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Volumn 1

Edition 5

To listen to this discussion, please click the box.  If you would prefer to read the discussion, please continue further down.

Hello and welcome to our second roundtable NCIS Los Angeles discussion here on NCISLA Magazine and in particular for the new feature Decidedly Deeks.  Welcome, I’m Phillydi and I’d also like to welcome Imahistorian, Mel and Sweet Lu, Lindy to our panel once again.  We’re going to discuss season four and how it relates to Deeks and the whole Densi mystique.  So guys, what did you think about season four overall and the progression of Deeks’ character.  So take it away…..

Mel: In terms of Deeks’ development and the characterization of him throughout the season and Densi…to me I think a big part of the season was Kensi coming around to realizing her feelings for Deeks and grappling with them a bit.  I’m not sure or totally convinced she knows exactly what she feels or is willing to admit to herself what she feels, but I think it was a big part of Deeks being consistent and being there for her during the season.  I think he had his ups and downs in term of the rest of the team, with them, for example some of the stuff that went down with Sam towards the end of the season, but I think  it’s been an interesting season of them trying to…well they are definitely partners and they have that closeness….and trying to get to the point of…could they be more or not?

Lindy:  I’ve kind of written off the first half of the season because I didn’t think it was that strong and by the middle when they started doing Sam’s arc, I think they also brought in Kensi’s and Deeks’ relationship and they started building that more towards the end while they were building the tension between Sam and Deeks.  I think there was a lot of things going in the second half of the season that we can kind of lock on to and I think watching Deeks as he related to Kensi was interesting because you can kind of see he started being a lot more serious even though he goofed around with her in a couple of episodes like the one where he threw her on the bed, that was kind of fun.   But it escalated pretty quickly and all through that for me, and I’m with Mel, I don’t think Kensi knew quite what to do with her feelings.  I knew, she knew she had them and they had little things where she was defending him against Monica saying that she trusted him with everything…. yet she didn’t.

So I think she was very conflicted.  While I think Deeks was afraid basically just to do anything to upset the balance between them and during that last episode, particularly that Monica episode, Parley where he’s not sure where he stands with her and he’s not sure what to say and he’s afraid to communicate anything and then, when we get to the last (episode) and says “the hell with it” and goes for it…  I think that was an incredible leap for both characters.  How they deal with it in the next season, I have no idea.  There is so many thinks they can do, it’s such an open book, kind of thing.  I think it’s going to be a fascinating season and I hope they don’t blow it!

I hope they do a really great job in coming to terms with that and definitely they need to come to terms with what happen between Sam and Deeks because I think that kind of threw me for a loop as far as Sam’s reaction for Deeks and his disrespect for him and basically questioning his character.  I think that is such a strong story line and then with the torture and stuff at the end, I think that is something they really have to deal with.  They really have to deal with that because I think they damaged Sam’s character and I’m sorry to see that, sad to see that, because Sam was such a strong, strong character and they made us take sides and I think that was unfortunate.  Although I agree with the dramatic scenes and I really felt that tension, not only between Sam and Deeks but between Kensi and Deeks and between Callen and what’s going to happen with Sam.  There is so much tension and so many storylines.  It will be interesting to see if they can deal with that in one episode or if they are going to let it spill over to a second episode in the beginning of the season.

Diane:  It’s interesting that you say it was such a surprise to see Sam react like that….and I agree with you and I don’t know if it’s because we’ve been lulled to seeing how Sam has always reacted to Deeks but I went back to the very first couple of episodes that Deeks was in and Sam keeps calling him Temp and he’s constantly on him about taking Dom’s place because he’s not  happy about that and it doesn’t help that back then, he wasn’t getting any respect from the LAPD.   But I think it’s interesting that Deeks asks Sam if he wants to coddle him and of course Sam gives him no answer.  So I think this has been going on for a long time and I don’t know why it came as such a surprise.  What do you guys think?

