Well, well, since parts of NCISLAFamilia have been talking about Callen’s “New Do” in the upcoming episode of the show A LOT 😉 we thought why not have a little fun post about it…
And do you remember back in Season Two when all of a sudden “something was missing” when Callen appeared on screen ?? Yeah, the stubble had a no-show in that episode since he was undercover as a cop…
So, which one is it for you ??
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There has been much discussion during Season 5 over Callen’s attitude towards Detective Marty Deeks, after he told him “I don’t want you here.” But if we look into the history and the circumstances around the two, that is not what Callen is really saying. From the beginning, Callen has been pretty much on the sidelines with the issues Sam has held for Deeks. Tension was between these two, not Callen and Deek; although, Callen has joined in the banter to tease the detective over the years. Callen was being Team Leader, ensuring that Deeks was truly ready to return to the team, before anyone’s lives were put at risk. From the beginning, we’ve seen Callen stick up for Deeks to Sam:
Callen: “Maybe he grows on you.”
Sam: “Like ringworm.” (Borderline 2×02)
An interesting moment happened early on in Fame (1×20), that most probably became vital for Callen to trust Deeks on their team. Hetty chose him:
Callen to Hetty about Deeks: “You don’t want him as a liaison, you want him as an agent.”
Callen: You do your homework, don’t you?… In choosing agents. Deeks didn’t end up in this building because we need some LAPD liaison. You’ve been watching him for a while.”
Hetty: “There is a value in being patient.”
These two men appear to have some similarities in their background, which have made them great at undercover work. Yet, Deeks is known with his gift of the gab, whereas Callen only talks if he needs to. They are like the LA version to their DC counterparts: DiNozzo and Gibbs. Over the years we’ve seen Gibbs head slap DizNozzo, only to discover he loves him as a son. The relationship between Callen and Deeks is more of an older brother relationship, where both men have encountered similarities in their background of having it tough and growing up in foster care. This was reflected recently in Between the Lines (5×17):
Deeks: “You know what? I’ve always wondered what it would be like having two older brothers that I hated.” [Spreads hands out] “Now I know.”
Callen has played the big brother role with Deeks over the years and this was evident in his advice to Deeks in Between the Lines. “Thanks Dad.”
On the outside, Deeks appeared in the early days on the team to be struggle for acceptance. But the truth was he knew they trusted him. Although tension simmered underneath between Sam and Deeks, Callen trusted him. He proved his worth when he saved Callen in Fame (1×20):
Deeks: “Oh, come on. What? You got some sort of Superman double back flip where you can dodge bullets? I mean you can’t tell me I shouldn’t have taken that shot.”
Callen: “No. I’m glad you did.”
From the look on Callen’s face, he was thankful for Deeks saving him.
Callen went in unarmed to help rescue Deeks from Lazik in Human Traffic (2×01), pretending to be a drug dealer, trusting Sam and Kensi to have their backs. Callen, Sam and Kensi ignored Deeks punching his boss for his words over Jess Trainer and getting her killed to save his own self from bring caught.
Callen trusted Deeks to have Kensi’s back, and we all remember back in Identity (1×01), that Kensi was Callen’s favourite agent. And we cannot forget that Deeks proved his loyalty to Callen when he followed him to Prague and Romania to rescue Hetty.
From the beginning, it was Callen, Sam and Kensi against Deeks, but over time, as Kensi and Deeks grew together as partners, Callen and Sam have learnt to respect him, even through their differences. There have been some funny moments when Deeks has put his mouth in it, such as when he refered to Callen and Sam as being old. Callen and Sam found it hard to refuse giving him a ribbing over it. Not to mention Callen teaching Deeks a lesson early on with the team in Fame (1×20). When Callen realised that Hetty had put a $5,000 limit on a $50,000 credit card, he ordered more champagne.
Hetty: “$50,000 limit. However, *if* more than $5000 is charged to this card, I will come for you with my letter opener. Is that clear Mr. Deeks?”
Deeks: “Got it. Wait, what? You want me to sign this? Cause it’s Cal – it’s Callen’s card.”
