Review: NCISLA “A Line in the Sand” (S9E23) and “Ninguna Salida” (S9E24)

As Sunday night’s two-part season finale crept closer and closer, I found myself dreading it. While I continued to hope for a happy ending (AKA wedding) for Densi, the whole thing felt very much tied up with Eric Christian Olsen’s real-life potential plans. I feared what the Prince of Darkness writer/director Frank Military might bring to the first hour, and dreaded a possible good-bye for Deeks from showrunner and second hour writer R. Scott Gemmill and Joe Sachs, and director John P. Kousakis. In short, I was kind of an emotional mess before I even brought myself to begin watching.

Well, I got some of what I expected (thank you Mr. Military) and some of what I didn’t, with a violent cliffhanger instead of fluffy nuptials. Although the ending was definitely not what I hoped for, I can’t complain about a two-hour finale that absolutely flew by, filled with emotion, drama, action and suspense. I desperately need to know what happens next and I can’t believe we have to wait until September to find out. To that I can only say… Well played, NCIS: Los Angeles. Well played.

Oh, and I guess I got a little carried away since this is my last time to write such a review, so apologies for the epic length. My excuse is that there were two hours to cover! (Also apologies for any errors as I lacked enough time for a second viewing.)

I’m hit

Let’s start with the start. You always know we’re in for a special episode when the pre-credits opening scene features the team. That opening shootout might be the best the show’s ever done. It’s always exciting when they’re outnumbered, and splitting them up increases the suspense. The point of view shots taken from each character’s perspective, as if we were standing right behind them needing to duck out of the way of the bullets, added to the sense of immediacy. I’m beginning to think that Frank Military isn’t just my favorite NCIS:LA writer, he could also be my favorite director. Plus am I the only sucker for shots of Deeks switching from his automatic weapon to his sidearm?

On the other hand, intestines, really? Did we need the shot of the poor dead man with his insides hanging out of his body? Only Military could come up with that special touch. I thought maybe it was done to add to Deeks’ continuing workplace traumas, but it was never addressed, so it felt gratuitous.

Surprisingly, Sam being hit added relatively little to the drama. Since it was the first scene (and because it’s LL Cool J), we knew he wasn’t dying. Sam still participated in the case, even if his inability to chase a suspect meant they lost a lead. He was just grumpier more serious than usual. I’d have appreciated hearing a little more about his motivation to leave the hospital to go to Mexico, especially about how he reconciled taking on such a dangerous mission while being the only parent his kids have left. I’m assuming it was something along the lines of what FBI Agent Rand said to him in the face of a kid with a bomb in “The Seventh Child”: “If I can’t save this child, then why am I doing this job?”

While we’re discussing the action, I’d say that it was interesting how little action there was in hour #1, but I never missed it because the drama was so compelling. The only other chase scene had a touch too much of the hand-held camera work, which I found it distracting; it might have even made me a touch queasy.

Hour #2 brought us excitement in the desert, capably handled except for a few questionable edits that made it seem like Sam and Callen got caught on their ATV a little too easily. I enjoyed the character of Arlo, played by Max Martini. He brought a level of charisma and gravitas that would fit in well on the team, should they – heaven forbid! – need to find a replacement for Deeks. Just a suggestion.

We learned one interesting fact that I didn’t remember knowing, which is that apparently Deeks can ride a horse. I ask, why have we not seen this happen? I’m sure that ECO could pull it off well what with all his time in the Tetons. What a lost opportunity! (If you need some of Deeks on a horse, I highly recommend Lindy/Sweet Lu’s amazing AU Western Yesterday’s Fire.)

One big happy family

I don’t remember an episode of this show where I found myself swearing at the TV so frequently (Mosley I’m looking at you), or felt my jaw literally drop open in surprise multiple times. Military in particular in the first hour really poured on the drama. So much of what he addressed had been building for such a long time that it felt realistic and in character, except for Mosley, who truly behaved like a crazy woman.

