Red: Part Two (4×19)
Written by: Shane Brennan
Directed by: Tony Wharmby
In retrospect, Red: Part One was not exactly a very interesting episode in terms of a story line but there was probably a reason for that. Like NCIS and NCISLA before it, NCISRed will only succeed if the fans come to like and care for the characters in this new show. I have to admit that by the end of the first hour it wasn’t the contractor on the lam that had my attention….it was the NCIS characters and their backstory that I wanted to know more about. The episode left me wondering about the explosive relationship between Paris and Roy…. what goes on inside the mind of Clare Keats (I found her charming)….. And how will the tech ops, Flynn and Ash actually be able to work their magic in the less than the accommodating surroundings of their quirky mobile trailers, Laverne and Shirley. (It was fun to see the trailers come alive in the open sequence! I thought I was watching an episode of Transformers!)
Exploring how these characters will work and play together under these circumstances will bring endless opportunities to highlight their relationships and find out whether or not we will fall in love with them or walk away forever. It looks like from our NCISLA Magazine poll, you were also willing to give it a chance and come back to find out more as well. In Part Two we get to see a little more of what makes these men and women tick and if there is a future for a third NCIS franchise.
In the opening of Red Two, the teams are back in the hunt for the mastermind who helped a group of Afghani terrorist almost pull off a second 9-11. The Red Team is off to Texas with a new team member in tow who also happens to be Paris’ former partner – Roy Haines. Will their old relationship jeopardize the mission? It will definitely make it a whole lot more interesting, that’s for sure! Meanwhile, Hetty’s team is back in LA tricking their captured Afghani into helping them find Spears who seems to specialize in shooting his victims in the back of the head with a low velocity round. It looks like Spears isn’t working alone either and is connected to a fellow by the name of Tony Kraus who is a Mr. Fix It of sorts for underworld clientele. Back in El Centro, the team finds a compound with a house full of dead illegal aliens along with the one man who can get Spears out of the country. The team suspects Spears but they are confused as to why he would kill Ramirez who is the one man who could get him out of the country alive. Spears is an enigma. But Roy has his own theory…maybe Spears isn’t the killer. Smart man.
The Red team with the help of Sam and Callen are able to capture Kraus and Kensi and Deeks find that all the cold cases relating to a low velocity round killing are pointing to a different contract killer. Surprise! It was Kraus who hired the contract killer to go after Spears and Ramirez. Didn’t see that one coming…hmmm. Now Callen and Paris are after the terrorist and the contract killer. A lot of bullets and long hair flying around at the end of this episode. Still not sure who killed Spears. But good to see that there’s a chance at redemption for both Roy and his old partner. This new team may make it after all. I think once they are on their own and find a rhythm; we’ll be able to get a clearer idea if this new NCIS mobile team idea is going to work. I’m willing to give it a go….what about you?
Show Highlights:
I enjoyed the coffee house chat with Sam and Claire. In another time or place, I could even see them together as partners. Sam seems to be amused and enchanted with the Red Team agent. What happen to the Callen/Paris flirtation…seems to be toned down a notch with the return of Roy? Thank God for complicated. I know you Callen fans are heaving a sigh of relief! But don’t get too comfortable. Hetty knows more than she is sharing. Don’t forget…Hetty know everything.
Best Lines from the Show:
Claire: What did you say to him Dave? Ask him out on a date?
Claire: Curiosity killed the cat, Dave.
Dave: Probably a head shot!
Bromance Moments:
Do we actually have a bromance moment with Hetty and Granger? Looks like Granger is sharing information this time and Hetty finds it refreshing for a change. Can’t have you losing sleep, Owen!
Densi Moments:
At first I thought Deeks wanted to work together with Kensi on the Red Team but I should have known better:
Deeks: I wonder what it would be like. You. Me. Red Team.
Kensi: Unbearable.
Deeks: ….working together…
Kensi: You’re supposed to be working on an unsolved murder case in which the victim was shot in the back of the head with a low velocity round….Deeks.
Deeks: …living together. Me walking in on you in the shower…or the bunk room. You walking in on me in the shower…or the bunk room.
Kensi: You walking in on Sam or Hetty.
Deeks: Who invited them?
So…. no sign of the Box in this episode! It was definitely conspicuous due to its absence. But I’m sure it will return soon, according to a Tweet we received from Dave Kalstein after our Roundtable discussion. Stay tuned!
