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typingtess · 2 months ago

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NCIS: Los Angeles Season 14 Rewatch: “New Beginnings Part II”

The basics: The OSP works with the ATF on a gun deal while personal changes come to the team.

Written by: Kyle Harimoto & R. Scott Gemmill

Kyle Harimoto wrote "Omni", "Merry Evasion", "Chernoff, K" (season six finale), "Command and Control" as episode 150, "Granger, O.", "Ghost Gun", "Kulinda", "767", "Se Murio El Payaso", "Assets"/"Liabilities", "Venganza", "Superhuman", "One of Us", "Let Fate Decide" (season 11 premiere), "Decoy", "Answers" , "Watch Over Me", "Cash Flow", "Fukushu", "Bonafides", "Come Together" (season 13 finale) and "Of Value". He co-wrote "Three Hearts", "Leipei", "Humbug", both ends of the "Matryoshka" two-parter (part one with Gemmill), "Smokescreen" part two, "Searching", "A Fait Acompli", "A Tale of Two Igors" (season 12 finale, with Gemmill), "Best Seller" and “New Beginnings Part I” (with Gemmill)

R. Scott Gemmill wrote/cowrote "The Only Easy Day", "Brimstone", "Breach", "LD50", "Found", "Borderline", "Absolution", "Archangel", "Tin Soldiers", "Impostors", "Cyberthreat", "Honor", "The Watchers" and both sides of the NCIS Los: Angeles/Hawaii Five-0 "Touch of Death" episodes, "Recruit", "Free Ride", "Wanted", "Ravens and The Swans", "Impact", "War Cries", both ends of the "Deep Trouble" season five finale/season six premiere, "Inelegant Heart", "Praesidium", "Traitor", "Active Measures" (season seven premiere), "Blame It On Rio", "Internal Affairs", "Matryoshka" part one (with Harimoto), "Talion" (season seven finale), "High Value Target"/"Belly of the Beast" (season eight premieres), "The Queen’s Gambit", "Under Siege", "Unleashed" (season eight finale), "Party Crashers" (season nine’s premiere), "This Is What We Do" (episode 200), "Các Tù Nhân", "Goodbye Vietnam", "Ninguna Salida" (the season nine finale), "Hit List", "Asesinos", "Till Death Do Us Part", "Choke Point", "The Guardian", "Hail Mary", "Kill Beale Vol. 1", "Alsiyadun", "Fortune Favors the Brave", "The Bear" (season 12 premiere), "Angry Karen", "Love Kills", "Russia, Russia, Russia", "The Noble Maidens", "A Tale of Two Igors" (season 12 finale with Harimoto), "Subject 17" (season 13 premiere), "All The Little Things", "MWD", Work and Family", "Game of Drones", "A Long Time Coming" and “New Beginnings Part I” (with Harimoto).

Directed by: John P. Kousakis directed "Imposters", "Sacrifice", "San Voir" part one, "The Fifth Man", "Parley", "Inelegant Heart", "Chernoff, K." (season six finale), "Active Measures", "The Long Goodbye", "Talion" (season seven finale), "Glasnost", "Unleashed" (season 8 finale), "Party Crashers" (season nine premiere), "This Is What We Do" (episode 200), "Goodbye Vietnam", "Ninguna Salida" (season nine finale), "The Guardian", "High Society", "A Tale of Two Igors" (season 12 finale), "Under the Influence", "Genesis", "Come Together" (season 13 finale), "A Farewell to Arms", “New Beginnings Part I”, all of the Afghanistan scenes from "Iron Curtain Rising" to "Zero Days" in season five and all of Kensi’s injury/recovery storyline scenes from "The Queen’s Gambit" to "Sirens" in season eight.

Guest stars of note: Bar Paly as Anastasia "Anna" Kolchek, Vyto Rugins as Arkady Kolcheck, Ava McCoy as Jordyn Rountree, Natalia del Riego as Rosa, Lesley Boone as Nina Barnes Duncan Campbell as Agent Castor, CSI’s Liz Vassey as ATF SAC Kerry Adams and UFC Champion Randy Couture as ATF Agent Bill Newsome are all back from Part 1. Pamela Reed as Roberta Deeks returned from season 14’s seventh episode “Survival of the Fittest”, Peter Cambor as Nate Getz returned from “Genesis” in season 13, Erik Palladino returned from season 14’s “Best Seller” as Vostanick Sabatino, Renee Felice Smith returned as Nell Jones from the season 12 finale “A Tale of Two Igors”, Chip O’Donnell as the New Guy.

Linda Hunt was credited for her voice over work. Both Cambor and Hunt were credited at the end of the episode to add to the surprise.