I get wanting to make Mosley the character everyone loves to hate, but that technique is much more effective if the person you’re hating seems real, like early Granger. Sadly Nia Long has never convinced me she was this character, and she’s always seemed to struggle to keep up with the rest of the cast. Her character’s behavior in the finale was outrageous- as in, provoking outrage. But perhaps more importantly, it was often shortsighted and counterproductive. That gave it all a bit of a manufactured feel, unlike the Densi drama which felt very organic.

Still, Mosley did provoke plenty of outrage. Sadly she’s one of those people who tries to lead through fear and intimidation rather than loyalty and support. In my experience it’s way more effective to inspire people to want to help and protect you rather than to intimidate them into doing so. Or in Mosley’s case, rather than threatening them if they don’t break the law for you, inspire them to want to. With a team of frequently rogue agents, it didn’t have to be this hard. Hetty could sure teach her more than a thing or two.

Right from the start, Mosley was out of control. When poor Deeks was ordered to follow her without knowing why, only to find her in that warehouse beating up their suspect, I found myself encouraging him to quit. It’s hard enough when the bad guys are shooting at him, he doesn’t also need this from his boss. (By the way, he should have cheekily taken the opportunity to criticize her tradecraft since she never noticed the tail.)

If that wasn’t horrific enough, then she threatened to fire Beale and asked him and Jones to tap the phone without a warrant. It was at this point that I was completely done with her. As in, no way will I ever be able to forgive this behavior, and no way do I want to see her continue to lead this group. I do not see how she can be rehabilitated in my eyes, let alone her teams’. She really was willing to sacrifice every single person in order to get to her son. I’m desperately hoping she’ll find herself fired at the end of the premiere. Surely Hetty can make that happen, right?

And we haven’t even talked about the fantastic scenes between her and Deeks. Oh I love me some Direct Deeks, a Deeks we don’t get nearly enough of. Military always writes a strong and capable Deeks, but this Deeks reminded me of the one who took on Hetty when Kensi had been kidnapped.

Deeks: Fellas, this is the Come to Jesus moment where you need to tell us what’s goin’ on.
Callen: This is on a need to know basis.
Deeks: My partner and I have become party to assaulting a prisoner, I think I would classify that as need to know.
Kensi: Deeks.
Deeks: What?
Kensi: If you guys need us to trust you then we will do that.
Deeks: What about them trusting us?
Sam: G, tell ‘em…
Mosley: Agent Callen, you and I had a private conversation and I expected you to keep it that way. Hetty told me that I could trust you, all of you. But apparently that isn’t the case.
Kensi: As far as I can see he’s just trying to explain why you did what you did, he’s trying to help us understand you.
Deeks: Yeah, maybe if you woulda asked for help instead of just throwing us under a bus-
Sam: Deeks!
Deeks: What’s she gonna do, is she gonna fire us? She beat a restrained prisoner and then made us a part of it.
Hidoko: Excuse me?
Deeks: What, you didn’t know that? Look behind you. Look at his face! She did that to expedite an interrogation. You know what, I didn’t even need you to trust us, but it sure as hell woulda been nice if you’d stop threatening us.
Mosley: Detective Deeks this is between me and Agent Callen.
Sam: Apparently it’s between all of us now.
Mosley: I asked him to keep this in confidence and he didn’t do that. This is about his character.
Deeks: Oh my god you’ve got to be kidding me! See, that’s the difference right there, isn’t it? He’s trying to help you and what do you do, you question his integrity. You’ve questioned all of our integrity since you got here and what has it gotten you? It hasn’t made us a better team, it sure as hell hasn’t made us more loyal, so what is it, is it the power?
Mosley: I am sorry, Detective Deeks, but I don’t have time-
Deeks: You need that power, you just desperately need that power-
Mosley: You are fired Detective Deeks. Go back to LAPD. You’re done at NCIS.
Deeks: You sure about that?
Mosley: Oh I’m positive.
Deeks: You wanna fire the person that can testify against you for what you did to Miguel Reyes-
Mosley: You better get outta my face.