Mel:  I think that Sam has always had a sort of discomfort with Deeks and how Deeks deals with things, how he jokes around which is fairly consistent throughout the series.  I think for me during the finale, what really struck me was the depth of Sam’s apparent mistrust.  I got that we’re never going to be the best of friends and everything and that Sam maybe had some trust issues with Deeks but his attack to Deeks was just so prejudicially focused on things like his hair and his clothes and his methods.  I think Deeks made a good point to Sam to say hey I never let anyone down before, where is this coming from?  It felt like a blow to Sam’s integrity and his character that he was latching on to things that are not necessarily, not really reflective of Deeks character.  So for me I had a hard time reconciling that with Sam’s moral center.  I didn’t really feel like that was how Sam would necessarily react but also Sam was in a very stressful situation with his wife, the mother of his child and people do things and say things they wouldn’t normally do when they are in that situation.  But I agree with Lindy that I’m sad to see that happen to Sam.  I feel like something needs to happen to Sam to see him redeem himself, for himself but also to redeem himself for Deeks if that relationship can ever possibly be repaired.   Something has got to happen; something has got to fix it.

Lindy:  And I think it’s important for the team for that to happen too.  There’s that, I can’t remember what episode it was in, but there was that scene, the opening segment where Sam takes Deeks seat and Deeks come in and doesn’t understand, and he (Sam) says we all have to be together, it’s one for all, and all for one.  That’s a team thing, a team concept to expect that from Sam.  So for him to suddenly blow that off and in the middle of an operation and tells Deeks I don’t trust you and I don’t want you around, not only me but I don’t want you around my kids, I don’t want you around my wife.  I don’t want to have to trust you, because I don’t trust you.  I think that hurt Sam’s character in a lot of fans eyes, or at least some of the fans that have written to me and they are angry with him and I don’t think that is where the writers or Shane Brennan wants that character to be.  They spent a whole arc on Sam’s character this year to get us to know him better and understand him and sympathize with him on a certain emotional level and yet at the end they lost some of that.  So I think they really have to address that relationship between him and Deeks or I can’t see how the team is going to survive.

Diane:  I thought it was kind of interesting when he wouldn’t even let Deeks watch his kid.  He would let Kensi because she was a woman and not because she had the skills…but not him.  I mean, every time you see Deeks with kids, he’s just a natural.  Why would you not let him with your kids?

Mel:  I think there is more to it than that and that’s what maybe they will have to do in terms of repairing the relationship between Deeks and Sam and maybe get at some of Sam’s motivations and why he thinks that way and maybe seeing if Sam can come around to something different.  I’d like to hope that…. because I think that Sam is a really strong character with really strong integrity and morality and I’d like to think they will recapture that with however the finale fallout happens.

Lindy:  Sort of like what Mel says, she and I were talking earlier.  It has to be more than just words, it has to be more than Sam just coming up and saying gosh, I’m sorry I really didn’t mean it.  There has to be some physical action of some sort to redeem those characters.  And I’ve also thought that when you go through that kind of scenario together, where you are both being tortured…it’s like when you are in a foxhole together… you come together and I think they could use that to bring them both together.  Whether they do that first episode or string it out over a couple of episodes, I agree with Mel that there has to be something more than just words that happens between those two.

Mel:  Something instinctual will have to happen.  I think up till now, Sam is facing a lot of his perception about Deeks, odd things which are extremely superficial about Deeks…. like he jokes around and his hair and his clothes and his message.  Well they are all things that Sam sees and he doesn’t work close with Deeks except on a few occasions…..

Lindy: And they have never gotten along!

Mel: ….Right!  So perhaps by going through this situation together, this trial by fire, perhaps Sam will be able to see his perceptions are not what he thought they were.  Because I agree, a simple apology is not going to do it…also if you think about it’s not very satisfying.  You want to see Deeks and Sam come to some sort of understanding.  They may never be the best of friends but being a team and working together is a different situation for them.

Lindy: And how will the torture effect the relationship between him and Kensi will be an interesting thing for the  writers as well because he’s laid it all on the line with her.  He’s expressed, or he communicated with her exactly how he felt and how he’s going to deal with that will be interesting.   But what’s going to be even more interesting is what he goes through physically with that last episode with Sidorov….is that going to fill his mind so much, that he’s the one who pulls away from her?

Diane:  Well, let’s talk a little bit about the season finale.  What did you think?

