Category Archives: Callen’s Corner

Callen’s Corner: Callen’s Clothes

Back in July Keviana discussed the Tuxedo (S2E07 ‘Anonymous’) as our favourite Callen outfit and then later the Caribbean blue shirt from Standoff (S2E06). Yet there is so much more to this subject than meets the eye. From the very beginning (S1E01 ‘Identity’), Hetty addressed the need to update his biometrics, driver’s licence, back stopping and..”um wardrobe.” The way Hetty emphasises this topic highlights Callen’s choice in clothing to be lacking, as far as the petite Operations Manager goes. She continued in the wardrobe department later when providing Callen with a change of clothes, so he didn’t look the part of Oliver Twist.

Hetty: “Now wardrobe for your undercover work. I know you grew up in the well-meaning but cold embrace of the welfare state, Mr. Callen. But just because you’re an orphan, doesn’t mean that you have to dress like Oliver Twist. Now, we need something modern, individual… that speaks to the man within. That’s not for you to admire. It’s for you to try on. Here. And here. And here. This or this?”
CALLEN: “Those.”
HETTY: “A fitted boot jean, medium weight, distressed denim. I think we need something more relaxed, Mr. Callen.”
(S1E01 ‘Identity’)

Hetty knew what he would pick, didn’t she? We’ve noticed her use everyday things to try to teach her “chicks” about life.

It’s funny that Callen really doesn’t care about clothes the way Hetty does, but there’s a momentary hesitation, as if he was a touch taken back. Are fancy clothes just a part of the job to him? It’s common to see Callen wear comfortable jeans, slip on boots (which we have learnt to be Australian Blundstone boots, thanks to Executive Producer John Kousakis) and a cotton T-shirt or shirt to work everyday. He needs something functional to chase down suspects or fight terrorists. However, when Henrietta Lange has a say in what he wears, he become a new man of money and charisma. We have to thank Henrietta Lange for her good taste in quality fashion and her decisions she makes for the man with only a letter for a name. When Hetty dresses Callen up for an alias, what a fantastic job she does. She’s an expert in fashion and manages to choose the right fit and style to emphasise his body so well. Although Callen is a practical kind of guy, maybe he does enjoy dressing up every now and then to become someone else (such as in S2E07 ‘Anonymous,’ when the guys wanted to go out in those tuxedos after they had finished the case).

When the team go undercover, it’s not comfort Hetty goes for, but style and quality. This was highlighted in S1E04 ‘Search and Destroy,’ when Sam made the mistake of saying, “it’s just a shirt” to Hetty.

Hetty [walks over to Callen holding a white shirt]: “What is this Mr Callen?”
Callen: “That is a knit combed cotton.”
Hetty: “With a blood stain.”
Callen: “I would never bleed on your wardrobe. It had to be a bad guy.
Hetty: “Good, Bad or ugly, I don’t care. The point is you neglected to tell me about it and now it’s set long enough so that it might be permanent.”
Sam: “Hetty, it’s just a shirt.”
Hetty: “No, no, no, no, no, no, no. This is not just a shirt. This is a Savile Row one hundred percent polished Egyptian cotton. Hand stitched with pearl buttons. That thing you’re wearing is just a shirt.”
Sam: “Yeah! But it’s a comfy shirt.”
Hetty turns to Callen: “Your new color scheme is black.”
Callen: “I can live with black.”
(S1E04 ‘Search and Destroy’)

LATER…

Hetty [Picking up a pair of dark blue denim jeans]: “These were on sale at Lucky Brand. They already have rips so a few more won’t matter.” [Hetty hands them to Callen]. “And this is the latest drivel from what they call the music scene.” [Hetty holds up a grey T-shirt with CRASH KINGS printed on it].
Special Agent G. Callen: “I thought we were going all black.”
Henrietta ‘Hetty’ Lange: “Well, sometimes damaged goods can actually be more valuable because of their unique qualities.”
Special Agent G. Callen: “Is that right?”
Henrietta ‘Hetty’ Lange: “Hmm! It’s a thought.”
Special Agent G. Callen: “Well I will try and take good care of them.”
Henrietta ‘Hetty’ Lange: “Don’t try, just do.”
At the end of the episode…
[Hetty walks back into her office. She finds Callen’s T-shirt with a ‘No Blood’ note pinned to it. She holds it up and reads it, happy that Callen had remembered to leave a note for her].
(S1E04 ‘Search and Destroy’)

