@cbs
IMPACT (5X02)
WRITTEN BY: Sara Servi and R. Scott Gemmill
DIRECTED BY: Jonathan Frakes
Last week’s episode was an emotional roller coaster rider for most fans of the show. If I had to go by the comments from my last review of Ascension, I would say you were all pretty taken back by all the raw emotions (or lack thereof by certain team members) that were displayed on screen last week. But frankly, Deeks’ reaction to the violence he encountered hit a nerve with everyone on that team, even if they all had different ways of showing it. According to Shane Brennan, Impact takes place four months AS (After Sidorov) and Deeks is not handling the ordeal any better than when Kensi first found him in the Mission carrying that box around in a dazed stupor. It’s time to bring in the big guns, and Nate Getz returns to grace the Mission halls once again in order to help the team get back on its feet. But will it be enough?
But life goes on and the team has to concentrate on their new case…the death of a former maverick Navy Admiral and journalist who were killed in a plane crash. Sam feels ready to take on the new case but Hetty has sent in Nate for one finally screening of the durable Sam Hanna who is tired of shrinks and ready to serve. But Hetty knows the downside of not being fully vigilant when taking care of the body and convinces Sam to meet with Nate. Sam wants the whole thing to be over and done with and feels uncomfortable by how nice everyone has been to him….actually too nice. Nate tries to explain how trauma works but Sam is a practical man. To survive is to let go. Although he fears what any future damage can do to him….for now the hard part is over. Not so with Deeks.
Hetty has a little visit with the off the grid Deeks and tries her best to understand what horrors he is still reliving. (Will somebody please tell me what she was doing hiding behind those curtains?) In the end she has to lay her cards on the table. She needs Deeks back or the team will have to go on permanently without him. But Hetty is worried and realizes there is a violent storm going on in Deeks’ head. He’s going to need more than relaxation tapes and Hetty doesn’t want him back if he can’t return as the Deeks we all know and love. That could be a tall order.
Meanwhile, Kensi is partnered with Callen at the scene of the crash and laments that she can’t get through to Deeks, even leaving cronuts on his doorstep. Callen tries to reassure her but neither of them really knows the full toll the violence has taken on their respective partners.
At the crash site, the plane’s black box is missing. Nell discovers that there was also a journalist (Jason Carter) on board who had been writing about the war in Afghanistan and was also the ghost writer of the Admiral’s memoirs. Eric is right….someone doesn’t want this book published. Callen and Kensi finds Carter’s apartment has been burned and gutted and his stunned girlfriend has no answers as to why someone might want him dead. Eric discovers that all of Carter’s virtual information has been erased leaving the man a ghost of his former self. On top of that, the block box was stolen proving that the crash was sabotage.
A digital recorder is found in the plane debris with talks of cover ups and war crimes by people who would kill to keep those kinds of secrets. The culprits were able to sabotage the tower’s communications systems and the jet’s instrument systems. Even Eric is amazed by their tech savvy. Callen decides to bait the killers by using the media and Carter’s girlfriend as the source for further damaging information. No surprise the killers take the bait and the sting is a success. I loved Callen being able to read the mind of one of the assassins…he must have been right on by the look on the guy’s face! The raid caught the small fish which hopefully will lead them one day to the larger fish and ultimately those responsible for the crime.
Solving this crime was just the backdrop to the larger issue of trying to get the team back on it’s feet again as a working unit. After Sam, Nate knows he had his work cut out for him. The conversation been Deeks and Nate was real and very raw. Deeks knows he’s in big trouble and has no faith in Nate’s help because he can’t even help himself! Deeks has always been able to survive on brains and instinct his whole life but this is a different ballgame. The trauma is bringing up everything now, even events that go back to his childhood days. The Post Traumatic Stress is kicking in big time and Nate tries to explain how it works and how long it will last but his explanation is not very comforting to Deeks. Nate tries to draw Deeks into talking about his partnership with Kensi and what it means to him. It seems finding the answer to that question may be Deeks way out of the long dark tunnel he’s in. Is he too close to return to Kensi? Why? Is he ashamed as to what happened? Is this what this is all about? It was a heartbreaking conversation all around.