Lindy:  I think the thing that is remarkable to me is how many open story lines they left in that season finale.  You’ve got Callen versus Janvier, you got Kensi and Deeks, Deeks and Sam.  You got Michelle going out of a building with Kensi trying to save her.  How they tie it all up in one episode is going to be interesting to watch.  But I thought it was one of the strongest episodes, and season finales on any show.  I really did like it.  I know why from a dramatic standpoint…. I understand why they put Sam and Deeks in opposed places…making it even more tension filled.  In the middle of that they give us a bright shining moment with the kiss between Kensi and Deeks.  So you can be thrilled with that and the plunge into the pool with Sam and Deeks…it was an amazing episode.  I thought it was well written and strong.  I just think they left a lot of things unsaid and things they need to deal with last season.

Diane:  I was really happy with the way the kiss went, I thought it was well done, it wasn’t schmaltzy.  It was perfect in terms of those characters.

Mel:  For me I think the whole thing about the kiss was he did communicate in a physical kind of way but he didn’t actually say much in terms of actual feelings but I think the whole season has been leading up towards Deeks.  I think Deeks is further along in his understanding of how he feels towards Kensi.  His realization about her smelling like sunshine and gunpowder and realizing those are two of his favorite things.  I think he is further along in understanding that they are more than just partners and friends and even just a simple distraction.  I think Kensi’s reaction to the kiss which was kind of surprise and shock and then basically running away, although basically she has really good reasons to go after Michelle…her inability to really respond to that moment was a sign that she is not as far along as Deeks in recognizing the depths of what it is.

She gets that he’s important to her, I wouldn’t disagree with that and I don’t think she knows what to do with it.  I think she is scared of it.  She doesn’t know what to think about what she feels.  That comes out in her dichotomy in her kind of ragging on him over the comm when he is in there with Monica and then telling Monica she trusts him with everything. She’s hard on Deeks talking to the other CIA agents and she can’t help but be affectionate in other ways in giving him a hug and other things like that.  I think Kensi is at war with herself even though she probably doesn’t realize it and would never admit it and I think, Deeks has kind of shown throughout the season that he is a bit more steady in his belief and his understanding of what he feels for Kensi.  So it kind of comes to a head with the kiss at the finale with him doing something and her not knowing quite what to do about it.  So we will see where that goes.

Diane:  It was a great moment and I think we have a lot to look forward to in the future.  Not necessarily romance-wise but how the characterizations are going to be played out.  So in finishing up our little talk right now, we started off our first roundtable…asking what’s in the box and it never really went anywhere.  If we can maybe touch on that maybe one last time and close the loop.  What was that whole thing about?

Lindy:  You don’t think we’ve beaten the box into submission by now?  I think it’s dented and broken.

Diane:  I don’t think we will ever see it again, do you?

Mel:  The box could definitely reappear.  I have to go back to what I thought when the box first appeared was that it’s not important what’s in the box.  I don’t think we are ever going to find out what’s in it if the box ever reappears because….

Lindy:  We would be disappointed anyway.

Mel:  Exactly!  What could possibly be in it that could satisfy everyone?  I don’t think that exists.  I think ultimately the box it a metaphor and is treated as a metaphor throughout.  It’s up on a shelve sitting in Ops and it’s just going to sit there.  They may bring it down again when they are just going to pull out another metaphor!

Lindy:  Let it gather dust, I say!

Diane:  On that final word from Lindy…thank you ladies.  I appreciate you coming on board here and going through our second roundtable discussion because we’re going to be back again, closer towards the season five opener.  We’re going to try to project what is going to happen during season five.  So I hope you will come back for our third roundtable discussion and we’ll see you then!

Check out the latest Deeks-centric fanfics from our panel on www.fanfic.net :

Sweet Lu:  Promises to Keep

Imahistorian:  Feel the Tide

Phillydi:  Venus Rising

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Volume 1

Edition 3

Marty Deeks – The Music Man

by Gayle @ghartler

 Music is to the soul what words are to the mind. – Modest Mouse

This quote is a wonderful descriptor of the inner workings of our beloved Marty Deeks. In “Patriot Acts” (3×20) we learn Deeks played the violin growing up; in “Ravens and the Swans” (4×22) we further learn Deeks was “the front man and lead guitarist” for his teen rock band. While there has been no demonstration of these abilities (yet?!) and since both of these “confessions” were made to Kensi, we must believe he was telling the truth. (Other than forced undercover, he’d never lie to Kensi – out of both respect and fear.) So accepting these facts into evidence, how might music have become an integral part of Deeks?