Hetty: “You’re the guarantor.”
Later in the club:
Callen: “I’m supposed to look like I can spend 50 and she’s got you on the hook after 5?”
Deeks: “She threatened me with a letter opener!”
Callen: “I guess some people gotta learn the hard way.”
Deeks: “Why? What are you-?”
Callen: [Loudly to a waitress] “We’ll take 2 more bottles.”
They’ve come a long way, and we have seen glimpses of moments where Callen and Deeks appear to be on the same page at odds with Sam, which highlights their similarities to their lives:
Fallout (5×08):
Sam is talking about his “DIY” efforts, whereas Callen and Deeks agree that they would prefer sipping a mojito while watching the guy they paid to do the work. The scene ends with both of them saying, “That’s what I’m talking about.” And again when they are talking about Christmas cards this season; it’s Deeks and Callen who are on the same page, not Callen and Sam. In Fish out of Water (5×16), we saw them bantering like we normally would see from Callen and Sam.
Harm’s Way:
I believe that Callen and Deeks have much more in common that is visible on first sight. They both had a difficult childhood, at LAPD Deeks was some kind of a loner, too – at least he did not have much friends. And both men are afraid of needles (especially when Hetty is administering them – now who wouldn’t. She scares the hell out of me too). It would be interesting to see the two work together a little more, as we’ve seen very few moments of these two bachelors working side by side. Would you like to see more of Callen and Deeks being partnered up during an operation? Let us know by filling in our poll.
Loading ...Thank you to Bee, ChrisDaisy, Keviana and Richtsje for their help in the research for this post.
It captures with the emotion-void moments and the emotion-filled moments.
It captures with the switch from American English to foreign accents that range from Chechen to Romanian, from French to Spanish.
Yes, it is Agent G Callen’s voice.
Though we have thoroughly discussed Callen and languages in the past, it felt time to look into the many facets of that voice that woos the observer and tips the scales for our Los Angeles OSP NCIS Team. Scientists agree that to this day, the human voice cannot be duplicated synthetically; no machine can do what a personality mixed with the bundle of muscles in a larynx can. The human voice is a miracle in itself. And the individuality, color, flavor, and panache a single voice can bring to this life is invaluable. Priceless. A treasure.
AT EASE:
Callen normally doesn’t comment unless he has a good reason. But, when he does, and he’s at ease, his voice is a very normal-sounding, male, calm, American voice. He doesn’t have a noticeable accent to other Americans, but a major trait of his voice is the steady tone. It’s a voice that doesn’t easily startle the listener, yet builds trust and shows knowledge.
EXAMPLE:
Callen: “The man who can keep a secret may be wise, but he is not half as wise as the man who has no secrets to keep.” (4×09)
COCKY:
Deflection is an art form, and Callen has it down to an exact science. When needed, he can use his cocky voice to transform into the ultimate “Distractionist.” Sometimes he uses his cocky side to corner the bad guys, and sometimes he puts FBI agents in their places. Other times, he’s just being what we call a brat. One of the most intriguing effects of this humorous deflection system of Callen’s, is that he ends up sounding much younger than his actual age when utilizing this.
EXAMPLE:
Hetty: “When I’m gone, I’m gone. No ceremony, no memorials, and absolutely no bringing of flowers to my grave.”
Callen: “Don’t worry. There will be none of that.”
Hetty: “Good.”
Callen: “From what I hear, Granger is going to have you stuffed in a life-like pose for his office.”
Hetty: “Don’t be cheeky.” (4×02)
SURPRISE: There’s a breathy version of voice that Callen uses when he is caught by surprise. One of the first good examples of this rare G Callen vocal exercise was when he met Michael, Kristen Donnelly’s son, and wondered if he was dad. Rare, simply because Callen isn’t usually surprised.
EXAMPLE:
Eric: “Well, this is weird. According to the military database, there’s no Tracy Keller listed as next of kin.”
Callen: “That’s because the name’s an alias.”
Kensi: “An alias for who?”