Will I watch Red, next season if it is picked up? The answer is probably….yes. The characters have piqued my interest and I definitely want to find out more about them individually and as a team. I feel their storylines will also have to be captivating as well as they struggle to find their place in a sea of crime shows. But the only way I will keep coming back is if I fall in love with these characters. They have to grab me by the heart and not let go….just like NCISLA did back in season two. If the writers and producers can replicate this magic one more time then they will have a fan for life. What do you think? Did these two crossover episodes grab you and want to make you come back next season for more?
Join me next time for our review of Purity (4X20). I can’t believe the year is almost over but I’m looking for a few surprises coming up as we race to the end of season four. See you next week!
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Thank you for your review.
The thing is that this was probably the worst episode so far for the NCIS LA S4. It would have been a appropriate to list the NCIS La main characters as “Guests” for this episode.
The story had a good surprising twist, that is true. But the character stories were all on the Red team. This was not a backdoor episode, this was a full Team Red episode with the characters of the LA team.
I hope this won’t happen again. I want the LA team back.
Call this a qualified review…!
Of course, as fan of LA team since Legend, I can’t say I liked much this 2nd part. But I absolutely loved how Shane Brennan wrote the end.
Romantic view, G alone, and then Paris. He thinks about his partner first- that’s G. And what’s the question he needs to ask? The thing he knows Paris can’t tell him, the thing he knows will make her uncomfortable. No sparkles allowed – well I didn’t feel any at that time! Thanks!!
Of course the writer wants us to question this complicated stuff – But it was well led IMO; a good bye closing or opening no door, without too much emotion – G cares but that’s all for the moment.
And we were back at the end in our NCISLA with Granger and Hetty!
I liked Pt2 better than Pt1 and will probably watch if it does get picked up in the fall. I think once it’s on a stand alone of itself, I think it will flow a little better.
I don’t know if it’s just me but the scenes between Callen/Paris that were non action/on the job felt awkward…like they were trying too hard to make that connection work and it just made me feel uncomfortable…almost like Callen couldn’t wait to get out of there… but like I said, that’s just me…
I do agree that Pt. 2 was a little better than Pt. 1, but I’m still not crazy about it. And I am a Callen fan, but that aside also thing the whole Callen and Paris this was awkward. I know they said there would be sparks but I didn’t see it. Maybe I missed something I don’t know. If it does get picked up I hope they don’t do a whole lot of crossovers where if you don’t watch one you won’t understand whats happening in a different show. I like how even though its all NCIS they are separate and have their own different approaches on things.
I thought part 2 was better than part 1. I agree with Erin who said the interaction between Paris and Callen felt awkward. I noticed it especially at the end. I’m still a little undecided about the series only because with a pilot episode theres only so much the writer can fit into one episode so there is not a lot of time to really latch onto the new characters. I will wait to reserve my final judgement about the NCIS Red if it gets picked up as a new TV show. And than I’ll watch it to see what I think about the new characters and the storylines.
And will someone please show Kim Raver & the actress who plays Claire (can’t think of her name) the correct way to hold their guns. It looked awkward. They need to watch Daniela hold her gun or watch Cote on NCIS hold hers. Both those ladies know the correct way to hold their guns and it looks real and natural.
COMPLETELY DISAPPOINTED by the last 2 episodes.
I don’t really like the red team. The idea of linking ncisla and ncis red in the future by several crossovers and a romance between Callen and Paris displeases me greatly. they don’t make a lovely couple.
WE DON’T NEED THAT !!! LET NCISLA WORK ALONE !!!
More, I think Ncis red cast have no charisma and play badly.
To:
Sandra R. says:
March 27, 2013 at 10:05 am
COMPLETELY DISAPPOINTED by the last 2 episodes.
Couldn’t agree more.
Exactly my thoughts.
I actually highly enjoyed this episode. It made me laugh, the storyline was intriguing and the Red characters were interesting and I am very curious to learn more about them. If they are picked up (which I expect tey´ll be) I will most definitely watch them.
My favourite moment of the episode was when Dave and Claire shared the bar of chocoate, it was so natural and hilarious. They are clearly used to each other when they don´t mind sharing a chocolate bar 🙂 The characters made me laugh, particularly Dave and Claire with her endless enthusiasm with Sam and Paris is a well crafted and interesting character.
So CBS, pick this up please!
I didn’t watch. I was waiting for a review/feedback to find out what it was about. I don’t think I am going to watch it. Too much of the other characters that I don’t care about. I didn’t watch them introduce the NCISLA members on NCIS either. I don’t like when they do backdoor pilots like this.
Some hints for CBS:
1) If you’re going to call a show NCIS have the crimes at least vaguely involve a Navy or Marine service member.