Operations Manager Henrietta ‘Hetty’ Lange: “Is that blood, Mr. Hanna?”
Special Agent Sam Hanna: “Mostly.”
Operations Manager Henrietta ‘Hetty’ Lange: “Yours?”
Special Agent G. Callen: “Other guy’s.”
Operations Manager Henrietta ‘Hetty’ Lange: “Can we bill him?”
Special Agent Sam Hanna: “Not anymore.”
(S1E03, ‘Predator’)

There have been so many great blues on Callen, however, there have been moments when Callen has looked great in other colors as well: charcoal grey cargo shirt in S1E08 ‘Ambush;’ olive green T-shirt in S1E12 ‘Past lives;’ purple Johnny O shirt in S1E02 ‘The Only Easy Day;’ white shirt and grey suit in S2E06 ‘Standoff;’ and who can forget “Dr. Callen” in the white coat S4E22 ‘Raven and the Swans’ or Callen in leather jackets?

Although we’ve rarely seen Callen with a tie, he is aware of how to tie them. Like when he teased Nate in S1E10 ‘Brimstone’:

CALLEN: “Full Windsor.”
NATE: “Really? Again with the tie?”
CALLEN: “I had you pegged more as a Half Windsor guy.”
NATE: “Is that supposed to have some sort of meaning?”
CALLEN: “You’re the psychologist.”
…later Nate enters the Bull Pen. Sam is fiddling around with a diffused bomb.
[Nate is scared and doesn’t move…until…]
CALLEN: “Hey!”
[Nate jumps and spills coffee all over his chest]
CALLEN: “Oops. Sorry about that.”
[SAM CHUCKLES]
CALLEN: [Pointing at the tie, speaking to Sam] “Full Windsor.”

So which work clothes do you prefer on Callen? A plain T-shirt or shirt or the check or plaid shirts?

The blue Carribean although appears to be a favourite since it appeared back in season two, appears to have a rival; the orange plaid shirt, viewed recently in season five. Why is that I ask? Perhaps it’s because both of these shirts are something we see very rarely on the seasoned agent. We see Callen wear a lot of blue and we agree here at Callen’s Corner that he does look great in all shades of blue. Please stay tuned for a special treat next Monday on Callen in blue.

Thanks to ChrisDaisy, Richtsje, FanGCallen, Mary, sindee, Keviana, B and Executive Producer John Kousakis for their input into this subject on Callen’s Clothes.

Callen’s Corner: Callen Vs Golf

We’ve recently discussed Callen and exercise and discovered that he does workout quite a lot. But what about playing sports, such as golf? Back in Season 2 in Overwatch, Hetty approaches and catches Callen in the gym sneaking some of her Guava Syrup for his tea.

Hetty: “Do you think you’re clever? That you can read people, that you know things?”
Callen: “Well I’m an undercover agent for a highly respected agency, so (nods head), I’m going to go with yes.”

Callen is known for becoming whoever he needs to be for success in an operation. We’ve seen Callen train, shoot in the range and brush up on his languages. But what else does G Callen do to aid him in becoming whoever he needs to be for an alias?

If we go back to the beginning of NCISLA, to episode 2, ‘The Only Easy Day,’ we will remember seeing Callen on a golf course in a purple Johnnie O shirt. He was pretending to be Holgate’s partner, Morris Raspen, who had what the crooked LAPD Detective Rosen wanted. The money the SEALs had stolen at the cartel’s home. As Eric pointed out, “how are we going to get Rosen to confess, when his own people couldn’t?” Callen’s reply was, “because we’ve got what Rosen wants.” Rosen arrives on the golf course with Holgate in a golf buggy. Callen (as Raspen) is swinging his club to prepare to hit the ball.

Rosen: “The elusive Mr Raspen. Now I thought your buddy was kidding when he said the golf course…but I get it now. Public place, yet it’s wide open, so you can see anybody approaching, and you’d have to be a sharp shooter to get a shot from any real cover. How many SEALs have you got hidden around?”
Callen (as Raspen): “I’m just working on my short game.”
(S1E02 ‘The Only Easy Day’)

Nothing more had been mentioned about the game of golf until S3E21 ‘Touch of Death,’ when Callen brings the subject up with Sam in the challenger. They were looking for a doctor who had stolen the smallpox vaccine to save the planet. She was deluded to think that she could release the smallpox virus out into the environment to control the world’s population crisis.

