Roundtable Discussion Part Two: Team wikiDeeks talks Densi!

Welcome back to Part Two of our Team wikiDeeks Roundtable Discussion. Our first conversation centered on Deeks and how he has fared so far this season. This time our group concentrated on the Kensi/Deeks relationship. We speculated on the first part of the season and how it would affect Densi as we move forward to the dramatic conclusion. As always, our wikiDeeks contributors had a lot to say. Let’s listen in.... Diane:  It’s been a Densi season so far in that the show runners have decided to concentrate a bit more on the relationship between Kensi and Deeks. What has your reaction been so far to what has happen between the couple? Gayle:  I like that they have been separated and to see them handle it individually, especially Deeks and trying to get their own minds wrapped around this potential shift of being together. It’s potentially shifted as to what the story line would have been if this separation had not happened. As far as what may happen by episode 18, we know everything is going to explode and we have to come to some sort of acceptance of that. Short term loss versus long time gain is what I’m thinking about. As far as exactly what is going to happen, who knows? They are just too good at keeping us guessing. There are just so many options as to how this will play out and we know Kensi is going to be particularly affected by this as to if it is something that happens in Afghanistan or if it is something that happens at home. Karen S:  Back in the summer someone interviewed Shane Brennan and they asked about Jack and if that was ever going to be part of the storyline and he said yes. Then they asked 'can you tell us when?' and he replied 'I answered you quick, didn’t I?' So my thought process is that it has something to do with Jack in Afghanistan or whenever she gets back home.

Lindy:  I think Daniela getting pregnant made them rush a little bit to put those two together and they didn’t have to but they did and I’m still kind of pissed that we didn’t see any physical contact between the two of them whatsoever. It drove me crazy! Maybe just a hug, touch and to see them the moment after being all nervous with each other… it was kind of a cop out to me. But I think they handled it well particularly when she went away in the “Frozen Lake” episode. That was a great last scene with all the emotion on his face and no dialogue. Eric Christian Olsen is such a master in being so expressive without saying a word. I don’t know if they are actually going to let these two people form a relationship… I think they are going to blow it out of the water in Episode 18 and it may mean that Deeks goes back to LAPD because he can’t continue to work along with her.

Karen P:  That’s so sad!  So sad because it sounds very possible.

Bridget:  At the end of last season and the kiss happening they pretty much brought to the forefront how Kensi and Deeks felt about each other. It wasn’t really a matter of if they’d get together, but when. I do think Daniela’s pregnancy probably shifted some of how they went about dealing with Densi but in the end I think they’ve done a wonderful job. I definitely did not want the pregnancy to be a part of the show and I’ve really enjoyed how they worked around it by having Densi separated. Yes, I of course miss having them together but I really have enjoyed the way we’ve managed to get little Densi moments sprinkled throughout these separation episodes. I’m not sure that the producers and writers could’ve handled Daniela’s maternity leave much better. They’ve introduced a really compelling season arc for the entire team, The White Ghost mystery, and have managed to give us Densi fans what we have wanted for a long time.

Mel:  I struggled with them bringing Deeks and Kensi into a romantic relationship so quickly. With Kensi leaving they side stepped the potential conflict of what it really means for them to be a romantic couple. Also having them torn apart they are not focusing on what it means to be romantic. But it’s that kind of show and I didn’t expect them to have this long drawn out analysis, but from my personal point of view I would have liked to see a little more of what it would mean for them to be together.  It felt rushed. I liked how the actors played out the scenes because they did a fantastic job but they managed to avoid really discussing it but they have given us a taste of what many fans have wanted and the next step is going to be changing everything. Give them a taste but take it away which is a fairly common theme for couples on TV shows. I think Lindy’s theory of Deeks going back to LAPD could certainly play out.

Diane:  With the type of job they have, which is so dangerous, can they make a relationship like this work? Look at the scene where he couldn’t take the shot because he was so afraid she would get hurt.

Karen P:  That was one of the things about “The Frozen Lake” that didn’t ring true for me. This is a couple that has been in love for so long and I didn’t see one night sleeping together would up the level of intensity to that relationship where all of a sudden they couldn’t function at work. He was just as much in love with her the day before, so I guess he would have taken the shot. I feel like they have been making it work, they have just not been sleeping together and I don’t know if that needs to make such a huge difference in how they would proceed. I agree with what everybody is saying in that they are going to drive them apart by the end of the year. I think they are so interesting together and even if they took the relationship to the next level it would be fun and interesting and there would still be that chemistry there; they won’t need to drive them apart to keep us from watching.

Lindy:  A lot of fans want to see them together; even ECO wants to see them together. They might blow it totally out of the water this year but what are they going to do about it next year? You have to think further afield. Are they going to let them come back and try to get back to that place the night before “Frozen Lake” happened? There is a lot of potential in the story line whether they put them together quickly or not. There is a lot of incredible stories that can come out of this in trying to find their way back to each other. One of the things I’ve heard Eric Christian Olsen say is that they are going to fight to get back to that place that they had. I agree with Karen there is a lot of possibilities there, a lot of beautiful possibilities there and I hope that they don’t just take it away from us.

Gayle:  There is no way they’re are going to take that away for all sorts of reasons, but one reason is that we all want them to be together despite all those obstacles and challenges that they continue to work through and overcome which makes it a deeper and more realistic and worthwhile relationship. The question now is what kinds of challenges are they going to throw at them personally or professionally? We haven’t heard them talk about the implications of those hurtles and obstacles.

Karen S:  That’s a good point. I don’t see them making it so that they are pushed apart for very long because they are a big draw. You look at all those polls where they are one of the favorite couples and they’re right up there at the top. That’s what draws people back. Why mess with a good thing? You have to do something to keep the interest up but pushing them apart would hurt the show in a lot of ways.