Food, horror movies and cronuts…the recipe that finally gets Deeks to sleep. I assume Nate later encouraged Kensi to visit with Deeks and Deeks took Nate’s conversation to heart as well and opens his front door to let her in. But why didn’t Kensi think to do this a whole lot sooner?? She might have saved the poor man months of sleepless nights! There were so many great lines between the two of them here…too many to record. The most important thing was Kensi was able to reestablish the trust that was lost between her and her partner, allowing Deeks to relax and drift off into sleep. This was probably the sweetest scene ever filmed between the two of them and it warms the heart. Such a huge contrast to the last few episodes. But don’t let this fool you. Deeks still has a long ways to go…and there’s a long season ahead of us too. So what happens next? I hope it’s a love story but at least for now we can all take a big breath in and exhale.
Show Highlights:
- Eric trying to walk in big boy pants had me reliving an old Monty Python sketch. So much fun!
- There was a lot of tough love going around in Hetty’s heart-to-heart with Deeks. More of a maternal talk than supervisor, wouldn’t you say?
- Eric certainly does have a death wish after calling the cam hidden in the garden gnome a Hetty cam! Miss Lange was not amused!
Best Lines for the Show:
Deeks: Hetty! What are you doing?
Hetty: I thought I would brave the monsoon to come check on you?
Deeks: Storm sounds make it easier for you to fall asleap..so…
Hetty: Are you having trouble sleeping?
Deeks: Yeah, I’d say I have a little case of insomnia.
Hetty: Probably all that clenching and releasing. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, you’ve been busy!
Hetty: Always eat your carrots, Mr Hanna!
Eric: This is some serious voodoo. I’m talking black bag, Kung Foo, ninja warrior assassin black bag.
Callen: Do you have any idea what he’s saying?
Kensi: I really don’t but I think it’s bad.
Callen: Either that or his motherboard is fried.
Sam: I want a job where it’s an accomplishment to leave my pants on.
Eric: I have sensitive thighs.
Callen: He has sensitive thighs.
Bromance Moments:
Glad to see the banter is back and in full force with Sam and Callen:
Callen: What did Nate have to say?
Sam: Same old shrink mombo jumbo
Callen: If you ever had sexual fantasies about your mom, do you ever wear her clothes when she’s not home, that sort of thing?
Sam: What? What the hell are you talking about? He asked you that kind of stuff before?
Callen: Yeah, but that’s normal shrink stuff?
Sam: Are you messing with me?
Callen: I’m not messing with you!
Sam: Don’t be messing with me on my first day back!
Densi Moments:
- So what’s going on with Kensi? Is she really thinking of dating and did she already forget Deeks’ kiss or words of endearment from four months ago? Kensi is a complicated woman, and you can’t judge her by her outward actions. The real stuff is hidden deep under all that emotional armor. Besides the abandonment issues leftover from Jack and her father, Deeks has also told her he just wants to get away from everything and everybody. Kensi is probably thinking… oh boy, here we go again. So, she forgets the kiss ever happen and marches on like a good little soldier instead of getting hurt. What complicates Kensi’s actions even more is that she is also a federal cop who keeps the world safe by being invulnerable. Vulnerability equals death…so most law enforcement officials armor up, both mentally and physically in order to go out and perform their jobs affectively. When loves enters the picture, it’s sometimes hard to remove that cloak of invulnerability but in Kensi’s case she wraps it around closer, shuts down and isolates herself from all emotions. Kensi finds it easier to push back on Deeks’ declaration of love… his vulnerable side, than to go to that scary place. She will have to learn that to wake up every day and love someone is a very soul bearing thing to do and she is just not able to make that happen yet. In the last scene, Kensi takes a bold step forward in removing that cloak of invulnerability. If the two are ever to have any chance of love story together she has to continue to let Deeks see that other side of her that she keeps hidden deep inside. The question is… is it too late for any hope of a relationship due to her inability to express her love or is Deeks too damaged to accept it? And the speculation continues…….
Neric Moments:
- How cute was Eric sneaking his head around the post to try and listen in on Nell and Kensi’s dating conversation? Is Nell trying to make Eric jealous or is she having a hard time convincing herself that there’s a future with her colleague in Ops?