The Guitar & the Rock Band

Kensi & Deeks (NCIS LA) Facebook Fan Page

This most recent discovery is the simplest to consider and the most believable. A young (then & now) Deeks mind likely goes something like this: Teenage boy + Rock Band = Girls. In fact, Deeks confesses to this very basis of the bands existence. And then there’s the name of the band. “Touching Wood”?! Only a teenage boy would come up with this! Yet, more importantly, how/why was his old high school shirt in the Armory?! Hmm…

Based on the tiny example of Deeks’ singing (using that term very loosely), we can presume 1) either he is quite terrible, or 2) he was faking with Kensi in an effort to simply appease her and move off the topic. (BTW, if you want to actually catch ECO “singing”, check out his appearances on “Community”. Personally, I hope they never write something like this into NCISLA! Now a “Say Anything” moment serenading Kensi… that’s a whole different issue!)

Anyway, this is a plausible, and quite probable, piece of Deeks’ background. After all, it’s easier to learn a second instrument after you’ve learned the first….

The Violin

In a stunning revelation, Deeks admits he “grew up playing the violin”. As a musician myself I can, remarkably, picture this – even if it was completely unexpected. Knowing what we currently do about Deeks’ childhood, it is quite likely a teacher, neighbor, community center staffer, friend’s parent, etc. saw something in Deeks – a talent, a need, or an undiscovered ability.

Learning to read music and tackling an instrument, particularly one as challenging as the violin, requires focus. Perhaps this helped tamp down Deeks’ perceived ADHD? Perhaps he saw this as a challenge to overcome? Perhaps the person who introduced Deeks to the instrument served as a safe-haven mentor to escape his unhappy childhood environment?

While any and all of the posed situations could be true, the one this writer is betting on is true for just about anyone who has ever been a student of music. Music provides the opportunity to focus on what one is thinking or feeling, either by internalizing the emotion music produces or by expressing emotion through the generation of music. We can all probably agree the best music is that which congers feelings and emotions. (A prime examples is “Arms of a Ghost” from “Neighborhood Watch” (3×22). Or just consider your favorite Densi video!) Such an experience would have provided a young Deeks with a physical and mental escape from his painful childhood.

Further, this is the one thing he could completely control – when and how frequently he would play, what he would play, what emotion he could choose to express depending on the piece and his mood. In essence, this would serve as a place where Deeks could deal with his feelings and emotions in a healthy, yet individual way.

Back to the opening quote, “Music is to the soul what words are to the mind,” describes all the Deeks is. With rarely a filter, Deeks has no hesitation to speak his mind and work to connect with others through seemingly endless talking. In short, he regularly thinks out loud. The music, however, would be like an internal heartbeat, keeping him in focus and grounded. If the show ever expounds on this background trait, I personally hope they do it in a heart-felt and meaningful way. This would show us more of Deeks than we could ever likely imagine.

How/why do you think Deeks became a musician? 

We would like to welcome Gayle to Decidedly ‘Team” Deeks!   She will be a regular contributor to this feature!  For more on Deeks check out Gayle’s tumblr:  www.densiland.tumblr.com

Come on…Make us Laugh Caption Contest!

This week we launch a Caption Contest!  Add your caption to this picture and we’ll announce the winner next week.    For your caption, be fun, humorous, or real, but stay clean and keep it Deeks!

See you next Thursday at Decidedly Deeks  for a very special contest where you can win an autographed picture of Eric Christian Olsen!  Come back next week for more details!

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Vol. 1

Edition 2

Welcome again to Decidedly Deeks!  This week we feature a mini fanfic by Phillydi written exclusive for DD.  We also started a new section where we will present a fan video or fanfic featuring Marty Deeks that we think you should check out (see below).

For now….sit back and enjoy….

