Category Archives: Callen’s Corner

Hetty’s Closet – File 32-5

32-5 ‘Gordon Taymis’
Episode 1.6 ‘Keepin’ It Real’

HC Taymis

Description: Youngest son and compliance officer of a prominent Canadian paper company, dissatisfied with his position, cheating on his wife (see note), doubtful about illegal dealing at the start, but sees it through due to greed.

Garments/Accessories: Business casual; dark suits and shirts, jeans, no tie. Likes subtle stripes and slight sheens.

Advantage: Agent Callen is able to portray the unconfident, slightly nervous personality well, his skills allowing him to improvise with the printing process and to even persuade a real printer’ son of his authenticity.

Disadvantage: The normal confidence with which Agent Callen acts must be suppressed, and he has to be aware of this at all times so the alias is not blown.

Suitable for: Providing a disillusioned person who is easily corruptible and willing to commit to criminal activities.

Note: In conjunction with 81-3 Bartender/Lover’

Callen and Arkady: Take Two

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Back in December 2013, we posted our first discussion about the relationship about Callen and Arkady. With the former KGBs reoccurrence again in Beacon, we thought it was appropriate to reflect on the interesting relationship that these two have had from the start and what may be coming up in Beacon.

 

Beacon (S6E21) Press Release

Callen and Sam are shocked when an old acquaintance they thought had been murdered shows up and asks for their help. Their investigation uncovers a possible breach of America’s economic sanctions against Russia.

 

The press release for Beacon had us curious to know who the old acquaintance was, until we watched the promo and realized that its Arkady Kolcheck. Based on the sneak peek, we witness someones attempt on Arkadys life (think back to the Third Choir), making the team think that it was Arkady who was killed. But while the team are concerned over how this news affects Callen, he refuses to accept his old friends death.

 

(Callen knees down beside the charred body) 

This doesnt feel right. Theres no way knowing who this is.” (Stands up) Dental records are going to take forever.” (Shrugs) Maybe Arkadys not dead.

Sam: Fascinating.

Callen: What!

Sam: Youre not sure how you feel about your friend, Arkady being dead.

Callen: Lets get one thing clear, we werent friends. I was ready to pull the trigger on him myself, a few times.

Sam: Dont let me get on your bad side. (Beacon, S6E21)

 

Notice Callens refusal to call Arkady a friend. In previous conversations they have had an easy banter, Arkady was concerned about Callen enough to let federal agents arrest him, and Callen trusted him to watch his back; these are all things friends would do. Add to that Callens unwillingness to accept that Arkady is dead and it seems he doth protest too much. Sam knows Callen is stonewalling him and hes letting him, also knowing its hard for Callen to deal with how he feels about the former KGB officer.

 

But.

 

Later, the formerly-known-as-dead Arkady comes to them for help. We dont yet know how that has happened, but maybe we can piece together the story that brought him to this point. Lets take a look back at that conversation earlier in Season 6, The Third Choir (S6E04), which may be whats led to this attempt on Arkadys life.

 

  

(Sam and Callen enter gym)

Callen: Not answering your phone?

Arkady: Ive been busy. How did you find me?

Sam: Your ex-wife’s sister.

Arkady: Which one?

Callen: Svetlana.

Arkady: Aah, she always talked too much. Must be genetic.

Callen: Arkady, what are you doing here?

Arkady: My doctor told me to join gym.

Sam: Yeah? Probably expected you to work out.

Arkady: Im between sets.

Arkady: In case you haven’t noticed, Cold War is back, only it’s not so cold lately. And for someone like your Hetty who has a head full of secrets they’d love to get their hands on, this is just the beginning.

Sam: What does that mean?

Arkady: I mean, it will get worse before it gets better, and your Hetty won’t be the only target.

Sam: Who else will they go after?

Arkady: Use your imagination.

Callen: We’re not playing around, Arkady. Who else will they go after?

Arkady: I don’t know! And to be honest, I don’t care. I’ve got my own problems.

Callen: We will be your problem if you don’t start to level with us.

Arkady: You don’t scare me – but they do, because I am one of the people they will come after.

(Callen and Sam turn to leave)

Sam: Don’t strain yourself.

