NCIS: Los Angeles Review: Parallel Resistors (Season 8 Episode 8)

A 12-year-old girl steals the show on NCIS: LA Season 8 Episode 8, “Parallel Resistors,” and what she brings out in the characters we know and love is nothing short of amazing.

By virtue of their relationship developing right in front of our eyes, Kensi and Deeks have been the characters more likely to bond with kids, babies and mothers to be. This show is, after all, many things, but subtle is hardly even one of them.

This episode, however, it’s Callen’s turn, and by extension, Sam’s, though they come at it from distinctly different viewpoints.

Sam’s a father – he understands what it’s like to have a kid Nadia’s age, and his first instinct is paternal. Callen is a lone wolf without a family, an uncle by extension to Sam’s kids, but someone who still doesn’t see in Nadia something he might ever get to have.

It’s a nice exploration of a different side of these two characters that we hardly ever get to see within the constraints of case and the amount of time the show has been giving to the Kensi story-line.

Talking about Kensi – she’s finally back to something resembling herself – and all she needed was some competition. That’s our girl. Sullivan is a nice addition to the dynamic, and a great push for Kensi to focus on physical therapy.

She even gets to have a nice moment with Deeks when she not only apologizes for the way she’s treated him, but she asks to see the ring so she can use it as motivation to get out of there.

It’s, again, the perfect next step in a storyline that, so far, has been handled immaculately by these writers.

And, even though Nadia is, by all accounts, the hero of her own story – she manipulates her kidnappers, manages to send a message with her location to the team, and, frankly, takes Callen’s “think outside the box” advice so much to heart that I wouldn’t be surprised to see her as a special agent in Season 20 of NCIS: LA (hey, you never know) – she’s also a conduit to what this show really wants to say.

Which is – boy, are we getting old.

Or maybe it’s these characters that are getting old. Sam’s baby is no longer a baby. Kensi and Deeks are a pretty functional, mature couple, and not the bickering children of before.

Even Eric and Nell seem somewhat functional in their dysfunctionality.

I don’t want to say it’s your turn, Callen, but buddy, it’s your turn.

That’s probably why we’re going back to your roots next week. And hey, I can’t promise you it’s going to be painless, but I can promise you that, with these writers, it’s probably going to be worth it.

So, buckle up. Time to face the past and, maybe, look towards the future.

Other things to note:

• Is Eric ever going to get out on the field? Not that I don’t get why he stays, but they keep portraying him as really, really wanting to, and it makes me want to hug him.
• But then again, that’s my default Eric mode. Except when he’s making bad jokes.
• The camaraderie between Callen/Deeks/Sam has been dialed up a notch, and I love it. Deeks always felt like the outsider, and somehow, with what happened to Kensi, the writers have found a way to really integrate him into the team without making it feel like they’re pushing Kensi away.
• Even though we’ve yet to see it, I love the little mentions to the guys going to see Kensi. They’re family, after all.
• Where’s Hetty these days? Mole hunting?
• Granger’s got the disapproving father stare down pat.

What did you think of this week’s episode of NCIS: LA? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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NCIS: LA airs Sundays at 8/7c on CBS.

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