Sweet Soul Violins

By Phillydi

“Anyone seen Deeks?”  Kensi called out as she entered the bullpen.

“Nope,” Callen looked up from his desk.

“Probably went surfing,” Sam grunted.

“I’ll kill him!” Kensi said in aggravation.  It had been a long day and Kensi wanted to finish her paperwork and go home.  The problem was Deeks was supposed to be working on the report with her and it was due on Hetty’s desk tomorrow.

“Check the boathouse,” Nell called out as she walked by. “He asked me for the new pass code before he left thirty minutes ago.”

“He better be working on that report, or he is one dead cop,” Kensi steamed and went in search of her wayward partner.

As she entered the boathouse, Kensi heard the strains of a soulful violin coming from inside.   Deeks must have NPR* on again, she thought.  Kensi took two more steps inside and was instead stunned to see him standing next to the center table with his foot propped up on one the chairs.  Deeks’ eyes were closed in deep concentration while the sweetest music came wafting out from the violin he was holding.

Kensi placed her hand over her heart as it raced faster in response to the music.  The veins in his hands stood out from exertion, which only added to the beauty of his playing as his fingers floated rapidly over the fret board.  She took one more step and the floor beneath her foot creaked loudly, disrupting Deek’s performance.  His eyes flew open when he realized someone else was standing in the room.

“You really can play the violin!” Kensi swooned. “That was beautiful, Deeks.”  She stepped in closer to look at the sheet music spread out over the table.

Sonata for Solo Violin, No 1 in G Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach

“I’m impressed,” she shook her head in disbelief. “I thought this was another one of your exaggerations. I’m sorry, I didn’t believe you.”

“There must be something wrong with my hearing, because I could have sworn Kensi Blye just said she was sorry?” Deeks smirked as he held his hand up to his ear.

“Ok, I deserved that,” Kensi said remorsefully.  “But what are you doing here?”

“I can’t practice at home, and I needed a quiet space to rehearse because if you must know…” Deeks stopped and looked down in embarrassment. “I wanted to serenade you after dinner one night as a surprise.”

Kensi opened her mouth in amazement.  “That is the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard,” she blushed. “I don’t know what to say.”

Kensi was speechless and desperately wished she could disappear behind one of the posts.

“I’m…going to go…now,” she stammered, stumbling backwards out of the room and tripping over the threshold as she left. She had totally forgotten about the report.

Deeks chuckled to himself, amazed at how Kensi had become totally undone by his little surprise.

An image suddenly popped up again on the flat screen against the far wall.

“No time to dillydally, Mr. Deeks,” Hetty scolded.  “We have a lot of work to do on this piece if you want to continue to impress Ms. Blye.  You were a bit flat in the third measure of the first movement. Let’s take it from the top, shall we?”

“Yes ma’am!” Deeks said as his bow touched the strings and the sweet music of Bach filled the air once more.

(Disclaimer: All these characters are owned by CBS and created by Shane Brennan and company. I’m just borrowing them for a little bit of fun.)

*National Public Radio

Next week we are going to explore Deeks’ music background written exclusive for DD by @ghartler.  

We invite everyone to submit your own mini fanfic of 500 words or less to Decided Deeks for publication.  If you are a seasoned fanfic writer, write for fun, or would like to try writing a Deeks-centric story for the first time, we would love to feature your creation.  If you have ever wanted to finish a special scene, or explore an area of Deeks life that was mentioned in the show, these one-shot fics should be no more than 500 words and complete when submitted.   Please send your mini fanfic to:  diane@ncislamagazine.com

Solus

by Sweet Lu

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7798925/1/Solus

This was the first story I read from this talented writer and fell in love with her portrayal of Deeks right away.  It’s hard to read just one of her fanfics, I promise you will go back for more. 

56 Reasons to Ship Deeks & Kensi

by ibroketheinternetxo

This video is so artfully done, and I enjoyed the way the scenes are cut and the music plays sweetly in the background.  Whether you are a shipper or not, this features the best of Deeks and Kensi on screen.

If you have any recommendations for a fanfic or video about Deeks that you would like to see featured on Decidedly Deeks, please submit them to diane@ncislamagazine.com.

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