The Third Choir (S6E04)

 

In the past, its been Callen who has turned to Arkady for help to solve a case, except for in Tin Soldiers. Here the tables have turned, its Callen and the teams turn to help Arkady. However, he might not be the only one in trouble. Arkady might be the canary in the mine of buried secrets; his attempted murder is signalling that its not safe for those who carry old knowledge of a past war that may not be over.

 

How do you think this new information ties into previous storylines like Hettys attempted kidnapping and the mole? With the team heading to Russia before the season ends, do you think Arkady will appear again? Do you want him to? Share your ideas in the comments.

 

 

 

Lets take a look back at each episode so far with Arkady Kolcheck

 

Season 1 Pushback (S1E07)

Callen suspects that Arkady was the one behind his shooting (NCIS Legends episodes), only to find that he had sent his foster sister, Alina Rostoff to warn him.

 

Season 2 Tin Soldiers (S2E15)

Arkady sends Niko to see if Callen is living in the old Rostoff home and wants him to look into something for him. At the end of the episode, we see Callen and Arkady caught up in a battle and having each others back.

 

Season 3 Neighborhood Watch (S3E22)

The team needed information with regards to a Russian sleeper agent. He reacts to one of the women in the photos, but distracts Callen and Sam. This is the first time Arkady helps Callen with a case and not just personal matters.

 

Arkady: She resembles my ex.

Callen: Which one?

Arkady: The one who recently passed, God rest her soul.

Callen: Aren’t they all dead?

Arkady: I do not have best luck with women.

Sam: Think how they feel.

Arkady (to Callen about Sam): I do not like him.

 

Season 4 Rude Awakenings (S4E06)

Sam and Callen meet with Arkady down a lane way to inquire about who might have stolen the nukes and killed the Russian sleeper agents.

 

(Referring to Sidorov) Arkady: It’s a delicate subject matter.

Arkady: Don’t judge. Morally corrupt people are my business!

Arkady: Oh, don’t be naive. We both spent decades pointing nuclear weapons at each other’s children.

 

Season 4 Wanted (S4E17)

But Arkady is needed again when a Russian is found dead with his index finger cut off.

 

Arkady: You two still together. That’s nice. You’ve lasted longer than any of my marriages. What is secret?

Arkady: Why would I know? Because I’m Russian? We all look the same to you? You think I know everything every Russian is doing in this state?

Callen: Only the criminals.

Arkady: That hurts.

 

Season 5 Reznikov, N (S5E04)

When the Comescus kidnap a man whom they believe to be Callens father, he turns to Arkady for help.

 

(At Arkadys home, hes enters the house, on his mobile)

Arkady: Fine, fine. You do that. And when you come back to me to complain about them, remember what I told you -I know, I know. It’s just business. But when you come back to me, price is double. Yes, it’s just business.

(He opens the fridge – grabs a gun and wheels around)

Arkady: I should tell you, I’m having bad day. Come out slowly.

(Callen makes himself seen)

Arkady: You trying to get yourself killed?

Callen: Not with that gun.

(Callen shows the shells from Arkadys weapon)

Arkady: Now you leave me defenceless against my enemies.

Callen: Who leaves a gun in the fridge?

Arkady: We all do. How did you get in?

Callen: Parked the car in the back alley, jumped the fence. You’ve got a security camera blind spot by your pool.

Arkady: Thanks for finding it.

(Callen hands a photo of a younger Arkady with Reinhardt)

Callen: That bring back some memories?

Arkady: Im more handsome now. Richer.

Arkady: Ask the real question. The one you came to ask me.

Callen: Is this my father?

Arkady: No one has ever introduced themselves to me as your father. So maybe he is, maybe he isnt.

Arkady: Do I owe you favor?

Callen: No. But when this is done – Im gonna owe you one.

Arkady: Then it is business.

(Arkady loads his gu and its it into the small of his back)

Arkady: Ay-yi! Gun is still cold.

Arkady: My brother-in-law’s car.

Callen: It may get a little rough.

Arkady: Is okay. I don’t like him anyway.

(Boat Shed)

Kensi: Sit down.

Arkady: No, after you.

(Kensi glares at Arkady)

Arkady: Okeydokey, dokey, dokey. No niceties today.

Kensi: Where’s Callen?

Arkady: I don’t know.

