‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ 12×03 Review: “Angry Karen”

NCIS: Los Angeles 12×03 “Angry Karen” is a much better episode than last week’s, more interesting, with more of the team engaged in a way that feels like the show we know, instead of a courtroom drama, and yet the absence of Deeks, and even Eric, hang heavy over an otherwise entertaining hour.

Eric is the kind of character it feels like you will never truly miss, because other people can do his job, and presumably utter his puns. And yet, we’ve grown to love Eric, and his absence – especially considering everyone has brushed it away – has reached the point where though it’s not unbearable yet, it’s starting to require some attention.

Why hasn’t he been in contact with Nell? Are they together? Did they break up? Was he just giving Nell some space? Why doesn’t she seem upset? Why does this show continue to treat their relationship like they are barely friends with benefits?

The switch from partners to more was very obvious with Kensi and Deeks – less so with Eric and Nell, and though they have never been my favorite couple on the show, I do enjoy them enough to at this point be like: Is this something we’re going to get an explanation for or …?

And then there’s Deeks, who we always miss, even when he has a scene or two. His dynamics with Kensi – not just their interpersonal dynamic, but the on-the-field one – are some of our favorites in this show, and we’ve been waiting for a long (long, loooong) time for him to leave the LAPD and become a full time NCIS agent. This feels like the time.

But we don’t really want that to mean that there’ll be a few episodes where we don’t see him. This is an overdue storyline, but we remember what the show was in the dark days before Deeks (I try to forget about season 1), and we really, really don’t want to go back there.

So yes, at this point, this show has grown, and there are a lot more characters that have to share our love, but that doesn’t mean we can’t dream of episodes where the show manages to juggle all of them. The realities of shooting in the time of coronavirus make this complicated, that is understandable, but we really, really hope the show isn’t going to half-ass this storyline we’ve been waiting for since like, season 4.

If there’s a bright spot in NCIS: Los Angeles 12×03 “Angry Karen,” despite the above mentioned absences, however, it’s Nell. Ages ago, it felt like the show was really grooming her to take over Hetty, and then, for a while there, it felt like they’d forgotten, and they thought we had forgotten. Thankfully, just like with many other things this show has put on the back-burner, be it be chance or necessity, this storyline is back, and with it our girl Nell’s time to shine.

Because yes, Kensi is a badass, and probably my favorite character on the show (this changes depending on my mood, but we’ll go with Kensi today), and Fatima is a badass as well, and let’s not even get into how much Hetty kicks ass, but Nell doesn’t have to emulate either of them to be her own kind of badass. She can Nell Jones and still kick ass, in her own way.

We love her, just the way she is. Just as we love this team. This is why we want more of them – all of them, preferably together.

Things I think I think:

• Right, Nell, just till she gets back. Riiiight.
• We’ve always known Hetty was grooming you for her job, Nell. Come on. Used to be you knew this too.
• “No, I’m pissed.”
• Why is Sam even there without backup? Like, why?
• I was expecting this storyline with Deeks being “recalled,” which doesn’t mean I have to like it.
• I agree that there’s nothing Hetty can’t fix, though. I agree with that.
• Aww, he’s worried about Kensi being out there without him.
• I hate this LAPD storyline already, so can we just …make it fast? No, right? Am I asking too much?
• Nell is …very good at this.
• “Are you hungry, or just bored?”/”Both”
• Callen walking Fatima through recovering evidence is kinda …sweet.
• As is Sam reassuring Nell.
• The more you complain about being bored, the more likely is that things happen to you.
• They always run, Fatima. Always.
• I will admit the Kensi and Fatima team up was fun.
• Sam’s “really?” as the reptilian tried to run away gave me life.
• HAHAHAHA the missile is called “Angry Karen.”
• I so knew Kensi was going to be in real danger without Deeks and that is going to end up being A THING.
• “Nice NASCAR move indeed.”
• “You can’t laugh at your own joke, Jimmy Fallon.”
• Everyone’s being so nice to Nell, I kinda dig it. She deserves the love.

Agree? Disagree? What did you think of NCIS: Los Angeles 12×03 “Angry Karen”? Share with us in the comments below!

NCIS: Los Angeles airs Sundays on CBS.