- When Eric continues the interrogation of Nell’s dating habits in Ops, the two come close to taking that first step towards a date, but Eric chickens out… afraid of what answer he may get. This is going to take some time folks!
- Eric and Nell are starting to behave like an old married couple. Nell has no problem calling him on the whole pants ordeal:
Nell: Eric, they are pants. People have been wearing them for thousands of years.
Eric: Oh, no….not my people! The Beals of the clan McBeals…
Nell: Now you’re Scottish?
Eric: As heather and haggis!
Nell: So why don’t you wear a kilt?
Eric: I do, I did, I used to until this little incident with Hetty. It’s easy to forget how short she is…her eye line is lower than you think….
Nell: I got it!
@cbs
It was great to find Jonathan Frakes behind the camera again. Check out our interview with Impact guest star, Patti Yasutake who reunited with Frakes in this week’s episode. Patti played Nurse Agawa on Star Trek, The Next Generation and she has some warm memories regarding working with Jonathan on the STTNG set and now together on NCISLA.
Come back next week for my review on Omni (5X03). See you then!
I can be found on Twitter: @Phillydi
I’ve always believed that everything comes when the time is, when we are good and ready. This is the case with Sam and Deeks’s recovery. They only accept the outside world people in when they are ready for this. It takes time, it takes patience, it takes even some professional help.
One thing draw my attention, about the effect of repeated trauma – and I think Sam is in a very dangerous place, more than Deeks. Because he has to re-invent himself over and over again, after each such dramatic experience, and he will not be able to do it any more in the future. It’s a tough call on Hetty!
Deeks opens the door to Kensi only when he has come to a point where he is able to do so. The cronut at the door shows she’s been there before, maybe more than once, but the door did not open until Deeks was ready to open it. Opening the door for him is a big breakthrough. Hetty opened it a bit for him previously, when she sneaked in and gave him some perspective over where everybody was, because of where he was.Tough call again for her.
The overall responsability of who they are and what they do is a big piece of the story. They do not sell cabbage in the market (unless they are undercover 🙂 ), they are instrumental in preserving world peace – that is actually so serious and big, that it almost annuls their personal lives. People who do this kind of job should have no family and no emotions, and always keep focus on their job only.
Deeks and Kensi are ‘a love story’, but Romeo and Juliet also had a love story….not quite the happy ending!
I wonder how they can go on with their partnership and the job while letting emotions to flourish – how can you bear to know your beloved one can be hurt, abducted, tortured, killed every day, as business as usual?!
Awwww where do I even begin?
Seeing Deeks so…..not Deeks broke my heart. Isolated from the rest of the team, in a messy house with all drapes closed talking to himself!
Although to be honest with you I kinda also got angry at him. I hated how indifferent he was everytime Kensi’s name was brought up and how he dodged her calls. Also how defensive he got against Nate when he mentioned their relationship.
At first I didn’t understand Hetty’s actions. She proved to us last season that they had her “blessing”. I think she still favors them, and she as just concerned about the status of their relationship. She wanted to make sure that they were willing to work things out.
Aw she got him a cronut from New York.
The last scene was pure perfection with no interruptions at all. I absolutely loves how relaxed they both acted and how close they sat. Gayle is an expert when it comes to body language so I’ll leave that part to her. It was the perfect way to end this episode With Deeks falling asleep thanks to her.
When he said “Someday you’re gonna make somebody the perfect….” I could bet he was going to say wife but thank God he said personal assistant. I think you can all understand why I am happy about it.
Now that the word “love” has made it’s appearence, everything changes. I honestly don’t know where they will lead them from here.
I’ve missed Nate although I expected more of him. I thought he was going to interact with the whole team. Anyway, I hope we’ll see him again.
My thoughts are all over the place. I’ll gather them and come back if I’ve missed sth.
Wonderful review! I really liked your insight into Kensi. It was a great episode from start to finish.
My favourite line of the episode was from Deeks:
“It’s like America and France made slow sweet love and made a pastry baby.”