Kensi: :Okay, we found you beside a car with two men who’d been shot to death. We swabbed you for gun residue. And when that’s processed, what do you think we’re gonna find?

Arkady: :That I fired weapon. Self-defense. Agent Callen will tell you same thing.

Deeks: Well, then you better hope we find him alive, pal,’cause he’s the only friend that’s gonna vouch for you.

Arkady: I don’t know where he is. I know what he went to do, and I can truthfully say I don’t know where he went to do it.

Deeks: Why’d you wait with the bodies? You could have been long gone by the time we got there.

Arkady: Because I wanted you to know what happened, what Callen was going to do.

Kensi: Why?

Arkady: Because Callen is a friend of mine and I don’t want him to die today.

 

These two have had an interesting history. At first, they appear to not care for the other and Callen in particular has trust issues with Arkady. But when it comes down to it, when it really matters, it appears that these two men really do care for each other. Share your take on their relationship in the comments.

 

Thanks to Hypnoweb for the quotes and Bee for her help in putting this post together.

Callen’s Corner: 50 Shades of Blue

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When I’m feeling blue, all I have to do
Is take a look at you, then I’m not so blue…

Lyrics from a well-known song and oh-so-true for many Callen fans out there (including the contributors to this post).

Tuxedo, uniform, checkered shirt, doctor’s outfit, polo shirt, swimming gear or plain shirt – Callen looks great in almost anything!
But there is one thing – or should we say one color – that suits him best.
It’s the one thing that highlights one of his most striking and beloved features – one that is mentioned in many fanfics, one that is reason for a lot of squeeing, one feature even G’s neighbor Elise blogged about: his striking blue eyes.
Surely there is no Callen fan who has not sighed, squeed and swooned over those eyes, especially in a certain lighting up in Ops…

…but before I start rambling about G’s gorgeous blue eyes let’s go back to what this post is supposed to be about – the one color that we love to see G Callen in most.

You all know what I am talking about: Callen wearing blue – light blue, dark blue, greyish blue, purplish blue, caribbean blue, midnight blue, blue check, blue under a jacket, blue under a doctor’s coat and many, many more…

So here we go – feast your eyes on “50 Shades of Blue”!

(We realize these are more than 50  but we thought you – as Callen fans – wouldn’t mind getting a little more G!)

Feel free to squee as much as you like!
(And yes, of course, you will find the Caribbean blue shirt in this collection as well, just keep watching!):

 

Thanks to Vicki, FanGCallen, Richtsje, justdreaming, Bee, Keviana and sindee for contributing to this post and squeeing with me! It has been a pleasure! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

[1/5/14: Original post; 11/2/15: Repost due to a “certain movie world premiere”… 🙂]

Callen’s Corner: Lowering The Walls (Stonewalling, Part 2)

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We’ve contemplated about Callen’s stonewalling tactics recently. Now we think it’s high time to take a closer look at those moments when G lowers his wall and lets us see a little of his innermost thoughts and feelings – those scenes that add an intriguing vulnerability to the otherwise badass agent.

Reznikov2

Despite his constant deflective behaviour when it comes to his private life, we‘ve managed to get some glimpses of Callen’s past. Just bits and pieces, often emotional ones, but they add to the mysterious puzzle that G Callen is and make us feel with him.
When questioning Alex Walder in S1x6, „Keepin’ it real“, he shared a story of his past as a foster kid – a rare moment.

Callen: There was this kid. Jason. He was a couple of years older than me, and I lived with him in a foster home. He looked out for me. Not for any other reason than it was just the right thing to do. He used to make up these, uh, “G” names for me: G-Money, G-Ride, G-Force… One night, our foster dad got drunk and he beat him to death. I felt bad ’cause I didn’t do anything to help him. I still do. Who killed Brandon, Alex?

Keepin it real
Agent Giordano thought he might have made that story up to get Walder talking – but when asking about it, Callen sidestepped her question and didn’t answer, the stonewalls were back up again.

Giordano: Wow. That was pretty damn cool, Callen. Any of it true?
Callen: Rick Pargo. You know him?

It is possible that this story is not real, that Callen only invented it, but I don’t think so. With a past like his I doubt that he would make a story like that up.

