‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ 12×04/12×05 Review: “Cash Flow” & “Raising the Dead”

NCIS: Los Angeles 12×04 and 12×05 “Cash Flow” & “Raising the Dead” aired back-to-back on Sunday on CBS, which, if you ask me, is a weird decision for a shortened season that still has an episode to air next week, and for a show that will return early in January, with not enough episodes to fill the time till May, or seasons are supposed to end this year. But all in all, as someone who has missed TV as much as I have, and whose only other alternative was watching her team play Kansas City … let me just say, I appreciated it.

The first of the two episodes NCIS: Los Angeles 12×04 “Cash Flow,” wasn’t anything to write home about. A few fun character moments, a case I will not remember next week – except for maybe the Anna plot line, because that’s sure to come up again, and at least it gives a good explanation for why – post quarantine, she wouldn’t be around all the time

Which is why I’m not sure why the show didn’t save NCIS: Los Angeles 12×05 “Raising the Dead” for its winter finale, because the end of that one …well, the end of that one.

I had a few issues with it – for Kessler to be an effective threat from the beginning he had to be someone we knew before, and since he wasn’t that, he ended up having to be cartoonish to sort of work. I maintain he still didn’t, the ending doesn’t have any sort of power because he worked, it has power because Kensi works, and Deeks works, and we love those characters enough that, of course, we worry about them.

Which brings me to the Deeks issue. Look, I know it’s gonna be fixed, this is TV and Eric Christian Olsen isn’t leaving the show, so they’re gonna find a way to get Deeks back into the team, even if “Hetty has tried everything,” which is a little unbelievable from the people who have spent 12 years telling us Hetty can do everything, but whatever.

I don’t even mind that they drag it out. This thing has been hanging over our heads for almost a decade, so…hey, milk all the drama out of it. But that means milk it, for crying out loud. Nell’s scene with Deeks was one of the best scenes of this episode, and yet we don’t get anyone else discussing the fact that Deeks might never come back? Or even suggesting they miss him?

Other than Kensi, that is.

We’re in season 12. We know this team. And we know how they would all react. This …isn’t it. And I know this is all probably the drawbacks of a procedural, and we’re due an episode where they all actually talk about it, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want a line or two about this… and I don’t mean the whole coms thing, or the acknowledgment that he isn’t there, I mean an actual conversation about why he should be.

Those issues aside, 12×05 “Raising the Dead,” in particular, was an effective episode – especially because I’m sure that, as is the NCIS: Los Angeles way, we’re not actually gonna get payoff right away, we’re going to be left hanging with the notion that someone is coming after Kensi for a few episodes.

But hey, some of this show’s best hours have been ones when the team has to come together to save their own, and although I don’t particularly think the villain is anything but creepy and over the top AF, that doesn’t mean we can’t get the proper emotional payoff.

Plus, I will say, all things considered, the job the show has done at limiting big team scenes and/or scenes with a ton of extras to keep with coronavirus guidelines and make sure their actors are as safe as possible …that deserves a kudos. Sure, it’s a little weird at times, but it has yet to be jarring, and considering we were all pretty willing to give shows a big pass – it’s been fun to see NCIS: Los Angeles not even need that.

Things I think I think:

• I love Anna’s video game obsession.
• Not sure I love the complaining about a workout that LOOKS to be just running. If you’re gonna tell me it’s hard, SHOW me hard.
• Awww Kensi and Deeks are buying a house.
• Fix this Deeks thing. Though, the fact that the show wrote it this way so Eric Olsen could have more time with his newborn kid is adorable.
• Also, I know this is the way of the show, but I would have liked a little conversation about the Deeks issue.
• I know Anna’s a polarizing figure for fans of this show, but I actually enjoy her when she’s around, so I was happy to see Bar Paly.
• “Lots of years” OMG.
• “Yeah, baby, we’re crazy.”
• Deeks is right.
• “Okay, time to go to jail, let’s go.” Look, Roundtree was way too nice.
• The Millennial jokes aren’t funny.
• More pandemic mentions in 12×04 than in all other episodes put together.
• THEY QUARANTINED TOGETHER, SO DON’T YOU DARE BREAK UP CALLEN AND ANNA NOW.
• First a house, then kids …these two episodes have felt like …a giant step forward after years of talking about things.
• I kinda wish they’d brought someone we’d RECOGNIZE, but fine, emotional stakes for 12×05, at least.
• But did ANYONE expect Deeks to follow the rules on this one? And no one’s really stopping him, either.
• Okay, that’s creepy AF.
• Roundtree and Sam is a good combo.
• Kessler is literally wannabe Hannibal Lecter without charisma.
• So, Deeks is …fucked? Is that what you’re saying?
• Not that I believe it’s gonna last, but like …that scene with Nell hurt me.
• “You made us proud, Deeks. Every day.”
• Tears.
• Deek’s whole “That’s not good”?
• No shit, Sherlock.
• “And now he’s coming after Kensi…” sucks as, you know, a cliffhanger, BUT NOW I ACTUALLY HAVE FEELINGS. FEELINGS ARE GOOD.

Agree? Disagree? What did you think of NCIS: Los Angeles 12×04 and 12×05 “Cash Flow” & “Raising the Dead”? Share with us in the comments below!

NCIS: Los Angeles airs Sundays on CBS.