NCIS: Los Angeles Review: Queen Pin (Season 8 Episode 17)
NCIS: LA Season 8 Episode 17 “Queen Pin” sets up the final episodes of the season with a brand new mystery, lets romance flourish and shuffles characters in a way that’s not only effective, but at this point of the season, has ceased to be surprising.
Yes, Sam can rock an operation on his own.
Yes, Deeks can be the one backing him up.
Yes, Kensi and Nell can team up every once in a while.
Yes, Callen and Anna can work well together.
A few years ago, to have everything clicking would have been a shock. This season, it has become the norm. It doesn’t amaze us anymore.
In fact, we expect it.
Asakeem is the new (old) thread we’ll be following all the way to the season finale; at least, that’s what it seems like. But that’s not the only thing the episode sets up – the mention of Whiting makes it seem like we might finally be close to the Deeks/LAPD break that we’d been anticipating for years, and I, for one, couldn’t be happier.
Five years ago it made sense for Deeks to want to stay an LAPD detective – now it does not. He’s more a member of this team than he’s ever been of anything in his life (with the exception of his relationship with Kensi).
It’s time.
While we’re on his relationship with Kensi, one of the best things this show has done – and it’s done a lot of them right in the past few seasons – is allow Kensi and Deeks to exist in a relationship without the added drama that TV shows seems to strive for. They get to work together, to comfort each other, to have each other’s back, and guess what – they can still be effective agents, they can still be individuals.
Color me surprised. I didn’t even know TV did that.
Another thing the show has done well, particularly this season, is allow Callen to grow. He’s been stuck in the same metaphorical place for far too long, and like her or not, Anna is a departure from that.
So was Joelle, in a way, but the Callen who dated Joelle was not the Grease-singing Callen of this episode, that’s for sure.
Of all the characters on NCIS: LA, Callen is the one who looks the most like the person we first met in the Pilot. That’s not a good thing, as far as characters are concerned, not eight years in.
People change, and so should characters. Callen has stayed mostly static, and though his reasons have been valid, even good reasons run their course.
It’s now time for him to embrace another part of his life. Will it end well? Who knows?
Maybe he’ll get his heart broken. But just as he had to walk into that house at the end of last episode, give family a chance, he also has to give this romance a try. For himself.
All we can do is stand here and root for him.
Other things to note:
- “TMI, dear.” – Hetty, I love you.
- Callen, get a bed. ASAP. Girlfriends like beds.
- “I couldn’t get up on a surfboard, this morning, while surfing. What are you talking about?”
- It’s great to see Kensi back on the field, being as much of a badass as always. It’s also great to see how much of an non-issue her coming back was. No one ever doubted that she would.
- “That’s really evolved of you.” – We’re all on your side on this one, Deeks. I promise. No one is as evolved as Kensi. I’m not even sure Kensi is – though I can’t fault her reason for being okay.
- Whiting lives! I’m really glad the show didn’t just wish away this Deeks issue by just killing her.
- That brings me to: Deeks, M episode? When? I’m getting old here.
- “Is this a new form of American torture?” Well, yes and it’s brilliant. I participated wholeheartedly from my couch.
- “I’m following Waze. Sometimes you have to let go and just trust it.”
- This was a funny, funny episode.
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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Lissete Lanuza Sáenz
Lawyer. Writer. Columnist. Geek. Falls in madly in love with fictional characters. Hates the color yellow, misogyny, and people who are late. Can always be found with a book. Watches an absurd amount of TV every week, often, while eating coffee ice cream. She has no regrets. You can check out her blog here: Absurday. Lissete is a senior writer for Tell-Tale TV. Follow @lizziethat
5 comments
Wow! Usually I think your reviews are spot on, but I think you really missed the boat this time. First off, I totally disagree that Callen is the character who’s remained the most unchanged since the first season. There’s a difference between being static and being subtle. And no mention of the opening scene except one of Hetty’s lines? Really? That was probably the sexiest–and also funniest scene–of the entire season. Good grief, even Hetty’s ringtone was hilarious, and while some folks adore Densi, there’s no question that Callen and Anna have sex appeal to match anyone. Also, you didn’t catch the clues that Deeks is going to crash? Look back at what’s happening to him: he can’t surf the way he used to, he can’t let go of his feelings about past events (when Kensi–who was the “victim”–clearly can and his inability to let go of his feelings makes him bad agent material right now), he questions Sam’s objectivity and decision-making (that’s not being good backup), and he has Whiting to worry about again. BTW, the “torture” Asakeem referred to wasn’t their singing; it was that he could tell they wanted to have sex (you need to watch that scene again). Sure, there was humor in this episode–and it was terrific–but most of it had nothing to do with Kensi or Deeks. And as for relationships, I can’t wait to see where Callen and Anna go with theirs.
I watched the episode 3 times – I just think we’re coming at it from different POVs. Of the main 4, Callen’s growth has been way more subtle, as you yourself said. Doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy his character, I do – much more this season than ever before, really. I happen to really enjoy Anna too, I’m just not nearly as invested in a relationship that’s been going on for half a season as I am in one that’s seven seasons in the making and I felt it important to point out how this show, a procedural, does relationships much better than a lot of other shows who actually focus on relationships.
The funniest guy in this episode was Callen – Deeks was morose and Kensi was serious. It was nice to see, because Chris O’Donnell has very good comedic timing and we usually only get to see it in the banter with Sam. So, honestly, we don’t even disagree about that much – mostly about Deeks. I think most of his reactions seem real, and though I’m sure the Whiting thing will come to a head, I don’t think they’re going for a full on crash, as much as a gentle bumper to bumper touch.
Nice review. I also agree with you that Callen it’s the character with less grow on the show, but we can see changes in his life since he knew his name,coincidence? I don’t think so. He was so fixated with his past (who wouldn’t?) and he was unable to move on. He started to and then the Joelle thing happened and he lose his way again and try being a lone wolf again, his way to feeling secure again. He’s hesitant about Anna and once she realized that ,she proceeds to explain herself and give him space. They’ll have a long way ahead in their relationship but I think she’s the right one for him, once he let his guard down he was able to be very relax with her.He’s growing slowly and painfully and it’s totally normal having trust issues after what he went through . About Deeks, I think his head in this ep was in Whithing and in the consequences of what he confessed to her, it’s usually him who lift others up but in this episode was Kensi the optimistic one, but I love they’re being supportive of each other, classic Densi.Love them❤️
I have a question about the S8E17 Queen Pin that aired on 3/12/17 and the one on DVD’s that also aired in Jan 2018. I recorded the original Queen Pin on 3/12/17 and was shocked to see the one thing n the DVD and the one during winter hiatus. DVD and winter hiatus are the same, but so very different from the one that aired in 3/12/17. Minor script change: Original romantic scene, Anna ended with “all of me”. On dvd and repeat it’s “call me”! Also noted distinct differences in both romantic scenes, camera position, etc. and that these scenes apparently had been redone, completely. My question is “do you know why these scenes were redone”? Because indeed, the newer one is very different from the original that aired on 3/12/17!
Did King die in the shootout? Any place to find a full recap or summary sans opinions? Opinions are great, I love others take on things but I’m hunting a break down of the episode.
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