Callen’s stonewalling is a direct result of his trust issues and often leads to his going lone wolf again. On those rare occasions when Callen opens up it is mainly Sam who is on the receiving end – which is proof that Callen trusts Sam more than anyone else.

Search and Destroy, S1x4
Sam: You looking for someone?
Callen: One of my pit stops as a kid was a couple blocks from here. Wonder if I’m passing anyone I used to know. Not that it matters now.
Sam: If it didn’t matter, you wouldn’t have brought it up, G.

In S3x1, „Lange, H“, Callen revealed to Sam (and only Sam) what he remembered about his past in Romania – again, that scene is a huge sign of trust between the two partners. Despite his reluctance in the beginning, Callen shared his moving memories with Sam:

Sam: How do you know this place?
Callen: I was born here.
Sam: You got 30 minutes.
Callen: To do what?
Sam: To tell me what just happened on the beach.
[Callen glares at him]

 [Romania. Auto trade warehouse. Sam and Callen are checking their guns]
Sam: You gonna tell me what spooked you?
Callen: You said I had 30 minutes; it’s only been seven.
Sam: How long is it gonna take you to tell me?
Callen: About a minute.
Sam: Then you got 22 minutes.
Callen: Goooood. That’s the third time you’ve stripped that pistol. You’ll wear it out.
Sam: Yeah, just load your ammo, okay?

Lange, H 2
[Callen sighs, drops his weapon, stares at Sam and hesitates. Sam looks at him, waiting. Callen sits down and starts his tale]
Callen: Those memories I told you about–the guy giving me the toy soldier. I always just assumed that’s where it took place–on a local beach, kids playing.
[Callen reminds the football players on the beach]
Callen: I was making sand castles.
[He’s back on the beach; he has put the tin soldier on his castle; the day is very sunny – Callen shakes his head; he’s touched – He looks at his buddy]
Callen: This is where I’m from, Sam.
Sam: How can you be so sure?
Callen: I remembered…
[Words are not easy; tears appear in his eyes]
Callen: …a woman.
[At the beach, the woman with a large hat is laughing]
Callen: My mother.
[Little boy Callen is busy with his castle. Two men come; one of them stops in front of him; gun shots. The boy gets up at the sound: the 2nd man is lowering his gun, the woman is slumped in his armchair]
Callen: [Angrily] They shot her.
[The agents exchange a long look… Callen lips quiver…]

However, in the course of the five seasons of the show we have seen him starting to open up a little more towards Kensi and Deeks as well:

S5x4, Reznikov, N.
[Bullpen. Reinhardt’s ID on screen. Deeks stands up and gives G a photo]
Deeks: 1980.
Callen: I was ten years old.
Deeks: Bakersfield.
Callen: Oh, yeah, the McPhersons. They had a trucking company. They were my…tenth foster house.
Kensi: How long did you live there for?
Callen: Just a few weeks…I actually liked her. I used to help her with her gardening.
[He chuckles]
Deeks: What about him?
Callen: Not so much. Used to beat me with a broom handle.
[Deeks and Kensi exchange a look. G doesn’t look at them]
Kensi: Is that why they moved you?
Callen: They moved me because one day I took the broom handle out of his hand and I broke it over his head.

Reznikov N 2
Whether Callen shared this piece of information with Kensi and Deeks on purpose or he just let it slip accidentally while being caught up in his memories – it is proof that Callen (consciously so or not) is finally starting to open up and let the team members in, at least to a certain extent.

And then there were those few times when Callen shared memories and thoughts with people he somehow identified with and thus allowed himself to lower his external as well as his internal walls. The following scene with the boy Alex from S4x20, „Purity“ might be perceived as an act of stonewalling because G evaded answering the questions properly but for those who know about Callen’s past it sheds a little light on his days in foster care:

Purity
[Alex is on a swing in a garden, looking gloomy. A woman accompanies G out of the house, and leaves them. Both have a baseball glove]
Callen: Morning, Alex.
Alex: Didn’t think you’d come.
Callen: I said I would. Got a ball?
[He takes it]
Callen: Let’s toss it. What did you have for breakfast?
Alex: Pancakes.
Callen: Lucky. Pancakes?! Sheesh.
[They exchange balls]
Callen: How’d you sleep last night?
Alex: Okay, I guess.
Callen: If you sleep well the first night, it means you’re in a good place.
Alex: How do you know?
[Callen half-smiles, half-sighs]
Callen: I just do.
[♫ They keep playing…♫]