What a riveting discussion/argument. Deeks is fantastic, never backing down from Mosley, even threatening her. My jaw dropped when she fired him. She completely fails to understand how to lead, and what makes this team so special. How does she think the remaining team members will react to this kind of aggression?

And that’s just what I think Deeks is responding to. First he expresses frustration with Callen for keeping secrets. Notably Kensi, who’s always more likely to follow orders, is willing to go along without knowing why. But Deeks has never been afraid to question authority and he’s losing patience with Callen before Mosley even walks in the door.

Then we have an echo of his and Sam’s chess conversation in “Descent.” Here it’s Mosley questioning Callen’s character, only Callen doesn’t need to defend himself because Deeks jumps right in to do it. If I were Callen I’d be delighted and grateful to have such a loyal team member willing to defend me like that. (I’d pay money to see a scene where Sam defends Deeks’ integrity this way.) I sure loved hearing Deeks’ words about Mosley’s management skills, words that could have been said at any point in this long season. Deeks identifies what makes Mosley tick, and how it’s counterproductive to engendering loyalty in her subordinates. Then, (like other such people I’ve worked with), because she doesn’t like hearing the truth, she makes a grand show of that power by firing Deeks.

I think what’s also at play to a smaller extent is Deeks’ history of torturing a suspect for information. Military never makes specific reference to “Spoils of War” here, but we can’t help but think about the cleric when Deeks walks into that warehouse and sees what Mosley’s been doing. It puts his concerns over her behavior in a different light, for he did the exact same thing to find the person he cared about most in this world. And yet, he reacts strongly to Mosley’s actions. With the cleric, he quickly realized his behavior was wrong; he stopped and immediately took measures to show kindness towards that horrible man. Here, Mosley shows no remorse, not a hint that she’s troubled by having to do this. I think in that moment, Deeks makes a judgment about the quality of her character – her integrity – and it’s not a positive one.

Deeks’ history at the LAPD may also affect his reaction. He worked with a terrible partner who poured hot coffee on a suspect, and he reported it. It’s not in his nature to let this kind of behavior go.

What I really see happening here with Deeks is that he’s standing up for himself and his teammates against a bully, against someone who uses the power she has over them to hurt and threaten them. He reacts so viscerally because it’s not altogether different from his father’s behavior towards him and his mom. Only now he doesn’t have to let it happen. He can stop it, or try anyway. He is so hardwired to stop this kind of behavior that he literally couldn’t have stayed quiet here. Just as Mosley’s making poorly thought out snap decisions, so here is Deeks. It might be the right thing to do, but it’s not necessarily the smartest move.

He tries to make up for it later when he apologizes, but Mosley is so livid at being called out in front of the others that she can only exercise her power further by having him physically removed from the building.

Could this scene have been any more intense? It reminded me a little of the scene in “Familia” when they all turn in their resignations. Only this was so much rawer, the emotions were so much higher. Military writes the most intense episodes and I think this hour is right up there with “Descent,” “The Seventh Child,” and “The Silo” among his best.

Enjoy the view

It certainly brought much needed satisfaction throughout the episodes to watch Hetty continue to get under Mosley’s skin. One of my favorite moments was when she got Mosley to finally lose patience over her office chair, telling Hetty, “Please don’t sit in my chair anymore.” What was great about Hetty here was that she wasn’t simply messing with Mosley’s head, she was actually trying to steer this crazy woman in the right direction.

Their conversation about sons was outstanding as well: “Then you understand this, Shay. Agent Callen is as close to a son as I’ve ever had.” Hetty’s use of Mosley’s first name showed exactly how serious she was. It certainly seemed to get Mosley’s attention.