There was focus on Eric’s pants, but did anyone else notice Callen’s beautiful blue t-shirt? 🙂
Oh, definitely!!! 😉
Awesome review Phillydi!! I so agree with everything that you said!! Ending scene was so sweet, but yes she should have done that weeks ago. And PTSD affects people in so many different ways, it didn’t surprise me that Deeks evaded calls or seemed indifferent to Kensi. He is dealing with a very traumatic experience, and it will affect his behavior, thoughts, and his physical state. I’m also wondering if it still is four months later, or if they only showed that for Callen and Janvier and then backed it up. In any event, I truly hope this is the beginning of the healing process for all.
I do have one bone of contention with the show. Hetty. I understand that she says she doesn’t want him back if he isn’t the man he was. Lives are on the line and the team has to be fully functional. What I’m perplexed by is her conversation with Nate. Wondering if he is too close to his partner to return??? WHAT?!?!? She put them together. She wants them to be together. Sunshine and Gunpowder? A bit hypocritical don’t ya think? I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Thank you for all your wonderful contributions!!
Eric and his pants totally had me dying… Dying laughing of course. Omg that whole thing was awesome. I love how having to wear pants threw Eric of his game… He was all conspiracy theory meets geekdom.
I was most surprised by Hetty this episode. I was angry because didn’t she try to push Kensi and Deeks towards each other last season only to give Nate an angry comment about them being to close? I admit I was angry with Hetty last night. I don’t understand what she’s playing at with the pants for Eric, the non support of her staff for four months and the kensi/Deeks thing.
Again ECO did an amazing job and love that the bromance between Callen and Sam is back in full force… I am worried about Sam self imploding later though.
Looking forward to seeing Sam and Deeks on screen together again. I caught the Shaggy reference by Deeks to Nate so it still bothers him.
Carrie
We all assume that Kensi never bothered to ring his doorbell, but we can’t be sure about that. Maybe she knocked but he didn’t answer. That is why she left the cronut on the doorstep in the first place.
BTW, at the episode “Personal” we saw that Deeks lived in an apartment building. Last night it didn’t look like it was the same building.
Maybe he moved since then … and also got rid of the dogs playing poker painting after he realised it was a cheap imitation 😉 Heh heh
What makes your reltionship unique? It’s a love story.
Can’t love more that last scene!
When partners get too close,this may affect their job – which basically involves danger breakfast, lunch and dinner. They may start seeing danger in a different light. I think this growing emotional attachment between Deeks and Kensi, combined with his recent trauma will trigger Hetty’s decision mid season to separate them (with what we currently assume is Kensi going to Afghanistan and Deeks probably staying with the team).
First, Eric, was an absurd humor, I laughed to tears. Moreover, the return of Nate was a great help for the boys. We missed the psychologist team.
Sam is really a strong man wow!
and Deeks and Kensi, well no words are just perfect and Kensi despite all his fears and the fact that he has said he wanted to put it all behind, did not leave him alone, and so they gave us one of the best Densi moments. .. this is pure and simple love! is a love story 🙂
you have to wait a week …Tuesday move !!!!!!
Okay. Don’t throw things at me, all you romantics. I love Deeks, and I love Kensi, just not Densi. Although, I do think it has made for some added interest on the show. I agree that Kensi probably did ring or knock the first time she came bearing conuts. And I think Hetty understands the repercussions if Kensi and Deeks get too close. But she cares for them enough, that she would rather them sacrifice their careers than their lasting happiness. (Just a thought from a mother of grown children.)
I think after the super intense season opener, the smiles and the banter from Callen and Sam were like a breath of fresh air. And the “bag-o-pants” thing with Eric and Nell was just the icing on the cake. Soooo funny!
Wow I did not envy Diane being tasked with writing this review! I’ll start by saying I have hard;y any idea what the case was truly about because I’m so invested in these characters. Plane boom, reporter, admiral, not over, yeh yeh I’ll review that later since it’s obviously going to come back at some point.
The girls going out? Kensi’s not going to sequester herself for 4 months, especially when her partner has closed her out.
Eric & the pants = equals comic brilliance. The reference to the “date” – cheeky! I hope this great Neric epsiode isn’t completely overshadowed by Densi.
Deeply appreciated they gave and showed some vulnerability in Sam. His outcome was pretty much what I expected, but Nate’s reference to the future was a bit ominous. Ok – let’s get down to real business now.