 Callen also let us have a glimpse into his inner life during his conversation with Walton Flynn in S1x4, „Search and Destroy“. Coming face to face with someone who is so much like him and whose life bears so many similarities to his, we became witnesses of one of those rare moments when Callen talked about things that could be, a possible future, a turn he maybe would like his life to take… thoughts he probably doesn’t allow himself to think under usual circumstances. Just a few sentences – but carrying a huge meaning…

Callen: DOD will do your intake locally, then they’ll ship you off to D.C. for protective custody until the trial’s over.
Flynn: Yeah, right. And one day, we’ll both live in the burbs, barbecue with our neighbours and coach little league.
Callen: I don’t know. Teaching your son how to play baseball sounds petty idyllic.
Flynn: Yeah, it does. But that’s why we do what we do, so others can live those lives.

Search and Destroy
It may be just my impression, but Callen’s character seems to have become a little lighter over the course of the past seasons. Having confirmation now that he once was part of loving family, the growing level of trust and comfort he seems to have around his NCIS „family“ and even his relationship with Joelle (wether still intact or not) might account for that.

The latest and one of the most touching moments of Callen lowering his walls was seen just recently in episode 6×12, „ Spiral“, and again, it’s Sam with whom he shares his feelings. Not only did we see a very emotional Callen thanking Sam for being there when he woke up but he also acknowledged his thoughts and regrets in the face of death, one among them standing out:

 G: „I regret giving up on believing that I might meet my dad someday.“

Spiral
However, as Sam stated, there is still time for Callen to make up for missed opportunities and lost time. Might this touching moment be a lead-in for some Callen-centric scenes and more revelations in the episodes to come? I sincerely hope so!

What about you other Callen fans out there? Have we mentioned your favorite scene? How do you think Callen’s behaviour has changed over the course of the seasons? And do you think Callen will meet his father someday? If so, what do you think will happen? Will his walls collapse entirely? Will he finally be able to trust and settle down? Looking forward to reading your thoughts on this topic!

As usual, thanks to Vicki,  justdreaming, Richtsje and B for their input and thoughts on the topic as well as ncis-los-angeles.hypnoweb.net for the transcripts and ncislosangelesfan for the screenshots! And last but not least thanks to sindee – for everything she does!

Callen’s Corner: Stonewalling

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„Stonewalling“: The act of stalling, evading, or filibustering, especially to avoid revealing politically embarrassing information.

„The act of stalling, evading or filibustering…“–well, that description certainly fits G Callen pretty well.

We all know that G Callen isn’t one to open up easily. He has outstanding stalling skills, is an expert of evading and first class in filibustering.

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Watching Callen avoiding questions about his private life and personal well-being is stonewalling in perfection. Throughout the last five seasons and the beginning of season 6 he’s made use of different ways and tactics to deflect anything he hasn’t wanted to share with others – which is almost everything that does not relate to his work (and sometimes not even that).

Let’s take a closer look at the „master of stonewalling“ and his various tactics:

1) The use of humour and/or sarcasm:

We saw him use this means in the very first episode of NCIS Los Angeles, S1x1, „Identity“. Nate tried to get Callen to talk about the drive-by shooting and its consequences. This was the first (and by far not the last) time that we’ll see Nate, the otherwise very skilled psychologist, getting the short end of the stick during an encounter with G.

 Nate: Get a note from your doctor?
Callen: You’re my doctor, Nate.
Nate: Yeah, I just get to play around inside your head, though. How’s the rest of you? Aches? Pains? Insomnia?
Callen: Yeah, all of that. Before I was shot.

Identity

In S1x12, „Past Lives“, Sam followed Callen to the house of Kristen Donelly and the two had a conversation about his alias Jason Tedrow. As soon as the talk turned to the personal topic of Callen having been involved with Kristen and possibly being the father of her son, G did the „stonewalling thing“ and started joking to distract from the subject. Sam, however, knowing his partner better than anyone else, did not give in and finally managed to make him admit the truth and reveal his feelings in the end – which is rare for G Callen.