Callen: After this is all over, I’m going to settle down somewhere quiet. Do some fishing, some golfing, build things.
Sam: What kind of things?
Callen: I don’t know. Whatever guys build when they retire. Hobby stuff.
Sam: Hobby stuff.
Callen: Yeah!
Sam: You don’t fish and you don’t play golf.
Callen: I’m not retired.

SKIN DEEP

SAM: “Maybe the most ridiculous game ever invented.”
CALLEN: “It’s a metaphor for life, Sam. Nothing to react to but your own actions.”
SAM: “Doesn’t look like fun.”
CALLEN: “It’s just you, the ball, the course and your thoughts.”
SAM: “No one to throw the ball to, no one to catch it…”
CALLEN: “You just stare down your fears.”
[Sam scoffs]
SAM: “Didn’t take you for a golfer, G.”
CALLEN: “Never played a day in my life. Too scary.”
(S4E13 ‘Skin Deep’)

It’s interesting to look deeper into Callen and Sam’s words here in Skin Deep. Callen, who has a tendency to go lone wolf and Sam, the former Navy SEAL. Sam clearly shows his dislike for the game of golf because it’s not a team sport. However Callen on the other hand, would rather a sport that required time on his own. That’s where golf would suit the seasoned agent, rather than football or basketball, although we have seen Callen enjoy playing with his partner and the rest of the team.

So is it possible that Callen has had lessons in the sport of golf to aid himself in a future alias, such as seen in ‘The Only Easy Day?‘ He looked comfortable on the course with the club in his hand and at ease talking to Rosen about his short game. If you look back at Sam’s expression when Callen talks about golf in Skin Deep, it’s clear to see surprise in the former SEAL. One has to wonder, when he dropped the subject in Touch of Death with Sam in the challenger. Perhaps Callen is testing the waters to see if Sam has figured his secret past time out?

What are your thoughts on the subject? “The possibilities are endless” (a quote from Deeks in Frozen Lake).

Thanks to ChrisDaisy for her input on this subject.

Callen’s Corner: Happy Holidays !!

Callen’s Corner: Callen and Christmas

G: “…Even the bad guys don’t like being on the naughty list.”
(S4 x 10,”Free Ride”)

Well, it looks like the bad guys don’t really care – seeing that our favorite team of federal agents had to spend every Christmas Eve working on a case for the past five years…

But G doesn’t seem to mind. We all know that Christmas is a very family-related holiday with lots of family values and traditions – something G never really had growing up in so many different places.

He doesn’t care much for festivities and celebrations of that kind which, again, has to be blamed on his upbringing. It is very likely that he has never really experienced a festive Christmas or a fun birthday party dedicated to him in his entire life. (Remember his thoughts on birthdays in S1 x 1, “Identity”?)

…And he does not have much sense for gifts, for that matter…

Sam: “I don’t run around… giving gifts to just anyone. Takes a cold woman to do me like that.”
G: “And you put a lot of thought into that spice rack, and the sweater.”
Sam: “You still have those steak knives I gave you?”
G: (hesitant) “…Yes.”
Sam: “Okay.”
(S2 x 11, “Disorder”)

But he does like a Christmas tree – or a Christmas palm tree, more like, at least in the office.

G: “Where are we going with this?”
Sam: “Right over here – Turn around. Turn around. Turn around.”
(They put the tree on the ground)
Sam: “Ah. Okay.”
Hetty: (puzzled) “What is that?”
G: “It’s a Christmas tree.”
Hetty: “You’re joking. No, no. Douglas fir, Scotch pine, Bruce spruce. These are Christmas trees.”
Sam: “This is L.A., Hetty. Wait ’til you see the Menorah.”
Hetty: “I am SO alone.”
(S1 x 10, “Brimstone”)

What kind of Christmas Tree Callen would have at home, IF ever he has one? How does G actually spend Christmas?
We know that “Uncle Callen” planned to visit Sam’s place at least one time in “Higher Power”, S3, to see what the Parker Pony can do…

G: “Well, maybe Santa will bring it to her.”
Sam: “Maybe I’ll tell her Uncle Callen said he’s get it for her. It’s okay, baby girl, Uncle Callen didn’t mean to let you down.”
Deeks: “That’s messed up!”
G: “You wouldn’t.”
Kensi: “You shouldn’t!”
Sam: “Ho ho ho.”

