NCIS: LA Review: Angry Karen (Season 12 Episode 3)

On NCIS: LA Season 12 Episode 3, “Angry Karen,” the team searches for the person who tried to run Sam down while he was meeting with a military whistleblower.

Though we all know Hetty has been preparing Nell to take over for years, she still seems to think this arrangement is temporary. Sam reminds her that Hetty always has ulterior motives, and this is clearly more than just a quick favor.

We understand why Linda Hunt is staying off set and protecting herself, but whenever Hetty leaves for an extended period of time, the show is missing something.

The episode starts with Sam waiting to meet someone who has information vital to national security. Instead of getting intel, he is almost run down. Harris, the whistleblower’s, car was hacked.

Harris has a friend who works at the Naval Base in Oxnard, so it seems like all roads point there.

Harris’ friend discovered that contractors were using a fake missile to defraud the Navy, which is what he wanted to tell Sam. However, it takes a little longer than usual for the team to figure everything out, which makes the plot feel disjointed.

The highlight of what is a pretty basic episode is when Callen teaches Fatima how to download information from a car’s computer. With new agents on the team, it’s nice to see the veterans passing along their experience.

It is a quick scene, but it’s pivotal to the growing bond between the characters.

The procedural hints at, more than tackles, the problem of police reform, by saying possible budget cuts have temporarily eliminated Deeks’ liaison position.

With two Black men and a Muslim woman on the team, it seems like the show could’ve found a way other than focusing on the white LAPD detective to tell such an important story.

While we’re sure this is part of Covid-19 protocols to have fewer people on the set, it’s a lazy way to deal with a serious issue, especially considering the platform a show like NCIS: LA has.

Speaking of new rules, the number of people on set obviously has to be limited, but the family vibe of the team working and living together is the secret sauce of NCIS: LA. Now that it’s been taken away for a while, the show is desperately missing it.

Before the season started, it was made clear that the show would exist in a post COVID world. Other than Kensi and Deeks’ bar having problems, we’ve seen no hint of what that looks like.

So far, the words Covid-19, Coronavirus, or virus have yet to be mentioned. If it’s being ignored fine, but that’s not what we were told, so where’s this post-virus world?

Three episodes in and NCIS: LA is still trying to figure out the balance between its action-packed found family fun and new protocols. The show is going to be a little uneven while it finds its footing, but we see sparks of our old favorite, so we’re definitely still part of the team.

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

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NCIS: LA airs Sundays at 8:30/7:30c on CBS.

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