Our heroes: Sail into the sunset

What important things did we learn about: Callen: Married Sam: Best Man. Kensi: Pregnant. Deeks: Dad to be. Fatima: Catches the bouquet. Rountree: Proud brother. Kilbride: Worried about the younger staffers.

What not so important things did we learn about: Callen: His Mr. Carl is a butch Mr. Rogers. Sam: Switch is a specific man. Kensi: Glowing according to Anna. Deeks: Former member of the Kiss Army. Fatima: Running things in Ops with Rountree Rountree: See Fatima. Kilbride: Calling the Argentinean military about some missing guns.

Where in the world is Henrietta Lange? Hopefully somewhere where Callen, Sam, Nell, Nate, Sabatino and the New Guy can find her.

Who's down with OTP: One got married, one is having a baby.

Who's down with BrOTP: The show’s central relationship is doing just fine.

Fashion review: The main characters all wore their Part 1 clothes for most of the episode. Sam changed into a black Carhart jacket, black tee and black pants as Switch. At the wedding, Callen and Sam looked spiffy in their tuxedos. Callen wore a bow tie, Sam a long black silk tie. Kensi wore a lovely grey gown. Deeks went with fashion forward with a pink jacket, crisp white dress shirt with no tie and black pants. Fatima wore a beautiful red gown. Rountree went with a dark suit and a white tee-shirt. The Admiral work his work suit, which transitioned nicely into evening wear. At the end of the episode, Callen is in a light blue button down shirt, Sam is wearing an olive green field coat with a black baseball cap.

Music: “Private Number” by William Bell featuring Judy Clay played in the after wedding scenes. “Midunya” by Moroccan Spirit was playing when Callen and Sam arrived in Morocco. “Hold On, I’m Coming” by Sam & Dave ended the episode.

Any notable cut scene: No.

Quote: “I most certainly do.”

Anything else: Previously-s including the Admiral meeting with Adams, the team meeting with Newsome, meeting with Nina Barnes, the fight in the bad guy’s house and learning that Kerry Adams is dirty.

The shooting continues in the garage. Callen and Sam find cover behind two different cement columns as Adams and her driver reload. The time reloading gives Callen and Sam the window to shoot both Adams and her driver. Adams is alive and trying to get to her weapon. Callen gets to her gun first. He calls for an ambulance. She doesn’t know how Callen and Sam figured things out.

The opening credits are a nice mix of 14-seasons worth of credits.

Callen, Sam and in an-Ops Fatima and Rountree debate whether Adams was dirty and setting up Newsome to take the fall or if Adams and Newsome were working together. If Newsome is dirty, Kensi and Deeks could be in trouble. Fatima will contact the two about the change in the ATF’s relationship with NCIS. Rountree has news from Commander Collins. About 90% of the stolen weapons are used by the Argentinean military. The Admiral is going to tell Argentina’s military that someone is stealing from their bunkers.

On overwatch, Deeks is out of snacks. Kensi isn’t eating – they aren’t on a picnic, they are on overwatch. They debate whether Newsome is dirty or not. Deeks wants to play “I Spy”, Kensi really does not.

In the boat shed, Castor brings Nina Barnes to a patiently waiting Callen and Sam. Castor and Barnes have Starbucks – Castor ordered a girly drink. Callen wanted Barnes to appear because it was “urgent” but obviously she didn’t think it was urgent. Since she’s not getting paid, she’s running on her schedule. Callen asks if Barnes knows who is moving the weapons. She does not have a name but the weapon buyers but knows they are moving the money with special fund exchange where she may or may not have an account. Barnes thinks she can set up an arrangement with the weapons broker. Asked about how the money is moved, Barnes explains that everything is done with an air-gapped computer. “Good luck with that.”

All dressed in black, Barnes is reading to make the deal with “Switch”. She sees the new armory in the boat shed and thinks it had to be Kibride’s idea. He had a similar set-up when he lived in Texas but the guns came up from the ground. Callen, Sam and Barnes leave to make a deal with the gunrunners.

Sam and Barnes go to a up for rent restaurant to meet with the gunrunners. Sam takes a weapon from the boat shed’s armory.

With Kilbride keeping Fatima and Rountree in Ops, Kensi and Deeks are on their own watching Newsome. Deeks takes out his earwig, Kensi does the same. Saying they don’t have to be so far away in overwatch, he wants them to move up closer to Newsome and the bad guys. Kensi could check out the van with the weapons while Deeks causes a distraction with some “bubble gum.”

