NCIS: LOS ANGELES “Personal” Review

NCIS: LOS ANGELES (CBS) Personal

NCIS: LOS ANGELES “Personal” Season 2 Episode 17 – Finally! I’ve been waiting for a Deeks-centric episode ever since he joined the team and boy did this one deliver. We got to learn a lot about him, not the least of which was the fact that he shot his father in self-defense when he was just a kid. Wow. With something like that in his past you gotta admire the fact that he’s the guy that he is these days and I have no doubts that it also led to his career in law enforcement.

The other things we learned about Deeks were that he does share more than a few of the qualities of the rest of the team – he’s a loner, he works out a lot and he’s got that same wicked sense of humor. Unfortunately what he doesn’t seem to have down is the bit about being ultra-paranoid. Turns out that running the same route every day and buying a newspaper from the same dinky store every morning are both details that people figured out and used to shoot him. After that we find out that yet another thing he has in common with the rest of his teammates is the fact that he does his job so well that there’s a long list of people who might want to kill him.

In the end though, it turns out that Deeks’ shooting was only a trap set to get Kensi, but I did like that it was Deeks who ultimately saved the day, bullet wounds and all.

My favorite bits..

Gee I wish I passed people half as nice as Deeks when I was out for my evening walk/runs sometimes. Not that they’re not nice, they’re just not THAT nice.

Okay yeah I knew it was coming from the preview but it was still damn hard to watch Deeks getting shot, especially when the bastard walked up and put another one in him at close range.

Finding out that one of Sam’s goals is to work everywhere there’s been a James Bond film.

Callen pointing out to Sam that they went to outer space in Moonraker.

Kensi asking to be there for the second partner she had who got shot. I loved that Hetty told her Deeks would want her there when he woke up.

Sam and Callen trying to act like it was no big deal while stepping around pools of Deeks’ blood.

Sam pointing out to the store clerk that Deeks was *still* a nice guy.

Sam admitting that though Deeks was a pain in the ass, he didn’t deserve being shot.

Kensi realizing that she didn’t know who to call as she didn’t know Deeks’ next of kin. Interesting. That whole team is full of loners, it seems.

Hetty ordering Sam and Callen to “go make him safe!” Aw.

The fact that the first thing Deeks did upon waking up was to mess with Kensi. Yep, I think he’s gonna be just fine.

Kinda wondering the same thing as Kensi. What is it with guys and nurses?

Actually feeling a little sad when Deeks echoed both Hetty’s and Callen’s “good question” when asked about his family.

Sam detailing his workout routine and Callen calling him on the humble brag in it. Nice.

Callen demanding that the next time he got shot, everyone had better be in tears..and Sam pointing out that they weren’t the last time. LOL.

Eric taking it just a bit too far when he wanted to be described as greased lightning. He shoulda quit while he was ahead.

Having to giggle a little when Deeks said that being shot wasn’t like it was in the movies.

Deeks and Kensi finding out that they both still have their comic book collections. Aw, ain’t it cute, they’re both geeks.

Kensi telling Deeks not to beat himself up. I hated that he said it was something he was good at.

Literally sitting up on my couch with a gasped “What??” when Deeks said he’s shot someone at eleven years old. I seriously had to rewind my DVR and replay it, twice, to be sure I heard that right.

Deeks, Sam and Callen simultaneously figuring out that it was Kensi who was the target. Ahhhh!!

Totally not being surprised that it was Deeks who came out to save Kensi but boy did I love that he did.

Aha! I totally had a feeling that Brandell was Deeks’ father. Who else would a kid shoot at that age? I didn’t expect the guy to be dead, though.

Hetty telling Deeks to put her name down as his next of kin.

What did you think of this episode of NCIS: Los Angeles? Got any favorite bits or least favorite bits of your own? I’d love to hear from you!

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By Michelle Carlbert | February 22, 2011 | 6 Comments

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Anonymous

Thanks for blogging.

I thought it was a great episode. I can’t believe how many hot guys all work together in one place though.

I agreed with all the bits you liked. This is a great show.