The intensity might have dropped a notch in the second hour, but I enjoyed having a moment to laugh out loud with this conversation:

Mosley: When were you gonna tell me that Deeks is in Mexico with the others?
Hetty: He is? He’s such a rascal.

Hetty deliberately projecting an air of calmness because she knows Mosley won’t react well was highly entertaining, and I very much appreciated her being there to do this and to provide actual help to the team. Please Linda Hunt, come back next year!

We have joy

OK, let’s get to the part we were all simultaneously looking forward to and dreading, the big Densi conversations. Their two big talks really played as one extended discussion, interrupted only by Mosley and her hatefulness. We started in the bullpen…

Deeks: I don’t know. Maybe getting fired isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You know? I mean, we keep talking about trying to find a time to get out.
Kensi: Yeah, I know. But I like working with you. It’s part of who we are.
Deeks: Yes, it is a part of who we are.
Kensi: A part that I happen to love.
Deeks: Kensi, you heard Callen, he’s not wrong. This kid is flying around in Lear jets with nannies. This is a custody case.
Kensi: He was kidnapped by his dad, a violent felon who ordered the murder of a federal agent. Let’s not forget that.
Deeks: Sam almost died today. And anything can happen down there.
Kensi: OK, so what are you saying, that we shouldn’t go?
Deeks: I’m just saying, we’re about to be married, I think we can have this conversation, don’t you? I mean the truth is, this kid could stay down there. He could go to private schools and college and have an amazing life. Or, my soon-to-be-wife could be killed while trying to get him on a helicopter, and for what? For a woman who I’m pretty sure doesn’t even like us, why, I have absolutely no idea because everybody loves us because we’re kind and we’re generous-
Kensi: Because we’re happy. Because we’re living our lives, because we have joy, because we have a future. That woman has nothing but anger and pain. Can you imag-
Deeks: If you’ve come to apologize I accept.
Mosley: That’s the last thing I would do, Deeks.
Deeks: Fair enough, OK, I’ll do it. I’m sorry. I’m sorry because you are in an extraordinary situation that I cannot begin to imagine, and I wouldn’t- ‘Sup fellas?

There’s a lot to unpack even in this short conversation. Deeks wants to use his firing as a reason to launch them both to safety and into his happily ever after plans, but Kensi decisively shoots that idea down. His quick pivot to this idea makes me think that, while he wasn’t directly plotting for Mosley to fire him, he felt free to be so assertive because he had nothing to lose, being OK with his future even without a job.

But here, Kensi isn’t engaging in the idea that they both would leave, she’s focused on the fact that he would be leaving her. She likes working with him, implying that she’ll still be working at NCIS and she’d like it if he stayed to continue their partnership. Deeks takes another tack, bringing up what happened to Sam and how he worries about her going to Mexico. It reminded me a bit of their armory conversation at the beginning of “Descent” where he doesn’t want anyone else watching her ass/back.

Kensi’s moment of empathy for Mosley was telling. Deeks only sees Mosley’s bullying (and illegal) behavior and reacts against it, but Kensi understands her pain. I suppose she once felt that way, when Jack abandoned her (or they broke up if you prefer the “Come Back” version of events). At that time, she probably saw other happy couples and felt her own “anger and pain.” She understands how lucky she is to have found what she has with Deeks, which makes their subsequent conversation a whole other level of heartbreaking. Knowing that Kensi is about to lose her joy and her future about three minutes later makes rewatching this conversation even worse the second time around.

Mosley then jumps down Kensi’s throat when she’s trying her best to relate to the woman. Again, not a smart choice from Mosley, given that Kensi is one of three able-bodied agents willing to help her out. Other than Mosley’s sheer obnoxiousness, the most striking part of this conversation is her telling Kensi that she hoped Kensi would never know what she’s going through. (“I pray to god you never do. Ever.”) She’s standing in practically the same spot as Kensi was when she heard Deeks utter nearly the exact same words in “Ascension.” Kensi couldn’t help but to think back to that moment.

