Since the pilot episode back in 2009, we’ve come to love the characters on NCIS Los Angeles. They’re brave, silent heroes who will do what it takes to keep Los Angeles safe. They belong to a secret team where their true identities are kept hidden, so they can infiltrate gangs, terrorist groups and organisations with ease. Well they sure do make it look easy. But at what cost?
With Deeks and Kensi taking the bold step in becoming more than partners, we’ve seen some shuffling of the team in recent episodes. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Callen and Kensi go out into the field or deep undercover, so this week’s episode of Rage (S6, E20) was interesting and brought back memories of the series’ first season.
The promo had everyone talking about Kensi going in as a tattooed bikie and Callen’s alias, Steven Wolinski’s girlfriend, Sage. (Is this a deliberate choice due to Deeks’ pet name for Kensi of Fern, I wonder?). Callen and Kensi heated it up for the White Supremacist group that Callen had returned to jail to infiltrate. They’re watching him closely after his 6 months stint in an isolation cell. Did anyone else have their eyes widen at that kiss?
We thought that it would be fun to take a look back at previous occasions on when Callen and Kensi went undercover together.
In Season 1, we saw Callen and Kensi go undercover a few times. Let’s start back in Keepin’ It Real (E06). Kensi lured their suspect into a bar to introduce him to Callen, aka, Canadian, Gordon Taymis. Gordon wass supposedly having an affair with Kensi’s alias, and they held hands in the bar to make their point. Gordon needed more money, seeing he had a wife and kids back home to support as well. They got the job, only to have Callen burned when the dead Marine’s commander turned up.
Callen had an opportunity to find out who was behind his shooting, in Pushback (E07). Callen and Kensi went into a gas company as environmental inspectors, only to find that the person running the place was an old colleague of Callen’s who was supposed to be dead.
In Random on Purpose (E09), they entered a law firm acting as if they were both filing for divorce. The tension was high between them and they performed this act brilliantly, in order to rescue Abby Scuito from a psycho killer.
Kensi and Callen went undercover again in Missing (E13), when Kensi pretended to be the Columbians’ sister, Claudia Tauro. She entered an abandoned hospital with Callen, to help rescue Dom.
Callen, Sam and Kensi were trying to stop a Turkish ship from leaving port with a terrorist onboard, in Hunted (E22). They pretended to be drunk, to knock the guard out, so they can enter the ship and find their target. Kensi kissed Callen on the cheek and undid a button, revealing more flesh for the performance.
We met Deeks for the first time in Hand to Hand (E19), when Callen helped Kensi get out from Deeks’ questioning when he found her inside the victim’s home. Not knowing who he was at the time, Callen knocked on the door, dressed as a taxi driver to take her somewhere.
Deeks arranged with his contact to help the team get inside an elite club, in Fame (E20). They were looking for a missing socialite, who was the last to see a dead Naval Officer, whose body was found in her vehicle. Callen entered dressed as some rich guy named Ivan, with Kensi as his date. They found the girl and those who killed the Naval Officer.
In Season 2, we saw Callen and Kensi dressed up for a function onboard a cruise ship in Anonymous (E07), while Sam helped their only witness to help them find the men who had new faces, before they kill everyone on board.
With Deeks on the team as Kensi’s partner, it took a while before we saw these two work together again, in Season 3. In Backstopped (E03), we saw Callen and Kensi paired up by Hunter and Callen pulled himself out of the SUV, car sick from her driving. But we’ve not seen them undercover since Anonymous (S2,E07), until this week’s episode, Rage (S6, E20). Is Hetty testing the waters to see if Kensi can still perform her undercover work and be Callen’s girlfriend, although she is in a relationship with Deeks? No one knows the thinking behind Hetty, but we are glad that Kensi was able to get the information out of Dallas’ girlfriend to find Callen in time to save him.
Love to know your thoughts on this decision to bring these two back together again. Will we see more of these two undercover together in the future?
For me..Callen and Kensi don’t and never did have any sexual chemistry.
Now, the kiss in “Rage” , that was a very sexy kiss…it should have been, Callen was supposed to have just gotten out of prison solitary…they were putting on a show…well done.
I can’t really relate to season one because I watched the first three episodes and I didn’t like the show. It wasn’t until I was channel surfing and came across the episode “Personal” that I decided it might be worth a second look. By the time I started watching regularly, It was already season 4, really liked Deeks and Kensi….all the characters, except Sam. Thought he was mean spirited….he is still not my favorite character…
I have watched reruns of the show, to catch up…..still don’t like season one.
Not sure what point I’m trying to make….