Callen: “My ex-wife.” (2×06)
LAUGHING: Callen has plenty of amused moments. How can he not, between his unique ex-Navy SEAL partner and the proper circus that is LAPD Detective Deeks? When there is a laugh on the horizon for Callen, his voice transforms into something that invites one to join in the humor with him. His true chuckles are a delight, and his fake laughs are laughter-eliciting, themselves. I daresay, we like this one.
EXAMPLE:
Lily: “You with SF?”
Sam: “I was with the teams.”
Lily: “So, you’re a SEAL, huh? Got a workout DVD you want to sell me?”
Callen: [laughs] (5×12)
EMOTIONAL: The span of emotional responses we have heard from Callen include a confused voice, a strained voice, and a broken voice, in varying pitches and volume. Some of the instances we’ve heard his emotional voice? Finding that Alina Rostoff had tried to save him, meeting Hannah Lawson, being upset at Kensi after the file Keelson had on him perished in the explosion, realizing he was from Romania, discovering Hetty knew his mother, and seeing the film playback of his father and sister. Hard. Just so hard to hear.
EXAMPLE:
Callen: “I remembered… a woman. My mother. They shot her.” (3×01)
SHOUTING: Besides hearing Callen shout “Federal Agent!” at the bad guys, there are not many situations where we find Callen yelling. If he gets angry enough, he can and will raise his voice. The “shouting match” with Hetty was one that made the earth shake. And, remember the time he raised his voice to challenge Director Vance and, later, Assistant Director Granger? Yes. Let him shout at the bad guys and anyone who deserves it. Just don’t aim it in this direction. His voice can put fear in the heart at this level.
EXAMPLE:
Callen: “He killed our people- OUR PEOPLE!” (3×24… Like the trauma of 3×23 and 3×24? Hear Callen yell it here.)
SINGING: If only, if only. There are only tales of how great a singer Callen is. Long ago, when the team went out for karaoke, Callen beat them at their little competition. The karaoke bar audience allowed to vote was apparently blown away by his nose-holding charm, as well, but who’s counting? The talent is certainly there, it just hasn’t been shared with the adoring fans. If you are wanting to see Callen sing, mention it in the comments.
EXAMPLE (Best We Got, Anyway):
Sam: “I can’t give you anything but love…”
Callen: “Baby!” (4×11)
For your enjoyment, here are some parting clips of love where you can drink in some Callen vocals.
A chuckle:
The slight hint of awkward:
Reminiscing:
Playful:
Thanks to those that contributed freely and with Callen-precision to this post: Vicki, ChrisDaisy, Serena, Richtsje, and Mary. Shout-outs to YouTuber neighbours99 and the official NCIS Los Angeles channel.
Have you ever wondered why Callen’s most precious items of his past and links to his family, such as the photo of his mother and him with Alina Rostoff are in a tea box on the fireplace mantel? One would think seeing Callen doesn’t have any family in his life nor much of anything of value to him, that the items in Callen’s treasure box would be hidden somewhere safe, such as under a loose floor board. So when intruders enter, they don’t see what’s hidden in there? Such as when the Romani Gypsy Arkady sent to find him and was caught prowling around in G’s house with a flashlight. He went straight to the mantel and opened the box. Messing with G’s treasure box might be what got him beat up, bound, and locked in the trunk of Callen’s car.
Therefore, I decided to do some research into why he has it on display on the mantel. I was intrigued to discover an article of Feng Shui, which states where to place what in a room. On the centre left:
“Family and health. Harness this area for better relationships, since this also extends to coworkers. You can put pictures of your family or souvenirs from family vacations here, or anything special relating to your family.” (Feng Shui)
This is exactly what Callen has done. So have we discovered something new about the enigmatic seasoned Federal Agent? That he has studied the art of Feng Shui? With all that time awake during the night from his insomnia, he needs to keep himself occupied somehow right? Well let’s briefly look at another guideline to this living room in Callen’s house for more evidence.
