NCISLA Classified Preview: “Matryoshka” (S7E15)

Title: “Matryoshka” Part One

Airing: Monday, February 8^th

Filming:   November 17^th to November 25^th (just before Thanksgiving in the U.S.)

What CBS is telling us: In order to locate Arkady in Russia, the NCIS team goes undercover with his daughter, Anna (Bar Paly), at a gala in Los Angeles to gain access to the Russian Consul General’s computer, on part one of a special two-part episode of NCIS: Los Angeles.

What we think is happening: Well, according to the internet (always a trustworthy source), the meaning of “Matryoshka” is Russian nesting dolls – the wooden dolls of decreasing size that are placed one inside another. Pretty good title for how every time Callen gets an answer about his past, there is another layer of mystery.

From the promo photos and clips, the Russian storyline is back, everyone wears their party best for a gala and Anatoli still has a crush on Deeks.

Be on the lookout: GUEST CAST:

Vyto Ruginis as Arkady Kolcheck
Bar Paly as Anastasia “Anna” Kolcheck

Father and daughter were last seen in the Season 6 finale, “Chernoff, K.” with Arkady bleeding and Anna fleeing. Bar Paly seems happy to be back on set.

Ravil Isyanov as Anatoli Kirkin

Last seen in both custody and handcuffs, Deeks’s not-so-secret admirer was in “Active Measures”, the Season 7 premiere.

Rizwan Manji as Anton

Manji is currently co-starring in the POP series Schitt’s Creek as Ray. He was Backstrom’s personal physician Dr. Deb Chapman in Backstrom, Rajiv Gidwani on Outsourced, Maneesh on Flashforward and Rami the butler on Privileged.

He has appeared in a number of comedies (The League, Mom, The Goldbergs) and dramas (Minority Report, Rizzoli & Isles, 24) including NCIS’s “SWAK” episode (he was the doctor in the contamination suit in Mariette Hartley’s lab).

Manji shows off his script last fall:

Zoran Korach as Semyon

This is not Korach’s first role on the program. He was a Romanian Guard in “Lange, H.” starting Season 3. He also was in the “Choke Hold” episode of the mothership as a Metro Police Officer.

Was Goomer on Sam & Cat and had roles in episodes of Scorpion, Graceland, Justified, Shameless, Bones, Perception, True Blood, Chuck, Southland, First Edition, The Unit and Days of Our Lives.

Angelina Assereto as Sarah

Appeared in episodes of Rosewood, Ballers, The Night Shift, Anger Management, How to Make It in America and Fringe.

Assereto showing off her script and the show’s studio:

Griffin Freeman as Hans

Freeman is Nathan Hale in an upcoming episode of Sleepy Hollow. He appeared in episodes of Ray Donovan, Revolution as well as a number of short films.

Mo Anouti as Security Guard

With roles like Royal Guard, Henchman, Armed Guard, Bodyguard and Burly Butler, Anouti has been in a number of feature films as well as episodes of Big Time Rush, The Cape, Chuck, The Young and the Restless and The Unit.

Mikal Vega as Security Guard #2

Was Uwe Heinwick on Agent X on TNT late last year and appeared in episodes of Hawaii Five-0, Dallas, Leftovers, The Last Ship, Grimm and Chuck.

Salvator Xuereb as Balinski/CIA Officer Randall Sharov

Xuereb was Buddha in Pensacola: Wings of Gold and had roles in episodes of Baskets, Teen Wolf, Wild Card, Justified, Revenge, Awake, The Event, The Genesis Files, The Glades, Dark Blue, 90210, Men of a Certain Age, Leverage, Knight Rider (2009), House, K-Ville, Dexter, Criminal Minds, Saving Grace, Medium, 24, Las Vegas, CSI: Miami, The Division, Boomtown, Fastlane, NYPID Blue, CSI, The Chronicle, Matlock, Baywatch, Melrose Place, China Beach, Doogie Howser M.D. and Alien Nation.

Xuereb’s casting was announced by his acting coach:

Masterminds:

WRITTEN BY: Kyle Harimoto and R. Scott Gemmill  

Harimoto wrote “Omni”, “Merry Evasion”, “Chernoff, K.” and “Command and Control”, co-wrote “Three Hearts”, “Leipei” and “Humbug”.

Scott Gemmill, who wrote or co-wrote “The Only Easy Day”, “Brimstone”, “Breach”, “LD50”, “Found”, “Borderline”, “Absolution”, “Archangel”, “Tin Soldiers”, “Impostors”, “Cyberthreat”, “Honor”, “The Watchers” and both sides of the NCIS Los: Angeles/Hawaii Five-0 “Touch of Death” episodes, “Recruit”, “Free Ride”, “Wanted”, “Ravens and The Swans”, “Impact”, “War Cries”, both ends of the “Deep Trouble” Season 5 finale/Season 6 premiere, “Inelegant Heart”, “Praesidium”, “Traitor”, “Active Measures”, “Blame It On Rio” and “Internal Affairs”.

This means the writers of the Season 6 finale (all about Arkady and Callen’s past) and the Season 7 opener (all about Callen and looking for Arkady) are behind this episode.

DIRECTED BY: Dennis Smith:  

Smith directed “Fame”, “Standoff”, “Rocket Man”, “Cyberthreat”, “Exit Strategy”, “Patriot Acts”, “Out of the Past” part one, “The Livelong Day”, Between the Lines”, “Deep Trouble” part two, “Black Budget”, “Black Wind”, “Blame it On Rio” and “Defectors”. Smith also directed 61-episodes of NCIS and two episodes of NCIS: New Orleans.

Kyle Harimoto with Dennis Smith:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBTGn-_o5fL/

Insider Intel: Nothing up this week so far but this looks to be half of a pair of high profile episodes so I expect to see some articles either about this episode or part two.

Official Photographic Evidence:

http://www.spoilertv.com/2016/01/ncis-los-angeles-episode-715-matryoshka.html

Unofficial Surveillance:

Russia may be closer than we think but wow, were there beautiful set photos for this episode – perfect for those enjoying February in cold and snowy locations:

https://www.instagram.com/p/-SYqqtAm7j/

https://www.instagram.com/p/-RVlIcAm4s/

https://www.instagram.com/p/-Vo2YWJvwQ/

Chris O’Donnell has a photo of most of the cast:

Eric Christian Olsen provides a fashion review:

The ladies of NCIS’s Office of Special Projects:

Eric Christian Olsen takes a photo of a tired lady of OSP:

Guest star Salvator Xuereb with a photo from the set:

While there is no cast member with an LL Cool J photo, a very dapper looking Sam shows up in a crew photo:

Daniela Ruah having some fun behind Eric Christian Olsen:

Kensi looks like she’s getting thing done:

A sunrise photo of where Kensi was working:

And some night photos, too:

https://www.instagram.com/p/-bzQInAm8k/

Guest star Bar Paly memorizing her lines:

Guest star Bar Paly rerecording her lines:

The motorcycle from the official photo gets loaded on a camera rig:

https://www.instagram.com/p/-bgUuDI5dp/

Video Surveillance:

Preview:

Sneak Peek #1:

A much longer clip than usual with humor (Anatoli) and action (the chase).

Sneak Peek #2:

While Callen, Sam and Anna work the party, it looks like Deeks is working at the party (Kensi too from the promo photos).

 

No episode next week – LL Cool J and the Grammys take over CBS on Monday night. “Active Measures”, which was moved from February 1^st, will be rerun on February 20^th and then we’ll be back with the second part of this episode on the 22^nd of February.

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Tess DiCorsi is a wikiDeeks contributor. You can read more by Tess HERE.