Free Ride (4×10)

WRITTEN BY:   Tim Clemente and R. Scott Gemmill
DIRECTED BY:  Jonathan Frakes

It wouldn’t be Christmas without a holiday episode from the cast and crew of NCIS LOS ANGELES.  This is the second holiday episode directed by Jonathan Frakes.  From all the location pictures taken during the filming, it looks like Mr. Frakes and the crew spent a fun time together.  This is the first script from Tim Clemente since Season One (Blood Brothers) and it was also co-written with R. Scott Gemmill.   The team is investigating the death of one of their own.  I may be mistaken, but I think this is the first time Callen and the crew has gone on location aboard a US Navy ship.  As a trainer for the Navy, I spent many hours on board ship and it was nice to see the gang actually working in a naval environment.

The opening scene finds special agent afloat Niles lying dead at the bottom of a ladder and it seems Christmas is going to have to wait for the crew as they fly out to the USS Van Buren to investigate.  (Much of this episode was filmed on board the decommissioned USS Iowa which is now a museum in the Port of Los Angeles.).  I really enjoyed Deeks’ rant about flying in the C2 Greyhound.  Having flown in one of the aircrafts, I can really appreciated his apprehension!

 

While Callen interrogates the two enlisted men who may have had something to do with the death of the NCIS agent, Deeks is in search of a Starbucks.  (Wait until he finds out his morning coffee is going to come out of a huge urn. LOL!)  Getting a bit bored with his tour of the ship (and lack of interest from his pretty escort) Deeks decides it’s time to go undercover.  Poor Sam, he has to get Deeks out of trouble already.  But being the exceptional undercover agent that he is, Deeks has discovered the first clue… Niles was killed somewhere else on the ship.

Meanwhile, Kensi is involved in apprehending the ship’s Master Chief who has gone crazy attacking crew members.  The cause is attributed to cocaine toxicity.  All of a sudden, there are a lot sailors and marines testing positive for drug use on this ship and Callen is having a hard time trying to convince the Executive Officer there is a drug problem.  The team surmises that Niles was killed  when he discovered who was smuggling the drugs on board.  With everybody denying the drug use, is there a set up going on?  Or is someone trying to sabotage the ship?  With a ship this big, it’s not going to be easy tracking down the evidence they need to find the murderer, not to mention how hard it will be to watch each other’s back.  Too many strange things going on here and when Deeks is missing in action after finding where Niles was actually killed… the team goes into full search and rescue mode to find the killer.

This episode is based on a real-life FBI case.  Tim Clemente was a former FBI agent who worked undercover in narcotics and drug smuggling.  It seems crazy that smugglers can conceal cocaine in paint, concrete and plaster… but Mr. Clemente should know.  In our story the cocaine leaked into the food supply from the paint and caused the cocaine toxicity when ingested by the crew.

How great was it to see Hetty show up on board dressed in full flight gear!???  I was so happy to see she had to be with her team at the holidays even if she sends Sam home to spend Christmas with his own family.  Did you ever see Sam so happy?   And what can we say about our favorite geeks?  Nell really got into that kiss under the mistletoe, didn’t she?  Maybe she’s finally warming up to the possibility of a romance between her co-worker?

There was a lot of fun and merriment going on in this episode, exactly what you want to see for a holiday episode.  Romance and Bromance was in the air and holiday cheer was in full swing.  Everything we needed for one short hour to take our minds off of some of the sad events going on right now.  Thanks go out to the cast and crew for putting a smile on our face tonight.

Highlights From the Show

I really enjoyed  Eric trying to comfort Nell regarding their lost Christmas.  The team all means so much to each other and they have become a working family.  It was sweet to see her so upset that they wouldn’t be able to spend the holidays together.  I think this was first time Eric didn’t have to try so hard around Nell either.  Although, you have to feel for the man when Nell asks him to wear leggings as part of his elf costume.  There’s only so much you will do for love… but then again… maybe not!  One kiss was all it took!

We get to hear more about Sam’s wife in this episode.  He’s still worried that Sidirov will try and find her while he’s gone and his worst nightmare comes true when he can’t get through to her while he is on board ship.  Of course Callen is always there to reassure his partner that all is well.

Best Lines from the Show

Sam:  Come on Deeks… pull your skirt down, I hardly hit you.

Deeks:  Yeah I know I was just in character.

Sam:  You’ve been on the ship less than an hour and you’re already in trouble.

 

Hetty: Mr. Beale, you have elf head.

 

Deeks:  Just for the record this is a gross misuse of my undercover talent.

Hetty:  If you truly feel that way, you can go in as a Marine as well.  Just let me get my clippers.

Deeks:  What clippers?

Kensi:  You’re going to look so good with a high and tight!

 

Deeks:  I have nerves of steel.  I just think it’s a little disconcerting when the back of the plane opens like my garage door.  It’s like a flying tool shed.

Callen:  Deeks!  I’m trying to sleep here.

Deeks:  I’ll be sure to wake you when we crash into the ocean.

 

Deeks:  Where I grew up special meant that you took the short bus and wore a helmet in the sandbox.

Sam:  That’s almost as funny as you telling those two sailors that you kicked my ass.

(Great Kensi snort!)

 

Bromance Moments

Callen can be such a ball and chain!  But you have to giggle every time he tries to get Sam hot under the collar:

Callen:  As you know the memory is the first to go!

Sam:  You’re not helping!

Callen:  I’m not really trying.

 

Callen:  I know that look.

Sam:  You’re starting to sound like my wife.  You know what they say when your partner starts sounding like your wife?

Callen:  Get a new wife?

Sam:  I’ll pretend you didn’t say that.

Callen: See, that’s the problem right there….you and I don’t talk.  Communication goes; the relationship is soon to follow.

Densi Moments

Why doesn’t Deeks just come out and ask Kensi for a date, for god’s sake!  “Snowboarding during the day, roaring fire at night.”  If that’s not a romantic getaway for two, I don’t know what is!  Then he has to go and spoil it all by inviting her mom!  I give up!

 

Deeks:  Wow!  Hello sailor.

Kensi:  I’m a Marine Major.

Deeks:  You’re a major hottie!

 

From the ‘what’s good for the goose is good for the gander’ file:

Deeks:  I don’t know if you heard that but I have an escort.

Kensi:  Fraternization is forbidden on board Deeks.

Deeks:  Wow.  Jealous much?

Sam and Callen turn the table on Deeks when they tease him about Kensi’s investigation on board.

Sam:  Girls love their daddys. Ooo Rah!

Deeks is not liking Kensi’s escort so much either…especially after catching her casually touching his chest.  Ah, Deeks, when are you ever going to learn, it all comes back to you eventually?

 

From everybody here at NCISLA Magazine have a happy holiday and wonderful New Year!  Join us for the first episode of the new year… Drive (4×11) on January 11th, 2013.   I’m very excited about this show since sindee and I were on set for this episode and the filming of a scene in Ops.  Read about our magical experience being on set and meeting the cast and crew in my two part column during the week the episode is aired… Check out In the Bullpen by Phillydi.