Callen: Okay… So I got close to her. She doesn’t know my real name. The man she fell in love with doesn’t even exist.
Sam: What about the kid?
Callen: He was never a suspect, either, but he did seem a little shifty.
Sam: Who’s the kid’s father?
Callen: I don’t know.

Past Lives

2) Sidestepping

Evading an answer, attempting to change the subject entirely or using an obviously flimsy excuse to end a personal conversation – all these are different variations G uses for sidestepping a topic.

We find a classic situation of Callen stonewalling by sidestepping in the following conversation from S1x16, „Chinatown“– and this time Sam didn’t manage to squeeze an answer out of him – Callen’s private life remains… private.

Sam and Callen are coming into the office together.
Sam: If you tell me you’re picking me up at 9:00, 8:50 I’m curbside.
Callen: I got caught up in something.
Sam: What? You don’t have a TV. You don’t read the newspaper. You clearly don’t spend
any time getting ready.
Callen: Well, maybe I was working out.
Sam: (laughs) You don’t work out.
Callen: I run.
Sam: Yeah, when people are shooting at us.
Callen: Mm-hmm. All right, you know what? I slept in.
Sam: With who? You barely sleep.
Callen: There’s nobody. Come on.
Sam: I think it would be great for you to be in a relationship.
Callen: Sam, how many times are we going to have this conversation? You are my partner, not my mother.
Sam: (with motherly tone): I just want you to be happy and find a good girl.

Chinatown 2

In S5x11, „Iron Curtain Rising“ it is again Sam who saw through Callen’s stonewalling manveuer when he caught him crashing in the gym – only this time Callen is spared an answer by the arrival of „Hetty-Bot“.

Sam: You know you have a house now. You can sleep there. That’s what normal people do.
Callen: I sleep there. I do.
Sam: You’re like a cat that keeps going back to its old place, even though the owners moved.
Callen: What do you want me to say? I’m a creature of habit.
[Sam scoffs]
Sam: Yeah, you’re a creature, all right. Of bad habits.
Callen: What is your deal this morning? Did the kids eat your Cocoa Puffs again?
Sam: Don’t go trying to change the sub…
[Hetty clearing her throat over speaker interrupts him. They stare at..]
Sam: What the…?
[Hetty’s face is on a monitor moving on its own…]

Gym

In S5x16, „Fish Out Of The Water“ we saw a mixture of different tactics – first Callen tried to deflect Sam’s questions by joking and sidestepping and when this didn’t work, he continued with another soon-to-be-discussed tactic – refusing to answer at all:

Sam: So you guys wanna come over for dinner on Saturday night?
Callen: Who? Me and Deeks? … What?
Sam: Don’t “what” me. This is how you’re gonna play it?
Callen: Don’t know what you’re talking about.
Sam: Hope you’re a better liar next time we get in trouble.
Callen: Seriously – your lips are moving, words are coming out, they don’t make any sense. It’s like you had a stroke or something.
Sam: Fine. You can tell me or Jo can tell my wife, then she’ll tell me.
Callen: Ohh – this is about that.
Sam: Yeah, this is about that.
Callen: Well, that has nothing to do with this.
Sam: Oh, so it’s serious.
Callen: It’s not serious, it’s just personal.
Sam ( laughs): So we don’t share anymore?
Callen: Since when are you interested in my love life, huh?
Sam: Since you started having one.
Callen: Excuse me for wanting to keep some things private, okay.
Sam: Some things? You make Howard Hughes looking like an extrovert. I’m talking long hair, germaphobic, save his own urine Hughes.

S5x16
3) Open refusal to answer

As shown in the above quote („It’s not serious, it’s just personal.“ / „Excuse me for wanting to keep some things private.“) sometimes Callen doesn’t use any intricate maneuvers to deflect questions, instead he went for an open denial of answering.