Lower left: Knowledge. Knowledge is the sector of your room involving wisdom. Naturally, one should place objects pertaining to wisdom; for example, books. (Feng Shui)
And that is precisely where Callen has placed his books and chessboard; in the lower left side of the room.
Now that we’ve covered why Callen has placed his treasure chest on the mantel, let’s take a look at how he came to having this box and what is in it.
It all began back in season 1 when Callen discovered the truth about the girl he saw just before he was shot. She had been his foster sister Alina, who Arkady Kolcheck sent to warn him. She died in trying to seek revenge over his death (as she had seen him shot, not realising that he had actually survived the shooting). Such a sad beginning to the story behind G Callen, but from that, we learnt a little behind the man Arkady, who we have seen appear now and then when Callen needs him. He provided Callen through back channels to Hetty with an envelope and inside was a photo of a much younger G Callen lifting a four year old Alina into the air. Happy times for the man who had little to be joyful over in his life. He had nothing to keep this photo safe in, so he removed the tea bags out of the tea box in front of him and placed the photo inside, claiming it as his treasure box. Was it just a convenience that he chose that tea box? Or did it remind him of the many special moments he’d had with Hetty whom had become the closest that he’d had to a mother?
Once he obtained ownership of the Rostoff home, the first thing Callen did, was place the tea box on the mantel, which is where it has stayed ever since. Since then, we have seen Callen add small items to it over the years. From the small card that he found on his sister’s grave in ‘Callen, G’ (1-24), the toy soldier left on his sister’s grave in ‘Tin Soldiers’ (2-15), photo of his mother Clara Callen, given to him by Hetty in ‘Deadline’ (3-04) and more recently the photos and film strip found in Michael Rhinehart’s closet, in ‘Reznikov N’ (5-04)
They are the only links Callen has to the happiest times of his life: his past and family. It contains his most treasured items that proves that he was loved, and hopefully one day will provide him with his unanswered questions: who is he and whom is his family. Although he has some pieces to the puzzle over his past, he is left with more questions: What does the G stand for? Who and where is his father? Each scene that involves the few items that are contained in the box bring about the most emotional scenes we’ve seen from Callen, who usually has walls built around his heart.
The cave you fear to enter
holds the treasure you seek[Joseph Campbell]
The box was first used in ‘Pushback’ (1-07) when Callen received a picture from Arkady Kolcheck of Alina ‘my little sister’.
In ‘Deadline’ (3-04) Hetty finally revealed to Callen that she knew his mother. She gave him an envelope containing a few bits and pieces about his past. The episode ends with G sitting cross-legged on the floor of his house. The tea box is beside him. The lid is open and its contents are arranged on the floor next to him. He studies the documents found in the envelope Hetty has given him, comparing information in one of the pages to the small book containing the handwritten list of his foster homes. The last item he discovers is a picture of his beautiful mother.
“I’ve got a small box of memories,
that I’ll never let go.
It’s all, it’s all just a jigsaw.
Even as I get older, there’s still so much that I don’t know.Wish there was more than this empty feeling,
that comes at a cost.
Maybe once you loved me.
Now your love is long lost.”Long Lost – Zac Brennan
Click here to listen to Zac Brennan’s song: Long Lost
It’s interesting to note how three of the things in his box brought some sort of comfort (the photos and the film.) But the other 2 just brought more questions. We know now about the tin solder. But do we know who left the card on the grave? Was it the Michael Rhinehart (5-04 ‘Reznikov, N’) who was watching out for them? If so, why does he say, “My daughter?” Or was it his father? And if so, why hasn’t he made contact with Callen as yet?
I believe Callen keeps all his most treasured possessions in the tea box (besides keeping them together safely protected inside) for easy removal if he needs to run. We know about Callen’s past with the constant moves. He doesn’t settle or feel safe in any one place for long. This is the longest he’s stayed anywhere, thanks to Hetty.
We would love to hear your thoughts on Callen’s treasure box.
Many thanks to ChrisDaisy, Richtsje, Mary and sindee for their input into this post; and to Zac Brennan, for his song, Long Lost.