I can’t give that to you

The Densi conversation continues in the Mission’s parking garage. (Sorry for quoting so much of this episode’s dialog but it was all so darn good!)

Deeks: Alright, listen, if this is really happening, like if we’re really doing this, then let’s do it. Let’s go down there, let’s save this kid, and then let’s be done. One last mission and we’re out.
Kensi: I’m not ready to do that.
Deeks: OK, that’s OK, then talk to me. What, how much time do you need? D’you need a year? That’s OK, then like t-two years?
Kensi: Probably longer.
Deeks: The longer that we stay in, the better chance this ends really poorly for us. I mean, you know that, right? But if we get out- Baby, look at me – if we walk away right now I swear to god we can have the most amazing life together. I promise you… Just me and you and all the things that we should be doing with our lives… Are we talking about five years?… What about when we’re having kids? What about when we have kids?
Kensi: I wouldn’t do this if we had kids.
Deeks: OK, great! That’s it then, I just knock you up, I can do that!
Kensi: What if we don’t have kids?
Deeks: What do you, what do you mean “What if we don’t have kids?” As in like, we can’t have them, or you don’t want them, what are you saying to me?
Kensi: Well I don’t know, but there’s a million reasons why it doesn’t happen for people sometimes, Deeks. And if we don’t have kids then I’m gonna want to stay in this job.
Deeks: OK, but I asked you Baby, we talked about this, we talked about this, and I said, can you please just think about it?
Kensi: I know that you asked me to think about it, and you know exactly what you want… I can’t give that to you.
Deeks: Then what are we doing-
Kensi: Without lying to you. Or compromising who I am. And I will not do that. To either one of us. Ever… Say something, please.
Deeks: I don’t think we should be getting married.
Kensi: [Takes a step back.] You’re choosing to do this now, to call off the wedding.
Deeks: I mean, these are big questions, don’tcha think? I mean don’t you? Whether or not we’re gonna have kids? Some sort of agreement of what our future looks like?
Kensi: What you’re saying to me, is if I don’t leave my job, you are leaving me.
Deeks: That’s not fair and that’s not what I said, that’s not fair-
Kensi: That is exactly what you said to me!
Deeks: Baby that’s not what I said, Baby that’s not what I said!
Kensi: Are you kidding?
Deeks: (To the fella) Hold on a second.
Kensi: I am gonna go get that kid, and I am gonna bring him back to his mom. ‘Cause that’s what I do Deeks! That’s what I do!

This is the continuation of their conversation in the bullpen, but it’s actually the continuation of a conversation that dates back to at least “High Value Target” if not “Neighborhood Watch.” Over a long period of time, Deeks has consistently brought up the idea of children, with the notable exception of “The Seventh Child” when Kensi was the one reading a parenting magazine and Deeks doubted his ability to be a good dad. Each time, one or the other of them, usually Kensi, has expressed some degree of ambivalence about becoming a parent. Think about “Resurrection” to name yet another example.

Along with the idea of children, they’ve had a running discussion about their career choices. Since “High Value Target” at the beginning of Season 8, Deeks has been the one pressing Kensi to think about leaving their dangerous jobs. Here’s how it went in that episode:

Deeks: In all seriousness though, how much longer are you gonna do this?
Kensi: Well in case you haven’t noticed, this isn’t just what I do, this is who I am. I grew up on Marine bases. Protecting people is all I know, and if I wasn’t doing this, I don’t know what I would be doing.
Deeks: I understand everything you’re saying. I’m just saying that you’d also be an amazing mom.
Kensi: Whoa.