Maybe, because of the way I’ve watched the show…..in catch up mode…I don’t like the idea of Callen and Kensi together…..seems kinda wrong to me.
However, Kensi is the only female field operative on the team…..it would make sense for her to be teamed up with Callen or Sam as necessary. I would love to see Deeks teamed with either Sam or Callen on occasion….
Sorry, I know I am rambling….but it’s what came into my head!
I always love it when the team has to go undercover to pull a fast one on the bad guys. The fake personas they have to come up with is always entertaining. And that was never more apparent to me when in ‘Random on Purpose’ Callen and Kensi posed as a bitter couple in the process of getting a divorce. It was funny, and Chris and Daniella played it perfectly. I don’t have any problems watching Callen and Kensi work together undercover because it’s a part of their jobs. It’s what they do, and do very well!!
I don’t mind an occasional undercover operation. I agree that they don’t have the chemistry but they do get the job done. I would like to see more of the partners with other partners as a shake up. I agree that the Random On Purpose scene was really funny and perfectly played by them both.
I actually like seeing Callen and Kensi work together undercover, and I thought they did a great job in Rage. There isn’t supposed to be any real chemistry between the two characters but they do play their undercover roles well.
Have enjoyed NCIS-LA since the end of season 1, except for some I thought were violent for violence’s sake (Dom, Sudan, etc). I have loved the development of Deeks and Kensi over the years – two hurt people coming together. finding a love and support for each other and getting stronger in the process even if their agency disapproves. Callen was and is still the damaged orphan who has never gotten over his mother’s murder and the string of temporary homes. A lone wolf, not a real team player, and on the very fringe of acceptable law enforcement. COD does a great job with that tole. . Sam I’m not sure about, as I grew up in the military as Sam did and had a father who always seemed to be off on an assignment somewhere – but when he was home I knew he loved us, but I didn’t end up end up a rigid military senior non-commission officer who has transferred that skill set to a civilian job. Sometimes Sam is the balance to Callen, sometimes a buddy, but always intolerant of those who are not “his style”. LLCoolJ does a great job with his role. Sorry for the ramble, but to the point of the question.
I have no problem or issue with undercover assignments like most of the ones you mention… BUT… to quote Kensi in “Descent” are you talking about “undercover or Under The Covers”? Densi are a committed couple; their playing and loving seem real. In “Expiration Date” the cuddling set up the whole first argument about Kens’s girlfriends and how much time Densi are spending together, with the Ghurka and the monk (hilarious). Callen and Kensi on the other hand have no interpersonal magic and the “Rage” kiss/sleeping shot were just pandering . Unless the baddies were very close, a hug would have been just as useful and unless the bedroom was under camera surveillance, that thankfully very short bedroom scene was just gratuitous semi-nudity. I’d like to think a lot better of the writers and directors. Let the whole team (including Eric and Nell) work together as the case requires but restrict the not so implied sexual liaisons to Sam/Michelle, Deeks/Kensi, Callen/Joelle, and perhaps even to Eric/Nell if the story takes them down that path.
Really enjoyed reading your comments CaptainNewf.
The undercover bedroom scene for me was necessary as the baddies could have barged in at any time (and did). Kensi could have had a strapless bra on and I doubt they were fully naked!
I love Kensi and Callen working together, but there is a chemistry between Kensi and Deeks that is just at a whole other level.
I didn’t think the bedroom scene itself was necessary for the plot as shown; since no one barged in the possibility of interruption remains hypothetical. If the baddy did barge in, then I could have accepted it as protecting their cover. The actress Daniela probably did have some kind of lingerie on – but the scene very definitely implied that the agent Kensi was at least topless. As someone who is somewhat old (!) and old fashioned who enjoys the dialogue and acting (and the pyrotechnics) which is brilliant at times, I really believe that physical relationships should not be presented as doing anything to get the baddies…. there should be limits even for special operations folks.
I agree, and at heart it is a family show (my 11 y/o watches with me). On occasion its a little risky for a child but mostly OK. I don’t believe Kensi/Callen did any other than pretend to be intimate and I guess it really boils down to different ways viewers interpret scenes.
I don’t really know why everyone is making such a big deal about the scenes between Callen and Kensi. They have worked undercover before and probably will again. Kensi is really the only one who could play a biker chick and she did it well. They, as undercover operatives, had to do everything they could to make it seem believable. And the guy did barge into the bedroom. They had to be believable. They are not trying to promote Callen and Kensi as a couple. They were just doing their jobs. Always enjoy them as an undercover couple, just as I do Kensi and Deeks.