Anonymous

LOL! Well that’s why it’s called television and not real life. I’ve never seen that many good looking guys working in one place either.

Kat

Fabulous ep. Though for what was supposed to be a Deeks-lite ep, he was in it a fair amount. But he got to rest Very glad Eric had to do film reshoots and we got this ep.

Now Deeks needs to find out about Sam’s comic book collection and they’ll have something in common.

Deeks does hide an awful lot behind his jokes and bravado. The props department needs a kick in the pants, according to the file Hetty gave Nell, Deeks father was born in 1969, meaning he was around 11 when Deeks was born (assuming 1980). In this dvd age you need to have everything within the realms of possibility because we’ll be pausing.

It does clash with what he told Kensi when they were out in the desert, that his father pointed a shot gun at him 6 years previously, but it’s easily enough handwaved as being a partial truth. The full truth would have had Kensi questioning. I think she will have put it together now.

Is Deeks his mother’ maiden name? And where is she? Dead, estranged?

Loved her pause/facial expression when she was querying next of kin and asked about girlfriend. Want to know what Deeks was going to ask her about the comics.

One thing that’s really bugging me – how did Deeks make it to the parking lot and shoot the bloke before his guards got down there? And nice to get more of an explanation why Deeks isn’t liked in LAPD.

Adore scenes with Hetty and Deeks. There is a real rapport between them.

Anonymous

Oh interesting. I had no idea this was supposed to be a Deeks-lite ep. I didn’t know about the reshoots. Too funny though because in my head this was a Deeks-centric ep, and not at all “lite.”

Silly props people, haven’t they learned by now? Though I do wonder if sometimes they do that stuff on purpose just to mess with the people who do pause. LOL.

Well I dunno, I mean if his father pointed a gun at him at 6yrs old, then it might make sense that things escalated to the point where he shot the man in self defense at age 11.

Good question about Deek’s mother and his name. I was wondering the same thing myself. If she was out of the picture (maybe she died when he was young and his dad was raising him?) he might have taken on a new name, maybe from a foster family or adoption. Gosh, there’s so much potential story there now.

Yeah that little bit w/the discussion about the comics, next of kin, etc was great. I really loved the expression on Deeks’ face when she asked about next of kin. Right before he says “I’m not dying am I?” – it was brilliant. So much there and yet I still don’t know what it was.

Well I guess we’ll chalk it up to the magic of TV as an explanation of how he got to the parking lot w/out his escort. Maybe they were at the other end of the hallway and, even injured, I think Deeks can move when he sets his mind to it. Especially going to protect his partner. He was obviously running on pure adrenalin, as evidence by the fact that he pretty much collapsed as soon as he saw that she was okay.

Hetty has proven that she has rapport with all of her agents and watching her get private moments with each of them is a treat.

http://twitter.com/ceindreadh kendra jackson

Oh this was just the best episode so far.
From the promo, I’d had a fair idea as to what would happen in the teaser, but seeing it play out the way it did and watching Deeks on the ground as he sees the shooter coming for a second shot, it was just chilling.

ECO knocked it out of the park with this one. Its high ratings were well deserved, IMO.

I was hoping they’d have a Deeks-Hetty scene at some point, and when it came, it was more than I could have expected. (ECO and LH give Deeks and Hetty such a wonderful rapport and have done ever since the closing scene from Hand to Hand last season)

My only wish now is that in coming eps that they follow up on what they’ve teased us with so far (Sam helping Deeks brush up on security protocols, the revelation about Deeks’s father etc)

Anonymous

Yeah I think this one has just become my favorite so far, too. And yes, that bit when he got shot the second time was very chilling.

So happy to hear it got high ratings and yes, he totally deserves it. Amazing job!

The Deeks and Hetty stuff was fantastic and I hope we get more.

Yes! That would be great if they followed up and showed us some of the training from Sam. I think they’ve realized now that Deeks needs to be taught how to be an agent and how that differs from being a cop. Though I’m sure we’ll hear more about Deeks’ father and perhaps mother at some point too. That’s just too good of a plot point for them to let slide forever.