In the restaurant, Sam and Barnes are searched even though she “never has anything on me.” The guard find’s Sam’s gun. He’ll get it when their business is completed. A man, Bryant, comes from the kitchen. He’s not happy, the rules are Barnes only comes alone – who is her guest. Sam introduces himself as Switch saying “this bitch owes me money.” Since Barnes has credits in the system, she wants to cash out - $110,000, a specific number for a specific man.

From Ops, Rountree has the schematics of the restaurant and will guide Callen to where he needs to be. Meanwhile, Fatima is cutting cell service so Callen will have to use satellite technology to stay in contact with Ops. Callen makes his way into the building, just missing being seen by Bryant and his guard. Bryant notices there is no cell service. He’s off to check if Barnes has enough money in her account.

The guard returns to Sam and Barnes – Bryant is getting approval to move the money. Sam/Switch isn’t interested in approval, he’s interested in getting his money. Barnes wants the money – it is her money.

Deeks is yelling near the gate of the bad guy’s house, looking for Bubble Gum, his Burmese python that gone missing. The last time he slithered away, he ate a coyote and was sick. The guys at the front gate want nothing to do with “freak boy” Deeks. Kensi is able to get near the vans and place cameras on the vehicle. Deeks is going on about his hypoglycemic snake. Fatima and Rountree are getting feeds from the cameras. Deeks is warning the guys at the front gate that their dogs, cats, platypus’s are all in danger with Bubble Gum slithering free. When Deeks gets the all clear, he leaves after seeing Bubblegum.

Walking into Ops, the Admiral sees that Kensi is just outside of the house and Deeks is by the gates. He also sees video of the weapons inside the vans being sent by the cameras Kensi attached. Unhappy the plan was not “vetted by me”, the Admiral wants Kensi and Deeks back on overwatch until the team knows who is running the guns. He also asks if Callen has found the air-gapped computer. He has not. This isn’t good – “we’re running out of time,” according the Admiral.

The Admiral tells Fatima and Rountree there is a lot of admire about the senior members of the team, a lot to learn from them. Rountree says they’ve learned a lot from them. The Admiral was not in the mood to be interrupted since he wasn’t finished. Kilbride does not want Fatima and Rountree to learn that disobeying orders is appropriate. Fatima wonders if Kensi and Deeks were “technically” disobeying orders. They were according to the Admiral, “what the hell would you call it?” When there is no answer, the Admiral demands one since there are no wrong answers. Rountree thinks Kensi and Deeks showed initiative. “Wrong,” the Admiral yells – seems there were wrong answers. Also, Fatima sort of smiles and that doesn’t help her cause. She finally raises her hand wondering if they should join Kensi and Deeks in the field. That goes over poorly. They will remain in Ops to support the team.

Callen gets Bryant into a sleeper hold, knocking the man out. A few zip-ties later and Callen is at the stopgap computer. With his satellite phone, he gets Fatima and Rountree into the computer. Fatima finds who got the weapons to the gunrunner while Rountree looks for the buyer – Maximillian Dana. Dana is a businessman with restaurants, dry cleaners and other stores. Obviously he also sells guns. Kilbride gives the green light – Callen and Sam can end their work at the restaurant, Kensi and Deeks can secure the weapons.

Just as Callen is about to get offline, the Bryant’s guard walks in. He takes a few shots at Callen before Callen can take him down. The shooting in the back of restaurant has Sam, Barnes and the guards in the front of the restaurants all pointing fingers at each other. Sam thinks the cops are coming. One of the guards starts shooting. Barnes pulls a gun from her bra and takes him down. Sam takes a gun from one of the guards. Barnes covers Sam as he gets back his weapon. The two take out the last guard. Sam gets an all clear from Callen before childing Barnes for not telling him she was armed. She likes the element of surprise, besides “real gentlemen never touch the good stuff.” The gun is her “Double D-Defender.”

As she moves to the house, Kensi is taken by surprise by a guard coming up from behind her. The two struggle falling through a glass door. Kensi is off comms at this point so Fatima sends in Deeks behind her. He jumps a fence to get to her, making sure the guard near Kensi stays unarmed. “God I love you,” Deeks tells her before two other guards arrive. Kensi takes out one, Deeks the other in a show of great teamwork. Both Fatima and Rountree are impressed by Kensi’s work.

In the bad guys’ playroom, one of the two remaining henchmen says he’s lost contact with the other guards. This causes the two to go after Newsome. They think he’s a cop. “Kill him.” Hiding in a closet, Newsome knocks out one of the henchmen, getting his weapon. The other henchman makes a threat against Newsome. With the big weapon from the bad guy, Newsome shoots out a wall, shooting henchmen number two.