Hetty, you do not ever scare a PTSD victim, especially within the security of his own home. Just no. She does care, but she needed to pull back for her own feelings and the good of the team. Anything less would jeopardize everyone. That tough love can be risky.
I really want to know how Deeks came upon those coping methods of the physical relaxation, calming sounds, keeping the room dark, etc. I don’t think I buy that he researched all that and acted upon it alone. How did he get there? And the team really left him alone for 4 months? That doesn’t feel right either.
Nate had good interaction with Sam, but I personally found it lacking with Deeks. Deeks’ lines about his mind racing and challenging Nate’s knowledge were again right on; the writers are giving a genuine look into the results of his situation. How Nate responded is questionable. He not only let Deeks get away with making the “crazy” reference, but went along with it. I know no professional who would have permitted that. Asking Deeks leading questions was good, but I’m unsettled that Nate invoked the Kensi topic. Perhaps this was the subject that he knew would garner the deepest connection that would result in actual action by the detective.
Many wondered why Nate didn’t offer meds. First, this is rarely a long-term solution to deeper-seeded issues. Second, I am hoping the show didn’t want to go down the path of “a drug will fix everything” or potentially creating an addition for Deeks. I’m happy they didn’t go there. (Plus, in “Hand to Hand” Deeks sincerely stated, “I don’t do drugs.”)
I can completely see Deeks shutting out everyone, especially Kensi. He can’t be right with himself, so he’s not going to want anyone else to see that, especially her. He built his life alone, so asking for help is never going to be an initial thought.
The final scene. As soon as he opened the door and we were presented with the music cue, I knew we were in for some Densi magic. (Reminded me of another great scene from “The West Wing”.) It took him a moment to open the door. Here I could almost hear him talking to himself, that he needed to do this, to take this step. So yeh, maybe Nate did plant that seed.
The dialogue was an overload of Densiness. We felt him leaning toward “wife/girlfriend”, but the pause made us know he wasn’t going there. He didn’t mock her for the dessert; she didn’t comment on the messiness. She took control of the situation, which would be comfortable for her and typical of their ‘ship.
For me (& thanks Evi for the kind comment) the telling moment was when Kensi turned on the TV & mentioned the movie. There was a moment of uncertainly nearing panic on Deeks’ face. This meant she was going to be there for awhile; he couldn’t just cover for a short time and see her on her way to return to the cave he’d constructed for himself physically and emotionally. In that moment he had to decide to let go, to put down some of the weight he had been carrying alone for so long. It wasn’t that she took on his issues, but simply was there to support him as set it aside momentarily to give himself a break.
Now I’m betting we’ll have a Densi break in the near future. Remember Deeks will still be “struggling”; anything less would be disrespectful to the issue. We’ve already been told it seems like all will be back to normal, but then everything will be up-ended. (Enter Dave Kalstein & 5×9 here, right?!)
In the end Kensi brought him food (the way to a man’s heart, after all) and went to a safe, typical interaction with them. However, she has still not done nor said anything in response to the kiss or his words at the end of Ascension. Meet me back here at the end of S5 to revisit this topic.
(Ok – that was a lot of writing, so I’m saving these for blog when it finally goes to S5 next summer!)
Gayle
Gayle, your plot synopsis made me laugh out loud- it was exactly the level of detail I took away from the episode! And while I’m alright with Kensi going along with the girls on their date just to support Rose, the way she was laughing, really laughing, with Nell in the bullpen seemed so wrong to me… Deeks’ relaxation tapes seemed very fitting for someone who goes in for some of the new age stuff he apparently has been known to do… I loved your insights into Deeks’ PTSD and treatment, as well as what he was thinking and feeling in the last scene.
Did anyone notice the guitar at Deek’s apartment? I guess he still practices. No sight of the painting woth the dogs though….too bad!
Even though it was no action-packed episode, there were so many great things in it. I [yes, even I!] was impressed most by ECO, he was só good in this episode?
But there was more, the banter, the clever thinking of Callen, loved it all!