In “The Silo” we heard Kensi express a brief moment of doubt about continuing to do what she does, but really, through the whole episode, we see her doing what she feels called to do, to protect people: “I can stop this from happening, I can stop people from getting hurt, I’ve got to do it, OK?” All along through many episodes, Kensi has consistently entertained Deeks’ ideas while deferring any actual decisions or concrete plans. I don’t think she was being purposely misleading, I think she simply didn’t allow herself to think about it more deeply, to be truly honest with herself about what she wants. In fact, I don’t think Kensi really knew that “…if we don’t have kids then I’m gonna want to stay in this job” until she uttered the words out loud. In this conversation, Kensi finally realizes what her priorities are and shares them with Deeks. Protecting people is what she does.

At the same time, Deeks has never been totally direct about what he wants. His desire to leave his job, I think his inability to continue to cope with the stress of it, has been building and building, and it seemed to reach a crescendo here. Being a police officer is how Deeks has defined himself. He’s always wanted to have Kensi’s back, to keep her safe. He’s always wanted to protect people; heck, he’s driven to do so.

Unfortunately I don’t think he’s able to do it anymore, to cope with that stress. What’s sad here is that Deeks has always been 100% supportive of Kensi in all things, but especially in her role as a kick-ass federal agent. In the end, I think he’ll continue to be just that, but it was painful to see him push her towards “compromising who she is,” even if it was in an effort to try to understand what she wants. It’s like he was so frantic to know that she’d be safe, and so panicked that he couldn’t watch her back- either on this particular mission or going forward- that he wasn’t thinking clearly.

Deeks does clearly see the dangers and understand the huge risks they take in this job. He knows that continuing is likely to end “really poorly.” Kensi seems to be a bit in denial about that. She’s the one who reassures him at the episode’s start that Sam will be fine, seemingly unwilling to entertain the alternative. We’ll see if getting blown up by an RPG changes her perspective at all.

Sadly, it would seem that Densi’s much-improved communication skills still have a ways to go. Yet dancing around this particular issue seems very natural, very human, avoiding the big questions when you have a sense that maybe you don’t share a common vision for your future. Unfortunately in the heat of this moment, misunderstandings occurred, making matters worse.

I think Deeks inadvertently pushed some of Kensi’s buttons, leading her to jump to the wrong conclusion. For example, when he says, “Just me and you and all the things that we should be doing with our lives,” there’s an implied judgment that what she is currently doing with her life isn’t valid. Since she defines herself by her current job, she takes that (rightfully so) extremely personally. In addition, Kensi’s biggest fear is being abandoned by people she loves, and Deeks’ seeming peace with being fired and leaving her alone on the job obviously didn’t sit well. Then when he says “I don’t think we should be getting married” when he means “I don’t think we should be getting married until we talk all of this through,” she assumes he’s not just abandoning her at work, but in life. How awful for her in that moment.

I don’t think a scene of this show has ever made me cry quite so hard. It was incredibly painful to see them struggling, and failing, to find common ground. But we know they’ll work it out in the end. Deeks would never ever abandon Kensi, and she would never walk away from him. True love will conquer all. I insist! But seeing them at odds, with equally valid but pointedly different priorities that seem to be taking them on diverging paths, is unsettling and very sad after all they’ve fought through to be together.

This scene was beautifully written. It might be the saddest conversation they’ve ever had, maybe even sadder than the end of “Ascension.” It worked so well because the conflict at its heart had been established years ago. Unlike the ridiculous wedding planning discussions, which haven’t been at all in character, their discussions about their future always have felt real (even if they sometimes switched sides). To me, this conversation rang utterly true to both of them. It was a naturally occurring obstacle, not something that felt manufactured (like “Three Hearts”).

And how amazing were ECO and Daniela Ruah? If it weren’t so painful to watch, I think I’d have seen it a million times by now. The hurt that Dani projects as she misinterprets Deeks’ intentions felt so real. And ECO showed us one of the most vulnerable versions of Deeks, maybe the most vulnerable, we’ve ever seen. When his face drops after he tries to joke about knocking her up and she doesn’t take the bait, it’s heartbreaking. The rawness of Deeks’ emotions throughout the scene is simply stunning.

