‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ 12×14 Review: “The Noble Maidens”

NCIS: Los Angeles 12×14 “The Noble Maidens” is a good episode for many characters, including Nell and Anna, but it’s especially a good episode for Callen, for his personal growth, for the character he now is. This is especially important if you have been a long-time fan like me, and you sit here and compare the character we met, 12 seasons ago, with the Callen of today.

For years, Callen was a character that frustrated me. The show took a long time to build his backstory, and even longer to allow him the kind of personal growth the character deserved, and an actor of Chris O’Donnell’s caliber was able to pull off. But when I say I’ve gone from being marginally interested in Callen, to a fan of his character, I’m not saying it lightly. I’m invested in him, and therefore, I am invested in his love life, his relationships with the people around him.

And NCIS: Los Angeles 12×14 “The Noble Maidens” is proof that you can be one thing, believe that the thing you are is all you can be, and yet, find your way out. Your way forward, if you will.

The episode doesn’t just allow Callen a chance to pull a “lone wolf,” and take it back, it allows Sam and Nell a chance to react to it, and it gives us something that’s just as essential in the journey of personal growth, the certainty that Callen himself understands that what he did wasn’t just wrong because it didn’t always guarantee the best results, but because it wasn’t the best way to go about things for him, personally.

Callen isn’t alone anymore. He’s got family, he’s got friends, he’s got people that care about him, and those people were going to do everything, put everything on the line for Anna …and for him.

I also truly appreciate that the show gave us a Callen and Anna reunion, the type of scene Kensi and Deeks have gotten a few times, because it gives me hope that maybe they’re ready to truly invest in this couple instead of continuing with the same ups and downs. This show has already proven time and time again happy couples work, so it’s time to let Anna and Callen be happy. “We got time,” Callen said. Let’s hope they do, and that NCIS: Los Angeles actually lets us see the next steps.

Then there’s Nell, and her attempts to become Hetty. We’ve all known from the beginning Nell could never be Hetty, and if she was going to do Hetty’s job effectively, she was going to find the Nell way to do it – even if she could benefit from not being so nice to everyone. In this episode Nell appears to sort of find her footing with the job, though there’s still a long way to go.

I don’t like the idea of Hetty never coming back, though a part of me has been preparing to say goodbye to Linda Hunt for about five seasons. It just never seemed like we would be lucky enough to keep Hetty for this long, and I love Hetty and have appreciated every second we’ve had of her, but if this is Linda’s decision, I will find a way to live with it.

Not without a modicum of closure, though, and the promise that Hetty is still around somewhere, being Hetty, and that one day, I might get to see her again. At least let me have that if you’re taking Hetty from me, NCIS: Los Angeles. It’s the least you could do.

Things I think I think:

• “Time to let me go before you regret this for the rest of your short life”? Gotta admire Anna’s attitude, here. I would be in a corner, bawling, or something.
• Everyone’s always like “we have to be smart about this” when it’s not THEIR wife/kid/partner on the line. When it is, al bets are off.
• I’m disappointed in you, Sam. You should have known when you let Callen go that he wasn’t going back to Ops. It’s like you haven’t been his partner for over a decade.
• Nell is way too nice for Hetty’s job. She hasn’t always been, so we need the other Nell back.
• Super glad they’ve kept up with the Kensi and Nell being each other’s support theme. These two have been friends for ages, and the show has been guilty of forgetting about it at times.
• Deeks is gonna go look up Kirkin, that’s love, Callen. LOVE.
• Me when Callen stopped calling Anna his friend and used the world “girlfriend”: 🤭🤭
• And me at Joelle, still: 😴😴😴😴
• “Kensi, you’re here too.”
• Eric is back!
• “I’m trying to protect you,” awww Sam.
• Even a Hetty flashback makes me happy these days.
• Arkady kinda got to me, okay?
• I DON’T LIKE THIS HETTY IS NOT COMING BACK TALK.
• hahaha Arkady and Kirkin hahahaha
• When Arkady pushed Deeks out of the way. Deeks who HAD A VEST.
• You could use a Hallmark movie or two, Anna.
• “I owe you an apology.” You know what that is? Grooowth.
• Damn it, Kirkin.
• “You think Hetty used her as bait”?
• Is this Joelle storyline ever going to end?
• ANOTHER FOUR WEEK BREAK?

Agree? Disagree? What did you think of NCIS: Los Angeles 12×14 “The Noble Maidens”? Share with us in the comments below!

NCIS: Los Angeles airs Sundays on CBS.