Review: NCISLA “New Beginnings” (S14E20)

For long-time fans of NCIS: Los Angeles, its penultimate episode ever, “New Beginnings,” feels much more about endings. We’ve come to the last case, and the last time we’ll see these characters all together. The last moments of bromance and romance, of banter and booms. In a lovely extra touch, revised opening credits drove home exactly how long we’ve watched these characters, and how far they’ve come. All in all, writers Kyle Harimoto and R. Scott Gemmill and director John Peter Kousakis delivered a solid start for this two-part finale, and I’ll keep my hopes high that next week will deliver the emotional pay-out they set up here.

This show has never been the quickest to dive into these characters’ personal lives, but over the past several years, they’ve spent more time doing just that. Literal references to family were sprinkled throughout the episode, in the many terms of endearment shared between characters. I’ll never grow tired of hearing these people, most of whom have led solitary lives, referring to one another as “honey,” “our daughter,” or “Pops.” 

Wedding Plans Run Amok (Again)

This episode began with a thorough update from just about every character. The two-part aspect of the finale eps really became evident during this extended series of scenes, as the writers were able to take their time to give (nearly) every character a lovely scene about, well, family.

First Anna and Callen fretted over wedding plans. While certainly familiar territory for this show, the scene did let us know that the wedding is relatively imminent, and painted quite the hilarious picture of Arkady with a boa constrictor at the Playboy Mansion. (We’ll talk more about boa constrictors below.)

Anna: All this wedding planning, it’s worse than a suicide mission.
Arkady: Tell me about it. Sometimes I sink the only purpose of getting married is to prepare you for death.

Now just give me Roberta as one of Arkady’s dates for the wedding.

What remained unaddressed in this episode was Callen’s current thinking about Hetty. Has he decided to forgive her? Is he still wishing she’d pop up for the wedding? We will see soon enough.

Work Husbands

Callen did express just a trace of doubt when he asked Sam if he was doing the right thing. Sam’s big brother reassurance was lovely, and this line summed it up: “G Callen. Nomad. The Lone Wolf. The Shadow. About to be a married man.”

The banter continued when Sam and “Other Guy” visited delightful cupcake entrepreneur/ex-gun runner Nina Barnes. First, how dare they call her cupcake truck a “roach coach”! Second, why have I never noticed the sexual tension between Nina and Sam? The flirting over red velvet and ladyfingers must have made Callen feel like a third wheel. Could Nina be Sam’s date for the wedding?

Bad Leftovers, Or…

The Densi was strong this episode. Most importantly, Kensi’s been having some stomach troubles, apparently due to old left-overs. First, I don’t think Kensi has ever been one to need strict rules for handling such food items. Second, this has to be what we’re all thinking it is, right? There’s no way the writers would tease us into believing Kensi’s pregnant only to pull it all away in the finale. They’ve guaranteed we’re going to be happy, after all. While I’ve never been highly invested in this outcome for the couple, it was very exciting to read the writing on the wall before these two characters could figure it out for themselves. It’s sure to be the highlight next week. Whether it can live up to a million fan fic versions and all the hopes and dreams of so many fans remains to be seen, but I have confidence that Eric Christian Olsen and Daniela Ruah will crush it.

These parents have evolved slightly, now able to let their daughter go out into the world unsupervised, but bolstered with love and encouragement. And they’re both so happy:

Kensi: I’m happy too.
Deeks: Yeah, but happy and fulfilled and grateful, I just wanna remember this moment in time.

Between the joy of becoming parents and the rekindled romance, it’s no wonder Kensi might now be with child. Later on in the episode, Kensi and Deeks provided overwatch in another charming scene:

Kensi: You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?
Deeks: That Thin Mints are the devil’s candy?
Kensi: What?
Deeks: That we should find a new overwatch position because Newsome’s probably setting us up?… I know what you’re thinking now, too. You’re thinking “gosh, I feel so lucky that he’s not only my partner, but he’s my husband.
Kensi: Yep. Lucky, lucky me.
Deeks: Just hashtag: blessed.

It was an adorable scene reminiscent of so many others in similar settings. In particular, it called to mind the duo considering Rosa’s – and Pilar’s (poor, forgotten Pilar) – adoption in Season 13’s “Work & Family,” and even harkened back to early Densi in Season 2’s “Rocket Man,” when the duo watched a recently frelted Beale talk to a suspect.

I can’t wait to see how everything is revealed next week. It was quite concerning to see a hopefully pregnant Kensi getting hurled through a window in the promo, but at least she looks none the worse for wear getting ready for the wedding.

Transitions

In other developments, Rountree worried over his sister’s medical school interview, and how she might be affected by movements in his civil case against the LAPD. I was glad to see them return to this story line and I hope we get some positive results for him in the second part.

Sam helped his dad work out, with some cute father-son banter. I loved seeing Sam get his father riled up and Raymond responding with a, “If you lip off to your old pop, he’s gonna bust you.” (Raymond and Deeks certainly do share a certain joy for said riling.) And of course Arkady was being a positive influence, as Sam described: “Cigarettes and a flask aren’t the building blocks of a great workout.” But of course, the morning’s positive father-son interaction was counterbalanced by Dad making his way back to the park later that day, having forgotten their earlier workout. Seeing one’s parent start to lose track of what’s happening around them is heartbreaking, and made for the second time in the episode my heart went out to Sam. I hope he gets the happiest ending he can given his current circumstances.

Memorable Moments

• The boom in the cold open was fine, but I do hope we get one last impressive explosion in the finale. It would only be fitting. We did get to see the Challenger utterly destroyed. JPK seemed to take quite a lot of glee in demolishing it so thoroughly.
• Other than sporting yet another gorgeous scarf, Fatima didn’t get anything in the way of personal stories. There just may not have been enough time, unless her failure to get a warrant or subpoena to search the SAC’s financial records is going to trigger something in the next ep. Otherwise it would seem an odd detail to include.
• Deeks and Kensi got to use the new descending weapons toy in the boatshed. In retrospect, not the best money the show has spent.
• I like to think Deeks has such a confident familiarity with Malibu Canyon because as a teen, Ray drove him from Reseda down to Malibu to surf every chance they got.

Next week looks to be a fitting conclusion to a show that has always been about the found work family, but that over time extended well beyond the workplace to include children adopted and biological, mothers, fathers, sisters and nephews, girlfriends and fiancées. I have confidence we’ll be celebrating just that.

This will be my last review, and the last thing I write for the site, at least for now. (Diane will take the reins for the finale next week.) I have a fan fic that ran yesterday, and a couple of already-written short posts that will run next weekend, but it hasn’t been until now that I’m actually writing my final words. I am so grateful to Diane, Colleen, Lindy, and everyone else who’s ever worked with us on the site, who’s every supported our charity fundraising efforts, who’s ever commented, or who’s ever read my work. I never would have expected my obsession fascination with a TV character to lead to so many amazing experiences, and I just want to say a huge thanks to everyone who was a part of it.

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A/N: Thanks to Lyssa for her usual speedy and helpful fact checking and screen shotting. Any remaining errors are mine alone.