level was low and that was how he got exposed. Poor guy, just doing his job, wrong place wrong time. Scientist-guy says no one was supposed to get hurt, he was just trying to make it obvious apparent to the public how the plant was unsafe. But it's early in the episode, so clearly we're not done.

Just as Kensi and Deeks are leaving the building, the small shed-type building behind them explodes. It held the backup generators for the cooling system. The team finds a bomb wrapped around a pipe that sends water into the cooling pools, so when it goes off it'll cut off the water and expose the fuel rods.

There was a reason they showed the protesters outside - their leader was the one who came in and planted the explosive. He had told the scientist-guy that he was a professor of environmental studies and the scientist guy was dumb enough to believe him and get him a fake ID to come in and study the pools.

Callen and Sam manage to pry the charge off the pipe and Callen runs it outside and dumps it in some barrels of water - but then the scientist points out that that wouldn't have effectively emptied the pool (it would have taken too long) so everyone freaks out and Sam realizes it's a diversion - he planted a much bigger explosive under the pool that would create a hole and drain the pools. I would just like to say 'underneath a pool containing tons of radioactive material' is a really dumb place for a utility room.

This new bomb has a pendulum that would detonate it if it swung too much.

"I'm disassembling a bomb"

Hetty calls in and says to pull the first responders away, she thinks the perp is trying to hurt as many people as possible - and then Sam has an idea to yank the blasting caps out of the plastic explosive VERY CAREFULLY and throw them at least 6 inches away from the explosive before the cell phone connects, but they can't be holding the thing or else they'll lose a hand. THIS SOUNDS LIKE A BAD IDEA TO ME.

Deeks and Kensi find the perp sitting outside at a cafe (cos he wouldn't go back to his secret lair to set off a nuclear disaster, oh no, he's right out there in public) and ruin his phone, then pull guns on him, but then he pulls out a BACKUP phone and tries to take a woman hostage, it all happens very fast but basically he dials the number and calls, then they shoot him, Kensi and Deeks freak out "It's connected!" Sam and Callen pull out the blasting caps but have to run just as a guy in a bomb suit shows up and yanks the whole thing away from the plastic and dives on it as a small explosion goes off beneath him (just the caps, not the plastic, thank god)

Sam and Callen run back in and tell him he has 'some big stones, my man' and thank him, then he takes his helmet off and OH MY GOD IT'S GRANGER?!! Sam looks like he immediately wants to take back the 'big stones' comment and I don't blame him. But holy hell, I think that was the most exciting thing Granger's ever done. Or second-most, after showing up at that insane cult place and ending that standoff. That was pretty badass.

The next scene Kensi and Deeks are in the hospital, the wife delivered her baby but the husband's lungs are filling up with fluid and he can't breathe anymore. So for some random reason (my dad questioned this, I mean there are nurses EVERYWHERE) the lady decides to hand her baby to Kensi and Kensi looks as freaked out as Rachel from Friends the first time she held Ben.

"This IS how I would hold a football..."

But then she and Deeks sing 'Twinkle Twinkle' to him and everything is all right... Except that his father is dying in the room right behind him and that's sad as hell, but instead we're just supposed to focus on Kensi and Deeks and a baby (because if this isn't foreshadowing then I don't know what is).