In some cases he has a pretty plain attitude when it comes to not giving away anything of his innermost thoughts as can be seen in the following two quotes from Season 4:

S4x22, „Ravens and Swans“
[Callen is sitting in the armory looking at a file on Grace that Eric found for him]
Sam: “You hiding in here?”
Callen: “No!  Just looking for some quiet to concentrate.  You guys find Vandenberg?”
Sam: “Not yet.” [Sam walks closer to Callen]  “You good?”
Callen: “Do I seem good?”
Sam: “Just a little off your game.”
Callen: “Would you have made a different call at the hotel?”
Sam: “Maybe. But that doesn’t mean it would of been the right one.”
[Callen nods his head]
Sam: ” What’s going on?”
Callen [shakes his head]: “Nothing.”
Sam: “Worried about getting dressed up for the birthday party?”
Callen [laughs a little]: “Yeah that’s what it is.”  [Walks out of the armoury]
Sam: “Okay!  But when you’re ready, you let me know what it really is.”
Callen [turns to face Sam]: “There’s nothing to tell you.”
Sam: “Right!”
[Callen leaves the armory]

 S4x1, „Endgame“
The meeting with Vaziri at the beach where he refuses to talk to him:
Callen: Naseem Vaziri. I know who you are. [he doesn’t take his hand]
Vaziri: Then you know we have a mutual acquaintance. Or we did. Until you killed him. I’m intrigued, Agent Callen. Why you would do such a thing? Janvier must have found your weakness.
Callen: Got nothing to say to you.
Vaziri: Just listen, then. Janvier and I were engaged in a business transaction. He was going to give me a file.
Callen: I’m not Atley.
Vaziri: Atley had a price. Janvier had a price. We all have a price. I just need to find out what’s yours.

Endgame 2

Also, right at the beginning of „Endgame“ there’s a scene where G was stonewalling Sam rather harshly. Later we discovered that this was only a staged situation but Callen’s deflecting behaviour towards Sam is somewhat aggressive:

Endgame 1

This almost aggressive behaviour can also be seen in his encounters with Hunter – only then it is not a staged situation but a real one, revealing that Callen clearly had severe trust issues when it came to Hunter – even more so than usual – which led to Callen closing up entirely.
In S2x24, „Familia“ Callen goes so far as to ditching Hunter during an ongoing conversation.

Hunter: Hetty’s gone, Agent Callen. She told me herself she’s not coming back.
Callen: Well, she hasn’t told me, and since she’s not answering her phone…
Hunter: Then she mustn’t want to talk with you.
Callen: You don’t know Hetty.
Hunter: On the contrary. [Callen leaves her, goes away]
Hunter: Agent Callen? [He doesn’t stop. She calls louder]: Agent Callen! A word with you? — Oh, crap.

Hunter
A recent example for stonewalling by avoiding to answer at all could be seen in S6x04, Third Choir“: With Hetty being in danger Callen is in grave danger of going off the reservation again.

Sam: I hope you know what you’re doing.
Callen: I know exactly what I’m doing. I’m flushing him out.
Sam: Flushing him out. Even if it creates a mob of vigilantes? I want to get this guy, too. I just don’t want to set the city on fire to do it.

 When even Sam questions G’s methods of finding Mattias he simply decides to ignore him and gets in the car.

The most „physical“ example of Callen avoiding questions was also seen just recently in S6x03, „Praesidium“: Callen escaping the DOJ’s questioning by freeing himself from the handcuffs and leaving the boathouse through the trapdoor – choosing a rather wet way to escape.

I can easily say that this scene (swimming, wet Callen having freed himself from the handcuffs) and the reaction of the DOJ lady („Son of a bitch!“) might be one of my favorite Callen stonewalling scenes so far!

So here’s for all Callen fans to savour:

Praesidium2

Praesidium1

4) Turning the tables

My favorite stonewalling maneuver of Callen is „turning the tables“. He is so good at it that sometimes his counterpart doesn’t even realize that Callen has switched roles – much to the delight of the audience.

In S3x3, „Backstopped“ Hunter has switched the teams (much to Callen’s dismay) and Kensi is trying to get Callen to open up a little:

 [Kensi and G. are walking in a residence and run up external stairs]
Kensi: So what’s your favorite food?
Callen: Excuse me?
Kensi: Just breaking the ice.
Callen: Kensi, we’ve known each other for a long time.
Kensi: Yeah, but how much do we really know about each other? We’ve always had Sam and Deeks as these social buffers, and I know you don’t open up to anyone, but still…
Callen: You don’t exactly open up to anyone, either.
Kensi: Yeah, but I’m willing to try for the good of this partnership.
[G. stops and faces her]
Callen: Okay.
Kensi: Okay.
Callen: I’m listening.
Kensi: (chuckles)
[She hesitates, looks at him, smiles, hesitates again, and starts going up again]
Kensi: Just stick to the case.
Callen: Agreed.