Karen P:  It’s a little scary to me because I’m thinking of some of the quotes I’m reading and I’m not sure which one of the show runners worked on Jag which had these two characters that they managed to keep apart for 10 seasons with one kiss in a dream sequence and they looked at that as a really big accomplishment and I don’t want to really want to wait 10 seasons for that! I’m with Lindy I want to see something happen now. I’m very impatient!

Karen S:  Give them at least one night together before you blow everything up!

Bridget: I think by having them separated they’ve sort of been able to push this question to the back burner and not have to address it just yet. We started to see some of the potential risks of them working together in “Frozen Lake” and I definitely do not think those concerns have been resolved. The stakes on their partnership have definitely been raised; can they handle that and continue to work alongside each other now that they’ve crossed the line? It’s not something that’s going to be answered quickly and it’s going to take work by both of them to make sure the partnership and an outside relationship can work. I do think it can be done though. We’ve seen it happen on other shows, such as Castle but also even here on NCIS: LA with Sam and Michelle. Sure these two aren’t everyday partners, but they’ve been able to have a marriage and still work on operations together where they have to separate those feelings. Who knows, maybe now that Sam and Deeks have a better relationship he could offer some advice on how to go about it.

Mel:  As a long time viewer of Jag that was the utmost example of frustration! Ten years and they got them together literally in the last episode. I certainly hope that they don’t do that with Deeks and Kensi because their relationship has been quite different. They have an amazing opportunity which Gayle highlighted to show what would it really mean to be together. There is a ton of opportunity there.

Lindy:  It would be so interesting for the show’s writers to be brave and try this kind of relationship because these people are in danger for their lives every day. How does that affect you? Not just how you pay your taxes and the bills… here you have to worry about the person living or dying because of you. That’s a lot of tension. I encourage the show’s writers to be brave and go that way.

Karen P:  Exactly. These two characters are carrying around so many issues and so many things from their past and we want them to try to work and grow their relationship in the context of these things which would be really fun and interesting to see that development.

Diane:  I think we have a lot to look forward to since it’s only the fifth season and depending on where they take the storyline this year, there is a lot down the road which can be really interesting to the viewing audience. Anything can happen in the next four months! Overall how would you rate this season so far?

Lindy:  From the end of last season which was one of the best endings to a season ever and they picked it up in such a strong way to start the season and it has been Deeks centered since the beginning… I really have grown even more enamored of this show and we have gotten to see some great acting from Eric Christian Olsen. He has been phenomenal in these episodes and it’s wonderful to see. I’m more of a fan than I was before if that’s possible.

Gayle:  Season four was just so incredible, especially the last half, I couldn’t even picture where five was going to go. I agree completely with Lindy that season five kicked off and didn’t slow down at all which has been amazing and along the same lines it has given Eric a lot of opportunities which maybe wasn’t really planned. But where we are sitting right now in the middle of the season, I feel like Densi is on pause. That’s feeling like the bottom has dropped out for me but I have every expectation that it’s going to come back full force at the end of five. The question is looking ahead, what kind of cliffhanger is five going to leave us with? If you do have Deeks and Kensi apart there is a little concern that you don’t want your fandom rooting for one over the other or blaming them that they are not together. So there are so many unknowns that I’m happy to sit back and see what they have in store for us.

Mel:  I think the show gets a bum rap sometimes because it’s labeled a procedural show and while it is that, I think that they do work in these character developments whether it’s Callen’s search for his father or Deeks’ development or Kensi’s search for her father, they do have these great moments of windows into these characters that goes above and beyond the typical crime shows. Because they do this it has always kept me interested and coming back.

Bridget: I have really enjoyed this season and the fact that is so Densi focused has really been the reason why. In the past, Callen and his back story has taken the lead but I feel like there’s been a definite shift to focus on Deeks and Kensi, both together and apart this season and I really enjoy it. We’ve gotten to see each of these characters in situations that they aren’t accustomed to being in and I really enjoyed seeing a dramatic and serious side of Deeks as he dealt with his PTSD. Sure, ideally the separation wouldn’t have happened and maybe it wouldn’t have if Daniela wasn’t pregnant, but I’ve said this time and again, I really enjoy how it’s playing out. I think the White Ghost is a great season long mystery, not only for Kensi, but as we’ve seen with Nell and Eric getting involved, one that the whole team is going to have to deal with. I find it very intriguing and look forward to seeing who they will surprise us with. But of course as with everything related to NCIS: LA for me, it always comes down to Deeks and Kensi. I couldn’t be happier (ok maybe if they were in the same physical location) with the story Season Five has brought us for these two. I really think getting them together does not have to signal the end of interesting stories and there are plenty left to tell once that happens. I’m really looking forward to the way Season Five plays out.

Karen P:  This has probably been my favorite season so far because it has been so Deeks focused but a couple of things have stood out is the fact that he has finally gained the respect of everyone on the team and he really does feel more a part of the team… I think they are much more of a family than they were before. It has been wonderful to see. I have to point out that last scene in “Impact” with the cronut and ‘it’s a love story’ which is my favorite scene of all time. So far we’re half way through Season Five and I’ve been really happy.

Karen S:  I have really liked this season the best. However I am terrified at what they are going to throw at us the second half of the season. But we will go with the flow and try to figure it out with them but I have really enjoyed it because I feel they are making Deeks part of the team and not just a cop from LAPD. They are including him more and letting him take the lead in more scenes and he’s not just a second thought anymore.

Special thanks go out to our wikiDeeks staff of writers for coming together to talk Deeks and Densi. We will meet again at the end of the season to see if our predictions came true and what we may have to look forward to in Season Six. Stay tuned!