I’m still your partner

It wasn’t a surprise to see Deeks arrive at the airport if only because we’d seen the promo pics, but I still cheered when he got out of that car. You know Hetty called him (or vice versa) to arrange that. That whole scene was again, amazing. Military captured the awkwardness between them all, and all their misgivings about the mission. The short scene of Kensi fighting back tears in the car, the background music, which normally distracts but here added so much, and even the rain, all combined to make us understand how out of kilter they were collectively. Plus all those glances on the plane between Deeks and Kensi were wonderful, conveying many emotions without a single word.

Callen: We good?
Deeks: Awesome.
Sam: Yeah, one big happy family. [To the pilot] Let’s go!
Kensi: Deeks-
Deeks: I’m still your partner. At least one last time.

Partners is how they started. It’s always been a special word between them, used before they were bold enough to put any larger label on their relationship. It carries a lot of meaning between them, including here.

Military always seems to give every character a chance to shine. Everyone is capable, and even adult. This is what Kensi does, she saves people. Deeks sticks up for the bullied and would die to protect Kensi. Sam protects his partner and wants to keep another parent or child from feeling pain. Callen protects his team and has snarky fun doing it. Hetty is the master of her domain and manipulates better than anyone. If only Mosley could have been salvaged into a coherent character, but that unfortunately has been beyond the ability of any of the show’s writers.

Light ’em up

I knew they shouldn’t have let Kensi drive! We’re left with quite the cliffhanger. We’ve got four lives in danger, one agent who may be dead, one Executive Assistant Director who could be (fingers crossed) fired, and one relationship that’s not in the best place (I refuse to say it’s in trouble). It would appear that the showrunners were quite confident of their Season 10 pick-up, for how could they have possibly ended the series this way?

It’s going to be a long summer waiting for the resolution to all of this. What makes it more painful than it would otherwise be is the uncertainty over ECO’s continuing role on the show. Normally we’d assume all four of them would be just fine. They’ll wake up and fend off the bad guys, or maybe Hidoko will show up out of nowhere to do it (or Arlo?). But we don’t know for sure that Deeks will survive, or survive without permanent injury. It would be a fine way to write him out to that bar of his. Alternately, perhaps seeing Deeks seriously injured could impact how Kensi sees their future, and her priorities.

What I’d like to see is an exciting rescue, a banged up Deeks, and a Kensi who at least starts to understand what Deeks’ last few years worrying about her has been like. Then I’d like them sit down and work out a plan. A plan that involves Deeks being as honest with Kensi about his needs as she was with him. And a plan that includes a quick beach wedding in Los Mochis. It is on the coast, after all, and I have to believe they chose it as the location for a reason!

I also hope that in the meantime, all our wonderful fan fiction writers get inspired to give us lots of satisfying versions of this, stories that will keep us entertained until September.

This was the NCIS:LA that we only had a few glimpses of this season. I hope it’s the NCIS:LA that we get a huge dose of in Season 10.

So Long… For Now?

It’s with a fair amount of sadness that I sign off on my final review. In fact, it’s hard to imagine not wanting to review the Season 10 premiere, so you never know- wikiDeeks might come to life for one week only in the fall.

It’s been so fun working on this site with such fantastic teammates, and I’ve loved hearing from everyone who ever commented on my work. wikiDeeks is winding down, but we’re not quite finished. Come back later this week for final (sniff sniff) installments of Deeks’ Surf Log, Kensi’s Journal, and the Drabble of the Week. I also wanted to thank Tess for her fantastic weekly episode previews, which I never got to mention since they came before the review. Next week we’ll announce the winners of our final Pets of the Homeless drawing, and after that, join us for one final discussion as wikiDeeks contributors all come together for a close-out roundtable podcast.

In the meantime, what did you think of “A Line in the Sand” and “Ninguna Salida”? I can’t wait to hear everything, so let those comments fly!