Backstopped

I particularly enjoyed the following example of Callen turning the tables during his encounter with Nate in S4x12, „Paper Soldiers“ (sorry, Nate – but how could you EVER fall for Callen’s innocent „puppy dog eyes“? Really?):

Nate: Hey, Callen, wait up. You got a minute to check in? How are things?
Callen: Good. Good. How are…things with you, Nate?
Nate: Great. It’s really good being back. But, well, now that I’m not around so much anymore, I just wanted to make sure you had someone to… talk to.
Callen: You and me both.
Nate: So you do want someone to talk to.
Callen: You know what I really want? I want to meet somebody. How did you do it?
Nate: How…? Well, it’s not really my area of expertise, but, um…I like to lay a foundation first, you know? Get to know them as a friend.
Sam: That’s exactly what I told him.
Callen: But how long, you know, before you ask her out?
Nate: Oh, well, that depends.
Callen: Well, this time, for instance.
Nate: This one was tricky–it was, like…three years.
Sam: Mm-hmm.
Callen: Wow. I don’t think I’d really have the patience for that.
Sam: He really doesn’t. Three years?
Nate: When she’s the right one…you will.
Callen: That’s great. Nate, thanks for the talk.
Sam All right.
Nate: Thanks, guys.
[They leave him]
Sam: And the psychologist becomes the patient.
Callen: He never knew what hit him until it was already over.
[Sam laughs- Nate is grinning; his smile fades away]
Nate: I hate it when he does that.

Paper Soldiers1

But even Callen can’t beat the true master of stonewalling as this scene from S1x24, „Callen, G“ describes pretty well:

Callen had pressured Eric into giving him the address of a person of interest in a case that Hetty had taken him off of. He found that the CIA, specifically his old associate Trent Kort, was already on the scene. After Sam and Kensi arrived, Kort gave them a name of another suspect in the case, Karim Akbari. Callen had Sam call the name into Ops, explaining that Hetty had taken him off the case.

Hetty walks up next to the bullpen to find Callen casually looking through a file, as if he’d been there all along.
Hetty: I’d send you home, but I know that’d only move you from that chair, to that sofa.
Callen: I’m still looking for a place.
Hetty: I just got a rather officious phone call from a mid-level, timecard puncher at the CIA. He wanted to know why we had requested access to a classified file of an ongoing operation. Have you ever heard of, um, Karim Akbari?
Callen confidently looks her right in the eyes and declares: I don’t know anything about him.
Hetty, now looking a bit perturbed: That’s not what I asked you, Mr. Callen.
Sam walked in just in the nick of time, taking responsibility for the call to the CIA, taking the heat off his partner (for only a moment.)
And in that moment, Callen, stepped off into dangerous grounds, a bit too much smugness on his face and in his voice.
Callen: Sounds like the CIA is stonewalling us.
Hetty: I know a lot about stonewalling. (The smugness quickly vanished.) After I finished with the timecard puncher, I called the Director of the CIA who offered to brief us on Karim Akbari. The agent’s name is Trent Kort.

No longer able to withstand Hetty’s knowing stare, Callen looked down at his desk, trying his best to look nonchalant, and failing miserably. After all this time, it seems like G would have learned – Hetty knows. She ALWAYS knows. You can’t stonewall the master.

Callen G

Now, we’ve found numerous examples of Callen’s stonewalling tactics and this list is far from being complete.

However, there are also those moments where Callen lowers his walls and opens up (a little). We would like to shed some light on Callen opening up in a second part of this post which is to come soon.

In the meantime, feel free to share your favorite Callen stonewalling moments with us!

 

Thanks to Vicki,  justdreaming, Richtsje and B for their input and thoughts on the topic as well as ncis-los-angeles.hypnoweb.net for the transcripts and ncislosangelesfan for the screenshots! And last but not least thanks to sindee for taking over the tough job of looking for pictures of Callen coming out of the water – I’ll never put such a burden on you again 😉