Outside of the house, the surviving henchmen are being taken away in ambulances. Kensi and Deeks are sitting the back of an open police SUV when Newsome comes by. While it is tough for him to admit, he was happy to have NCIS’s help. He promises that if NCIS ever needs help, he’s there. Deeks start talking about all the NCIS team members going lone wolf at different parts of their time with the agency and it rarely works. Newsome has heard enough to know he likes working alone. As he departs, Kensi gets a text. Callen wants to meet with them in Beverly Hills. If Kensi and Deeks leave right now, they could swing by Rosa’s softball games. Deeks likes the idea of hot dogs and soda. That gets a “hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo” from Kensi.

Rountree is waiting for Jordyn. Her alumni interview went well. Her grades and professor recommendations are among the best they’ve ever seen and certainly the best this year. Jordyn feels Rountree “oozing negative energy.” Rountree explains that there is news in their case. There will be no LAPD trial. Jordyn is shocked. There will be a settlement and while Jordyn doesn’t want to, Rountree tells her it is a lot of money. It will pay for all of Jordyn’s medical school tuition/expenses with enough money left over that they could buy a condo and stop paying rent. They don’t have to make the decision today but they do have to make a decision. Rountree thinks the best outcome of this terrible incident is that they can change the trajectory of their family tree. Jordyn disagrees – they changed that by both being college graduates. Now Rountree disagrees – Jordyn is going to have more than a college degree, she’s going to be a doctor. Rountree reminds Jordyn that she did all the hard work – getting the grads, studying, acing her interview. He’s “damn proud” to call her his sister.

Callen walks into his house as Arkady and Anna are bickering about the seating plan. Arkady asks Callen where should he sit for the wedding. “In the parking lot,” is Callen’s answer. Anna will let Arkady pick his seat if he brings one guest. Arkady explains he was always a “plus two” wedding guest. The conversation turns to Titan the DJ and Callen wants no part of it. He wants to speak privately to Anna, who is about to go but first she warns Arkady that if he touches the seating chart, “I will cut you.” Arkady is proud – Anna reminds him of her mother. “And you see what that got her.” And adds “she will always be my minus one.”

Saying she’s going to kill Arkady, Callen tells Anna to give him the head’s up – Arkady is too big to move alone. “Not if I cut him into pieces.” Callen asks Anna if she still wants to get married. She does but is worried he doesn’t. He does. He really does. He just doesn’t want to do it this way. Anna apologizes that the wedding planning has gone badly. Callen promises Anna that none of this matters – he wants to get married now. “Now now, right now.” Anna says she looks like a mess. They can get married at City Hall. Anna can wear her dress, Callen will borrow a tux from work. Arkady can go if Anna wants him there. Callen even called Stacey, Anna’s maid of honor. She’s out of town. Anna has a backup plan. She is grateful to Callen. The two kiss.

Kensi cannot believe that Callen and Anna are getting married. She is putting on an nice gown. An arriving Rosa has two dresses – a blue one with polka dots and a pink and green floral dress – and she can’t decide. Kensi like the pink and green. Deeks shows up in a dress shirt without his pants. He can’t find them but Kensi tells him they are in the laundry. Asked by Rosa which dress, Deeks thinks they’re both beautiful but obviously, the blue one. Rosa thinks her parents aren’t helping.

Kensi struggles to zip up the back of her dress when the phone rings. Deeks can’t get the phone so Kensi answers. It is Dr. Cassell asking how Kensi feels. She’s thinking of sticking with the bland diet. The doctor gives her news and she starts crying. Deeks returns, asking about his shoes. Kensi ends the call and she’s really crying. Deeks is as upset as she is – wanting to know how was on the phone. The two hug, he’s scared she’s not talking. She finally tells him, “we’re having a baby.” Deeks is stunned – they tried everything and nothing worked. The two hug again. He’s thrilled it wasn’t her food that made her sick. Kensi starts to laugh. A returning Rosa asks what’s going on. Deeks tells her she’s going to be a big sister. Rosa is happy too. The three have a big family hug. Kensi wants them to keep this all a secret – today is about Callen and Anna. “Who?” Deeks asks before agreeing to keep things quiet. Deeks want to confirm things with Dr. Cassell.

At the courthouse, Callen and Sam are dressed in their fancy tuxedos. Callen thanks Sam for being his best man. “I would not be here today if it wasn’t for you.” Sam agrees. Callen wonders if Sam feels the same. After teasing about some heartfelt moments being missed, Sam agrees. The two shares “I loves you’s” and a big hug. Callen is ready to get married. The guests are in the middle of the courthouse floor. Rountree, Deeks, Bertie, Rosa, Arkady, Admiral and Fatima are all waiting. All smiling. Anna arrives with Kensi as her bridesmaid and a judge. “Let’s get ready to rumble,” the judge says.