Loved this episode!!! The scene between deeks and kensi was so good and it made me happy seeing deeks start to act like himself again, if only a little bit. His scene with nate was well written and I think nate’s question finally got deeks to see kensi. Love that when deeks figured out his answer to nate, a love story, he was able to sleep at last just like nate said he would. Nate’s scenes with sam were really great and I love that we got to see another side of sam. Finally we have callen and sam scenes!! Loved how callen read the bad guy’s mind! I have to say that even though there were so many great parts of this episode, eric’s scenes were my favorite. From the pants and trying to burn them, to his crazy idea of something like black magic or voodoo going on, to saying the gnome was a hetty cam in front of her, he had me laughing hysterically in every scene of his!! Many great lines, especially with nell and dating. 🙂 Every moment of this episode was outstanding. I think there’s still a lot to come after the premiere and can’t wait to see where it goes!!
I wasn’t really interested in the crime in this episode. I was more interested in the characters. That last scene, well, everyone has said what I wanted to say. I had a smile so big.
I am also glad that that some pointed out the time discrepancy. G visited Janvier 4 months later, but Hetty said Kensi was without a partner for a few weeks (2). I’m confused.
Loved seeing Nate too.
I loved this episode! I’m curious about one thing, though. Where do you think Monty was?
I think Monty is a LA Police dog; he doesn’t actually LIVE with Deeks 🙂
That was my first thought but didn’t they retire him due to his PTSD? Deeks mentioned it in one episode.
I have one Hetty-centered rant for last night’s episode, but let’s start with the good stuff. I thought they smartly used Eric to provide the humor that Deeks normally supplies. His lunges down the corridor, the Hetty gnome-cam comment, and the robot snark were all very funny.
The final scene was incredible. It truly was like a million fan fiction stories come to life. I had hoped that this season we’d see a pushier Kensi trying to prod her partner back to his old self, a role reversal of sorts, and this appeared to be the start of that. The way she repeated “watch it with me… watch it with me” totally reminded me of the way Deeks has talked her into doing something he wanted in the past. The way he seemed to revel in the normalcy of their banter just warmed my heart so much. And when he fell asleep? That was ridiculous, complete, over-the-top sweetness. It was a little dose of the comfort I have been craving for the past four and a half months ever since Descent. I can’t believe they’re going to keep these two apart for the rest of the season (and who knows, maybe beyond- it’s going to drive me insane.
I thought the music was quite effective here- that guitar immediately set the mood (just as the piano did in the final scene of Ascent). One of the many things I loved about this last scene was its length- nearly 4 minutes, a rarity for this show. And it could have ended at several earlier points, yet they kept pushing things along a little further. It could have stopped right when he fell asleep with her gazing at him, and we all would have said “Awww” and loved it. It could have stopped with her asking “What happens next?” which would have put a whole different spin on it. But they went all the way to the “love story” line, which was sooo romantic and sweet, plus it was the answer to Nate’s earlier question, which made it all the more wonderful.
I thought the Nate scenes were OK as far as they went but they didn’t go all that far. I also thought Deeks’ reference to the Shaggy nicknames in this context perhaps showed a bit of anger lingering towards his co-workers. ECO was very good, especially in the scene with Hetty where he looked so sad when she told him she needed him to make up his mind about coming back. I also like that neither Deeks nor Sam was completely fixed in one episode, and that the impacts will reverberate for much longer. I would love to see them explore various aspects of this: Deeks’ evolving recovery, Sam’s maybe too-good-to-be-true coping, Callen’s reaction to seeing a more vulnerable partner, and Sam and Deeks working together more, maybe supporting one another, or maybe encountering continuing friction.
And finally, I felt completely betrayed by Hetty throughout the episode. It made me think that I need to reevaluate everything I ever thought about her and about her relationship with Deeks. She was so cold towards him and when talking about him that I found myself saying very unpleasant things at her. First at Deeks’ house, 1) how cruel is it to startle someone who’s just been through a traumatic experience, and 2) she was so cool towards him and his insomnia, as if she were gathering evidence to fire him. She hardly said anything to indicate that she was worried about him or cared about him; she just tried to make him feel guilty about abandoning Kensi. Her seemingly single-minded focus on whether or not she could re-assemble her team felt incredibly cold and calculating.
