The Top 3 Scenes that Sum Up Deeks

This just might be the most difficult Top 3 I’ve had to write. In fact, I’m not sure it’s even possible to come up with a set of three scenes that together can sum up all that Marty Deeks has to offer. Still, I gave it my best shot.

The Premise

There is no actual #1 scene in this Top 3. Instead, I wanted to package together three scenes that together demonstrate all the important qualities of our favorite character.

The Top 3

I started with a laundry list of important Marty Deeks adjectives that included brave, dark/haunted, funny, kind, loyal, sexy, skilled, smart and SoCal. I then set out to put together a list of scenes that covered them all. I think I fell a little short on the loyal and SoCal qualities but managed to cover the rest. My trio of scenes is…

#3. Joking about being pummeled by Viggo Mortensen in “Wanted”

Written by R. Scott Gemmill, this scene has appeared in several other Top 3 discussions because it’s so funny. It’s on this list because it shows off Deeks’ trademark use of humor to defuse tension, a key character trait. In this scene, he’s hilarious as he nervously navigates a spa filled with naked Russian men. Oh, and speaking of naked, this scene’s towel-clad Deeks also takes care of the “sexy” category.

#2. Saving Kensi in “Personal”

This memorable scene, written by Joseph C. Wilson, shows us how brave, tough and selfless Deeks is, climbing out of his hospital bed despite two bullet holes, tearing out his stitches, and fighting through it all to save Kensi. It’s Action Hero Deeks at his best. The scene also shows off Deeks’ technical abilities – that’s quite a shot he makes to take out the bad guy. And we see his smarts, since despite his traumatic day and the likely influence of painkillers, he’s the first on the team to figure out he had been used as bait to lure Kensi into a vulnerable position.

#1. Failing to torture the cleric in “Spoils of War”

No list of scenes that sum up Deeks would be complete without somehow addressing his dark side. This scene, written by Frank Military, illustrates Deeks’ willingness to cross lines to protect his loved ones, as he waterboards an elderly blind cleric to try to find Kensi, who’s been abducted in Afghanistan. The scene doesn’t just show us that Deeks has a dark side, it heartbreakingly helps us understand how absolutely haunted by it he is. His reaction to his actions is compelling- Deeks is horrified that he’s gone so far, and as Eric Christian Olsen has discussed, in that moment he’s reeling from the influence of his hated father. In the end though, Deeks pulls back from torture and turns to kindness, another key personality trait. He feeds the old man and then uses his brains to figure out a way to find and rescue Kensi.

Also in the Running

Here are a few more of the many scenes I considered including:

• Reassuring Kensi at the end of “Ascension” (Frank Military)
• Emerging from the sea in “Skin Deep” (Gil Grant)
• Running and cracking jokes In “Lange, H.” (Shane Brennan)
• In the bar as Max Gentry in “Plan B” (Dave Kalstein, Joseph C. Wilson)
• Proposing to comatose Kensi in “The Queen’s Gambit” (R. Scott Gemmill)
• Withstanding torture to protect Michelle in “Descent”/”Ascension” (Frank Military)
• Alone at the end of “The Frozen Lake” (Dave Kalstein)
• Lying to Kensi about Boyle’s death in “Active Measures” (R. Scott Gemmill)
• The jail scene with mom in “Internal Affairs” (Chad Mazero, R. Scott Gemmill)
• Waiting for the other shoe to drop in “Where There’s Smoke…” (Andrew Bartels)
• Taking on the whole team in the boatshed in “Hand-to-Hand” (Matt Pyken)
• The garage scene in “Blye K Pt 2” (Dave Kalstein)

Next Week

Next week we’ll take on the same exercise for Densi. In the meantime, what three scene combination would you use to sum up all that is Marty Deeks? How many key personality traits can you cover?

Or, return to last week’s Top 3, the Top 3 NCISLA Seasons.