Callen and Anna say their “I do’s” with a weeping Arkady watching over Kensi’s shoulder. Callen jumped the gun on his “I do”, cracking up the crowd before saying “I most certainly do.” The two exchange rings and their first married kiss. The Admiral wishes Callen and Anna their best. Kensi thinks Anna looks stunning, Anna thinks Kensi is glowing. Deeks is eyeballing Arkady and Bertie together. Rosa thinks Arkady and Bertie make a great couple. Deeks asks Rosa if Arkady is what she wants in a grandpa.

Fatima catches Anna’s bouquet, with a “hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo” from Rountree this time. She tries to pass him the bouquet but he passes it right. Fatima jokingly calls him a coward.

Sam gives Callen another hug – he was sure he’d never see the day Callen would be happily married. A man speaking Arabic comes up to Callen and Sam, offering a letter complete with a wax seal, saying “May God protect you, have a blessed day,” translated by Sam.

As the man leaves, Sam goes after him while Callen opens the letter. It is from Hetty, who offers congratulations on the wedding and disappointment that she is missing “a glorious occasion”. While people think she never had a family, Hetty begs to differ, she has had the greatest family a person could wish for “and so have you.” Callen looks up and sees everyone at the wedding have a great time. Anna comes to Callen, asking about the letter. Sam returns. He tells them about the letter, which Sam knew had to be about the wedding because Hetty is Hetty. Hetty offers her house in Mykonos for the honeymoon – “stay as long as you like.” Anna always liked Hetty.

Inside the envelope are plane tickets to Morocco for a small side project. Anna promises to meet Callen in Greece as long as Sam keeps Callen alive.

In Morocco, Callen and Sam are in a jeep, going to a side of the road market in their GPS’s coordinates. Callen is hoping for a cold beer, Sam thinks he’ll be lucky to get some mint tea. Callen prefers mouthwash. Sam is hoping some of the locals speak French. Callen is confused – Sam speaks Arabic. He does, but not the local Darija Arabic spoken by the Morocco locals.

Callen is drawn to a little woman drinking tea. Saying “Hetty”, the little woman is Nell. Hetty has gotten herself into a little pickle and Nell with her team is having a hard time getting Hetty out. “Don’t tell me Beale’s here with you,” Callen says. Beale is giving a TED talk in Singapore. Nell’s team arrives – Nate, with a pornstache, Sabatino and the New Guy who is really named Willis even if Sabatino only calls him New Guy. Nate tells Callen and Sam their up to their asses in alligators. Having Callen and Sam there is going to help. Callen notes they were brought to Morocco under false circumstances. Nell gives a very Hetty answer: “Subterfuge is the foundation of good espionage.” “You’re getting more like Hetty every day,” Sam tells Nell, who takes it like a compliment. Nell is working on a plan. Sam and Dave’s “Hold On, I’m Coming” plays as Nell asks if Callen and Sam are ready for their new adventure. They are.

What head canon can be formed from here: This is how you do fan service. Almost every major character got their storyline wrapped up. Callen, who opened the series as the orphan without a first name, is Grisha who has a living sister, a nephew, a new bride and a wacky father-in-law. Kensi opened the series as the woman who lost all the men in her life now had a loving husband and was starting a family of her own. Deeks is a variation of this – his fracture family in childhood has become a loving wife, daughter and a baby on the way. Rountree’s conversation with Jordyn in Part I changed their family tree with their educations but the settlement with LAPD lets the two move forward with those changes.

As for Sam, I think they knew he was moving to NCIS: Hawai’i for a season. Sam, the family man, spent the season keeping his son in the air, reminded his daughter that he loves her for the person she is not for the persons she chooses to love and took care of the father who helped make him the man he was. He could leave them for a year knowing everyone is in a good place. Speaking of fathers and sons getting to a good place, the Admiral getting basically his own episode to start repairing his relationship with his son.

The only one who didn’t quite get her own ending was Fatima. Catching the bouquet at the wedding may be a hint of where she may wind up with Ali but she was the only character really left hanging.

Planning a season wrap-up next week and a series review week after that.

Thank you for reading these over the years. The program got me back into fannish things after a long break. The community here in Tumblr is terrific. This is how you fandom.

Episode number: This is both the season 14 finale and the series finale, episode number 323.

#NCIS: Los Angeles Rewatch #NCIS: Los Angeles #NCIS: LA #NCIS Los Angeles #ncis la

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