Then, the line from the promo about not wanting him back- wow, that came off even colder than I expected. She’s talking about a man who just saved Sam’s life and his wife’s and who helped to save hundreds of thousands of lives in the process. He ought to have some sort of commendation. She owes him a hell of a lot, and I got no sense that she felt at all responsible for helping him or that she even cared. I mean, I could see her saying those words since she needs to protect the remaining team members, but only if they were accompanied by “I’m really concerned about him and want to make sure he has all the help he needs.” Then at the end questioning Nate about Densi, as if she didn’t write the “sunshine and gunpowder” note. What’s that about? Just as in Descent I turned on Sam, I’m afraid I’ve turned even more dramatically on Hetty. She made me incredibly sad and disappointed.
I also found myslelf furious at Hetty. But watching her scenes repeatedly my fury subsided a bit.
Maybe she was so “cold” and firm with Deeks cause he needed some tough love.
Then, when she said that he is too close to return, I don’t think it was meant as an accusation, but a sad realization that Deeks himself is not willing to return unless he is back in his old self. He doesn’t want Kensi seeing him like that.
OF course I still hold the ” I don’t want him back” line against her. I understand that their line of work is dangerous and requires stable agents, but that was extremely harsh of her.
You know I wonder if Hetty isn’t traumatized in some sort? I wonder if because of recent events in the past few years ie: Hunter and Renko killed, Sam and Deeks tortured. That she is somehow thinking she has to separate herself a bit from them and become more rigid? maybe that will save them all?
I found her making Eric wear pants odd and I found her handling of the Deeks and Sam situation cold and distancy (can that be a word?). I even thought the comments she made about Deeks and Kensi to Nate a complete turn on what she had been doing last season. She was setting Callen and that one girl from NCIS Red up and trying to get KEnsi and Deeks closer…
My perception of working relationships and rules in this agency is somewhat different. Hetty is head of the agency, and besides her sympathy with the team members issues, she is their Boss. She cannot afford to jeopardize lives and missions to accomodate their wants and needs (beyond a certain limit). This is a job you take or leave under given conditions. When you can no longer do it, for various reasons, you have the option to be out. Hetty will take decisions based on reason and not emotions, that ability is what had kept her in that line of business for so long. Reason is what keeps you alive being an agent, your emotions are one step closer to tragedy for yourself and for others.
That’s why I always try to put this background to the characters’ actions and words – this is not ordinary life, where you balance work and life, you put family first, etc. This is a job where you put the higher state interest first, your mission, you keep a clear mind to stay alive. Sam is the only one with a family, but even his family is integrated with work – his wife is in the same line of business and it is not your typical family.
It’s funny.Many people were disappointed of the 1st episode I wasn’t and now it’s the other way around.
See,I didn’t expect too much of the 1st episode I knew that this one would only be about completing the operation,making a clean cut the time shift of 4 months would follow and then we’d face the facts and consequences of everything the team has been through.
Knowing that Nate would come back I hoped that he’d do evaluations of the whole team because even if Deeks and Sam were the ones being tortured it doesn’t make it easier for Callen and Kensi.
I wanted to see some development in his character which I did.I think Nate handled Deeks and Sam a lot better than he would have done in Season 1 BUT I wish I could have seen more of that!
For me the sign that Kensi is feeling it too, is her talk with Nell about the equation being three and horrible things that happened then. I think that out of all of them Deeks is the only one she’s comfortable with to show her emotions, to really relax and now that’s gone and she’s feeling it.
That’s also why I like the last scene, it was simple but perfect and she stayed. She could have easily got up and leave or keep on watching the movie. I think it’s because she realise that while she seems to be able to help him relax some what, he’s returning the favor to her.
For me Sam is in far more danger of freaking out then Deeks. Yeah Deeks isn’t sleeping, his mind is running away with him, but Sam. Just like Nate said, one more thing and then what happens?
I also wonder if the rest knows what Sam has said to Deeks before this all happened. Michelle heard, and it’s probably picked up by the coms, but who sat on the other side?? Maybe it will come out when Deeks returns to work and they actually have to work together again.
Hetty’s been cold towards Deeks, but I think she’s in some sort of protection modus. She needed to know whether he could come back or not. In the end the safety of the team depends on all members being able to do their work. PLus he has been avoiding them, a little reminder about who’s the boss was needed.