2)Get rid of Kim Raver and the other obligatory young blonde.Part of what makes the other NCISs so good is that their women are believable as real agents.
3) If you keep Kim Raver, put John Corbett in charge, no head butting. The last thing television needs is another female character with a HUGE chip on her shoulder. That’s why I stopped watching Law & Order SVU.
4) Better yet: all of the above. Keep the mobile concept, make sure the crimes involve the military, put John Corbett in charge and get some more realistic female agents like Zeve and Kensi.
The Red Team on its own , yes, it might work, although I would have to get used to them. I’m glad there was a bit more of that team, in P1 it was mainly Paris-alone.
And no, no sparkles betweet P&G. Lucky us.
Didn’t you all just love the sun on Callen’s face? That I loved. Next week, we’ll just enjoy the LA team as it should be, without the awkward feeling that something that a mix SHOULD be made just to introduce Team Red.
btw: Those last words of Hetty, yuk.
Thanks for all the comments! There’s a real mix of opinions here. It will be interesting to see if the show gets picked up (most likely) and like the other shows in the franchise, it will take time to evolve and grow and hopefully turn into an engaging drama.
I thnk Pt 2 was better than Pt 2 as far as the Red Team went. If it gets picked up I will give it a chance, after all it comes from the minds of those who gave us NCIS & NCISLA. I did miss not having a lot of our LA team in the episode but understand why that was.
So far the characters haven’t grown on me yet, it would take a bit more time I think. There were some strange moments but I’m sure as they work together it will smooth out. Clair and Dave seem to have a really good brother/sister thing going on but Roy and Paris didn’t jell for me, don’t know why as I do admire both Kim Raver and John Corbet.
As for Paris/Callen, of course it was a bit awkward after all they just met. But that scene of Callen against the mountians was beautiful.
Having now watched both parts of “RED” I feel there is something missing….Magic….so far it just doesn’t have what LA has, and I think that the magic that is not there is the Callen/Sam relationship, which is backed up by a superb team.
With Callen/Sam you have two people who work together, support each other and are friends, with Paris and Roy, you have the opposite (probably intentional) you have a couple who are at the least antagonistic towards each other, have trust issues, and at the moment really don’t want to be in each other’s company.
Hetty as always is scheming and manipulating from the background, why should she throw Callen and Paris together and then introduce Roy, she obviously thinks Callen needs a bit of romance in his life, (I don’t have a problem with this) it is a side of Callen we have not yet seen, apart from Tracy, however with Roy in the equation this could lead to some interesting dynamics in the future, Callen-Paris-Roy.
If RED is taken up then I expect there will be some cross overs.
It will be interesting to see what RED looks like as a series, the objections that are being levelled at it are very similar to what was thrown at “Legend” after it was aired in NCIS and look what we got a great series. When it eventually came on line it had been tweaked, No Macy, Hetty instead, the location had moved from warehouse to Spanish Style offices, Renko had been sidelined and in came Dom( big mistake) by the end of series 1 more tweaking out went Dom and in came Deeks (good Idea)so I guess there will be some changes made, Brennan say “no one is safe”!!!!
I really did like some of the “techi” stuff, I thought what they did with the trucks was fun, and last week the leaking roof, hope they get that repaired……
That story line was quite good, with a twist in the tail, and Granger and Hetty appear to be getting on better, although I expect Hetty is putting on a show, and it won’t last, we need to know what the cause of their mistrust is?
I see Tony Whamby directed both episodes for continuity, he is one of my favourite NCIS/LA directors.
So will I watch it if it is taken up? YES, I will, do I think it will come up to either NCIS or LA, I will wait and see on that one.
What I need know is another input in to Callen’s story, it has been far too long.
Domingo, I still can’t rule out Kristin as G’s past (and maybe future) romance – Maybe one day he’ll meet again the boy [If he’s a small G he won’t have easy teenage years!]… We know for sure that the story isn’t at the end.
Honestly, G isn’t very young – why would he start a thing with a woman always away from home? Yeah, (we call it hygiene here), would be perfect for time to time love, Paris and G meeting during cross-overs. But the woman of his life? Then one of them should stop working…Or at least change team!
Cashkend:-
I too very much liked Christian Donnell in “Past Lives” however when Callen re-appeared in her life she was moving on, I think he did care and felt guilty, especialy when he saw the “boy”!!!
but he had broken her heart and been responsible for the death of her brother, could she forgive him? I am not sure that she could.
The name play was cleaver….. they have done similar several times.
I do not see Paris as “the one” just some one who has entered his life,and he is atracted to, and as she said it’s complicated with Roy.