Most of the time, we see the team end up celebrating together. And, what’s more – in most of these scenes we see Callen smile – he is celebrating Christmas with the people that are the closest thing to a family he has. We also get to experience one of the rare occasions where Callen actually acknowledges this fact:

“To friends and the family we have!”
(G. Callen, Higher Power S3 x 11)

What have we learned about Callen and Christmas in this season’s Christmas episode “Merry Evasion” ?? Let us know in the comments…

Callen for Christmas

As a Christmas treat for all Callen’s Corner readers, we wanted to include something delicious to feast your eyes on.
However, we couldn’t decide which one to pick, so we decided to leave you the choice of which G Callen delicacy you want for Christmas:

The Dreamy Look:

The More Serious Look:

The Relaxed Look:

or – THE SMIRK:

Hetty-Approved Holiday Recipes (At least, we hope!)

As an additional, special Christmas goodie for Hetty, Callen, and all tea lovers, we hope this wonderful Christmas tea recipe spices up your Holidays:

Spiced Holiday Tea

Ingredients:
2 cups water
3 tea bags (unflavored black tea)
4 star anise
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
1 cup passion fruit nectar
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice

and, of course, a stash of Hetty’s Michoacán shade-grown agave nectar!

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan bring water to boiling. Add tea bags, anise, and cinnamon stick. Reduce heat. simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes. Discard tea bags and cinnamon stick. Stir in nectar, honey, and lemon juice. Heat through.
2. Pour tea mixture into four heat-proof cups, floating a star anise on top of each. Makes 4 servings.
(Servings Per Recipe: 4)

For those of you who are more into Christmas “spirits”, how about a Christmas Mojito, which Callen might savor while watching Sam deck the Christmas tree?

Ingredients:
8 ounces fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
20 mint leaves
2 tablespoons lime juice
ice
4 ounces white rum
4 6-ounces soda water
fresh cranberries, optional garnish
(Servings: 2)

Directions:
1. Put the cranberries, sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to low and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, remove from heat before the berries start bursting. Should you have some of the cransberries burst, don’t fret over it. Cool completely.
2. Once the berry mixture has cooled, strain and discard the berries.
3. Put about 10 leaves of mint and one tablespoon lime juice into each glass. With the back of a wooden spoon or a muddler, mash the mint.
4. Add ice to each glass and pour 2 ounces of the cranberry syrup and 2 oz. rum into each glass.
5. Top off each glass with soda water and float a few fresh cranberries a garnish.

Happy Holidays!

Many thanks to Vicki, FanGCallen, Richtsje, justdreaming, Keviana and sindee for contributing to this “merry” post!

Callen’s Corner: Callen And Arkady

This post is dedicated to a regular and popular guest character on NCIS LA and his special relation to our favorite agent, G Callen: Arkady Kolcheck.

So far, Arkady made an appearance in six episodes:

Pushback (S1 x 7)
Tin Soldiers (S2 x 15)
Neighborhood Watch (S3 x 22)
Rude Awakenings: Part 2 (S4 x 6)
Wanted (S4 x 17)
Rezniknov, N (S5 x 4)

Arkady’s intentions were not clear in the beginning – he seemed to be one of the bad guys at first. But, at the end of Pushback, it turns out he isn’t – well, at least not entirely…

The banter between Arkady and Callen shows that they’ve obviously had a longer and more complex history together than we might’ve first thought. They have been in Kosovo together and in Chechnya (Tin Soldiers, 2×15):

CALLEN: Did you bring anybody else with you?
ARKADY: No. Did you? Who’s the <durak> now? [They shoot] (automatic gunfire)
ARKADY: You know what this reminds me of?
CALLEN: Kosovo.
ARKADY: Yes. And we got out of there alive.
CALLEN: We surrendered.
ARKADY: Maybe I’m thinking Chechnya.
[Callen shoots some bullets] (automatic gunfire)
ARKADY: I’m out of bullets, and I know you got three left.
CALLEN: Four.
ARKADY: You wouldn’t consider giving me one?
CALLEN: Sure. How much is it worth to you?

Let’s take a look at Callen and Arkady’s relationship:
A Russian KGB officer and a DEA Agent. Arkady Kolcheck and G Callen worked together on a joint operation in Russia, codename “Cossack.” Sadly, the operation went bad and one of Callen’s fellow colleagues died. It was years later before Callen came across the former KGB agent and was surprised that Arkady was living in Los Angeles. When a Russian girl (the last person G saw before he was shot [NCIS episode “Legends, II”]) is discovered dead in an NCIS investigation, the case over who targeted Callen becomes prevalent. Callen thought over those who had worked with him on the Cossack case back in Russia. The rest of his colleagues were gunned down on the same day he was supposed to die. Except for one, a KGB officer. Arkady Kolcheck. G Callen has always had trust issues. It went with the territory of being an orphan at the age of five and being thrown from orphanage to foster home after foster home, never feeling like he belonged anywhere. Well, except for one foster home. The Rostoff’s. A Russian family who had taken him in and loved him. He had become close to their daughter, Alina, and learnt Russian. He called her his little sister. It was this girl that Arkady Kolcheck had sought out to warn Callen that his life was in danger. It was she who died seeking revenge for his death.