About not being pro Densi anymore, I do believe it’s because she realises they have become far more the just a partnership and she’s a little sad that that could get in the way of Deeks coming back. Mauybe wondering what would happen if she pulls them apart.
I found Callen to be far more cold then Hetty, at least Hetty tried and went to see Deeks. The only thing Callen had to offer was that he would be alright????? I know he’s not Deeks partner, but a little more concern wouldn’t hurt.
Nate, I think played his rol well. He’s faced with two persons who have survived bad things before and probably think they don’t need someone helping them. He made Sam open up about his coping mechanism and facing his fear, that maybe one day he’ll not get back. For Deeks I do believe Nate’s been the little step he needed to start his way up again. I found him to be someone who calmed down Deeks’ storm. He told him what he’s been going through is quite ‘normal’ and explains in someway why this is happening right now and not years before. He also asked the questions that got Deeks to think and to finally open the door for Kensi. And in that finding the answer to the question what makes their partnership special.
There is one thing, maybe I’m seeing too much, but at one point Deeks mentions all the things that are going through his mind. He mentions falling of his bike when he’s eight years old. That could of course have happened, but I wonder if it’s used in the scene to hid what really happened, namely the abuse?? If so, perhaps he hasn’t coped with that and it may hamper his recovery today. And it would be a great way into Deeks’ childhood.
But I may be just me, seeing things that aren’t there.
Oh and can I say I really loved Eric!!! The pants!!, but mostly the Hetty Cam, I was like: oh no, he’s dead 🙂 Hetty’s face!!!
BTW can’t wait for next week and the moment the team (cause it aint just her idea) has to face Hetty after driving her car 🙂
I definitely appreciate everything people have mentioned about Hetty’s need to protect the team, to make sure that none of the individual members are going to put themselves or their teammates at risk. That is her responsibility, I get that, and if I were one of them, I’d appreciate that she was looking out for me in that way. But, I also see it as her responsibility to take care of the members of her team who are hurt on the job. Deeks didn’t just have a random breakdown because he has always been mentally unstable; he is suffering as a direct result of trauma experienced in the line of duty. I would just like to see her take that part of her responsibility as seriously.
Just a couple of comments on this episode:
Like many of us, I am confused/angered by Hetty’s attitude about Deeks and Kensi. I do get the “tough love” aspect of her visit to Deeks, but I don’t understand why she’s bringing up their relationship to Nate. Still, Hetty works in mysterious ways, so I’ll wait and see.
A little Eric goes a long way. Like tabasco sauce, he’s fine in moderation, but should never be a main ingredient. Cue the FF button.
Sam’s conversation with Nate: I loved this, especially the second scene where he talks about disconnecting and watching himself – the guy in the chair – from a distance. I thought it was an interesting parallel that both Sam and Deeks talk about dissociating to survive the torture (Sam by disconnecting and Deeks by hiding in that place in his head). They’re in some ways not so different after all.
I also loved Nate’s conversation with Deeks. I loved that although Deeks came to talk to Nate, he just couldn’t go in the door. But out on the beach, on his own territory, Deeks is able to open up. I wonder about Deeks’ concern about being crazy – does he have a history of mental illness in his family? Lord knows his father seems to have been a miserable SOB with issues of his own, but what about his mother?
The last scene with Kensi: Wow. What can I say that hasn’t already been said? I did notice that, at the beginning of that scene when Deeks is lying on his couch, he is playing with the curtains with his bare feet. For some reason that just cracked me up. He’s really just a big kid in some ways. I also loved the look on Kensi’s face after she sees he has fallen asleep and leans back next to him. It’s almost as if she’s trying on the feeling of lying next to this man, in a personal (i.e., not undercover) way. And she seems to like it.
I hope the showrunners don’t push the Densi thing too far too fast. It needs to keep developing naturally over time.
the answer at nate’s question about their partnership”IS A LOVE STORY”
Best Scene: Nate and Deeks on the beach.
Best lines:
Hetty: “I don’t want him back if he’s not the man he was.”
Callen: “They’re not talking. Lawyered up before we could zip tie them.”