NCISLA Magic: Our Favorite Densi Writers (Part Two)

Welcome back to Part Two of Our Favorite Densi Writers! Last week we told you why we thought Dave Kalstein and Frank Military were two of the top writers for Densi fans and this time we have a few more of the NCISLA writing staff we would like to highlight. Here goes....

Joseph C. Wilson

No list of NCISLA writers would be complete without Joseph C. Wilson who is responsible for many dynamic scenes between Kensi and  Deeks. Wilson authored episodes such as "Personal" and "Blye, K." that really explore each of the character’s histories. Wilson is also responsible for co-writing "Plan B" with Dave Kalstein.

"Personal" is a favorite amongst many Densi fans and it’s because we get to see how the partners truly care for each other. It also contains, according to Lindy, “one of the most exciting scenes the show has ever had… Deeks racing down stairs to save Kensi’s life.” In that moment, Mel points out that Wilson showed “the lengths that Deeks is willing to go for Kensi, which are pretty much boundless.“ Wilson perfectly mixes suspense, emotion and action with a great storyline. "Personal" also gives us our first back story into Deeks’ childhood and the fact that he is really alone in the world in terms of family. As staff writer Karen points out, Wilson gave us “the key bit of info we have to date on Deeks’ background.” Fans were surprised to find out that Deeks shot his father when he was only 11. The rest of Deeks childhood is still clouded in mystery but the final scene with Hetty made you long for more information into Deeks sad past. As Lindy eloquently notes, Wilson is “a master storyteller and can write drama, suspense and comedy all in the same episode.”

Even though Wilson can definitely bring the banter and humor to a Deeks and Kensi scene, he’s shows that he’s sensitive to the characters and their struggles. In "Blye, K.", there were some very serious moments that Wilson handled with great care in telling Kensi's story. A key moment in that episode for Lindy was when Deeks showed up at Kensi's home to take her into custody. As she points out, Wilson writes “believable conversations between them” and his dialog “allows the actors to get to the heart of their characters and draw us into their psyche.”

R. Scott Gemmill

One writer that has a lot of episode credits to his name is R. Scott Gemmill. He’s also the man behind the defining line in “Impact” which beautifully sums up the Season 5 catchphrase for Densi: “It’s a love story.” Plain and simple, yet it speaks volumes about their story, history and a promise of what’s to come. All in all, like many of the other talented writers on the show, Gemmill is a pro at mixing moments of comedic relief with serious storylines and cases.

For wikiDeeks writer Lindy, Gemmill is responsible for three of her favorite episodes: “Borderline”, “Free Ride” and “Impact.” “Borderline” (which is “underrated for its awesome Densi-ness” according to wikiDeeks staff writer Karen) and “Free Ride” both  particularly show a snarky and comedic side of Deeks mixed in with the serious side of the detective. As Lindy points out, Gemmill “writes great action scenes and his stories are never boring” and for Karen, “Borderline” was where “Densi really got their start.”

Another episode of Gemmill’s, “Raven & the Swans,” has one of my all-time favorite Densi undercover scenes. This episode has Densi posing as a married coupled at a hotel and Gemmill perfectly scripted Deeks’ enthusiasm for the ruse while simultaneously conveying Kensi’s annoyance. Put those together, and the scene was pure enjoyment for viewers.

If you are going for powerful, “Impact” was the episode that really portrayed what Deeks was going through with his PTSD and how he was recovering. It addressed the issues he was dealing with and showed how debilitating this disorder could be. There was a process of recovery that Deeks needed to go through and Gemmill wrote Deeks’ journey so beautifully. Also the aforementioned “It’s a love story” line is one that really resonated with fans. Karen pretty much sums it up when she says that scene was “utterly and completely perfect. It’s the Densi of a million fan fics come to life and it truly is my favorite scene of the entire series.”

The writers we have touched on until this point are responsible for several significant Deeks and Densi related episodes. There are many other talented NCIS: LA writers who have also given us some great moments and character development that are worth touching on in this analysis. Here’s a brief overview of several of the shows other writers and why they’ve left their mark on the fandom.

Christina M. Kim

In the Season 3 episode “Neighborhood Watch,” Kim gave fans what could basically be summed up as a Densi shipper’s dream, pairing Deeks and Kensi as an undercover married couple. As wikiDeeks Editor, Diane points out, “It gave us our first look into what they may be like as an actual couple. It also allowed us to watch them together, having fun and reminiscing about the first time they met! Let’s not forget their first kiss too!“ Mel also, I think, correctly points out that  this episode’s story “might have benefitted a bit from the touch of a female writer.” The entire episode had a pretty light mood about it and we hope to soon see how close Kim was to the real thing as Kensi returns from Afghanistan. We can only hope their relationship has the same mix of “humor with an undercurrent of heat” that Mel says Kim brought to “Neighborhood Watch.”

Gil Grant

Grant is responsible for penning the episode that served as the official turning point for the Densi relationship, “Recovery.” This was the episode that really took them to the next level and saw Deeks deciding that he had recovered enough from his PTSD to take a stand and show Kensi how he really feels. Grant wrote the end dinner scene perfectly. It was a great tribute to Kensi’s earlier frustrations with Deeks that we saw in “Descent” about never saying what he means. Deeks once again takes control of the situation and communicates his feelings, only this time it wasn’t in Deeks’ actions but his words (authored by Grant), where he so eloquently told Kensi he didn’t want to be there right now, he wanted “to be at my place right now, with you.”

Shane Brennan

No list regarding anything NCIS:LA-related would be complete without mentioning creator Shane Brennan. Especially given the fact that for Diane, Brennan wrote her “all time favorite Deeks episode” — “Human Traffic.” That episode showcased the many different aspects of Deeks. For Diane, he was “intense, sensitive, serious, so sexy, forceful, strong, powerful.” All in all, this ultimately led to the point of no return for many fans regarding Deeks. For if you’re like Diane, this is where she “went over the edge when [she] watched this episode and [her] love for Deeks was never the same!”

We hope you enjoyed this analysis of some of our favorite Densi writers.  We’re sure to have missed some other examples. Which NCIS:LA writer or episode is your favorite? How did that writer help shape Deeks or the Densi relationship? Leave us your comments below. Be sure to come back tomorrow for a special interview with Dave Kalstein! 

Bridget Liszewski is a staff writer for Show Ratings TV. You can read her reviews on NCIS:LA and more HERE. Follow Bridget on Twitter: @BridgetOnTV