As we look closer to the former KGB officer and his relationship with Callen, we can see that he truly cares for the younger man, yet he hides behind a visage that he will only do something if he gets something out of it for himself. This was brought out in the most recent appearance of the Russian (‘Reznikov, N’ 5×04). He showed himself unwilling to help Callen find his father, although the man supposed to be his father had a photo of a much younger Kolcheck in his possession. Not until Callen told him he would owe him after this was done did Arkady relent. “Now we are in business.” Yet it was Hetty who sat down with Arkady, and together they discovered what they knew about Callen and the man known as Michael Rhinehart. Then Hetty and Arkady told him that this man, Michael Rhinehart was the American name given to a man from East Germany, Hans Schreiber. He owed his life to the real Nikita Alexander Reznikov, a Major in the Russian KGB. His Father. Yet something tells us that perhaps there is more to Arkady Kolcheck than meets the eyes. He is not Callen’s father, but perhaps he knew him. Maybe we will see more revealed about Callen’s father along the way through Arkady.

To sum it up:
The relationship between these two men is definitely complicated. There are obviously some trust issues between the two. We’ve seen Arkady use Callen to attempt to advance his “business.” And, it seems he has held on to information that would help Callen in filling in some of the pieces missing from his past. (Beginning with the information about G’s Russian “little sister.” He also knew about the photos of Callen that were taken in the graveyard at the end of S1.) However, after all this, Arkady would never do anything to harm Callen. Whatever their relationship was in the past, there is some sort of bond between these two.
Consider how Callen lets Arkady go after the ambush at the arena (Tin Soldiers, 2×15). He says something to the effect that Arkady is more useful to them on the outside… We know it was more. In the 100th episode, when Arkady realized he had information that would connect Callen to his father, well… the emotion Arkady showed left us with melting hearts…

Arkady: Is he your father?
G: (already leaving): I’m about to find out.
Arkady (looking after him): Or die trying.
(Reznikov, N, 5×04)

The fact that Arkady cares for Callen was also shown when he waited for the Team to take him in for questioning, even though he could have easily left the scene of the accident (“Reznikov, N”, 5×04):

Deeks: Why did 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 is clearly a bad guy embroiled in the underworld, but he still has a sense of humour – and that’s the best part about him. He is always good for some of the lighter moments, and for making serious situations a little less tense.

These are some of our favorite scenes with Arkady Kolcheck:

Reznikov, N. (5×04)

Arkady (having taking a gun out of his fridge): I should tell you I’m having a bad day. Come out slowly.
G walks in.
Arkady: You’re trying to get yourself killed?
G (holding up Arkady’s ammunition): Not with that.
Arkady: Now you leave me defenseless against my enemies?
G: Who leaves a gun in the fridge?
Arkady: We all do.

Arkady: Do I owe you a favor?
G: No, but when this is done I’m gonna owe you one.
Arkady (smiling broadly): Then this is business. (Puts the gun in his pants) Ayayay – the gun is still cold.

Arkady: This is my brother-in-law’s car.
G: It may get a little rough.
Arkady: That’s ok. I don’t like him anyway.

Arkady: Make sure you use indicators. You don’t want to get pulled over, do you?
G: What, do you have a body in the trunk?
Arkady: No – not today.

Neighborhood Watch (3×22)

Wanted (4×17)

Tin Soldiers (2×15)

Arkady: (Callen enters with Niko in cuffs) I see you got my message.
Callen: You couldn’t have left a note?
Arkady: You couldn’t have rang the buzzer?

Callen: Don’t send anybody else to my house – not unless you want to get rid of them.
Arkady: We’ll be in touch, old friend.

We are definitely looking forward to Arkady’s next appearance – and not only because he might help revealing another piece of G’s mysterious past…

Did you miss your favorite Arkady scene?
What do you think? Does Arkady know more than he is saying about Callen’s past?

Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

Thanks to Vicki, FanGCallen, Richtsje, Bee, Mary, Keviana and Saori for contributing to this post on one of my favorite guest characters on NCIS LA!

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