NCIS: Los Angeles 13×12 “Murmuration” is a little bit of a waste of time, in most respects. There’s some setup (Callen, you need to stop being surprised at how everything ties into what is surely the season-ending arc), Roundtree is back and Kensi and Deeks continue to adorably move forward into the next step of their relationship, but other than that, everything else is pretty damn forgettable.
Well, not everything, of course. The characters work, in the same way they always do. Thirteen seasons in, they pretty much have to, or we wouldn’t be here. So yes, Sam and Callen get to be partners again (we even get an Anna mention!!), Killbride’s bond with Fatima is explored a bit more, and …well, there’s a case that goes nowhere.
Not that we really care that it goes nowhere. In general, though some of the cases do a good job of carrying on the emotional beats of the episodes — case in point, last week — this isn’t the type of show that always needs guest stars to carry an hour. Instead, they all can, individually, and as a team, pretty much make any episode bearable.
But even my optimistic self, who still would probably watch this episode live even if I knew what it was about, has to admit this was a pretty so-so hour. Longer seasons lend itself to this, but NCIS: Los Angeles has a lot of dangling plot threads it could have pulled to deliver a more interesting hour where, you know, things actually happened.
That it’s not a total disaster is a testament to the ensemble, and the way we’re all invested in the overarching storylines. But with Hetty gone, Kessler still on the run, not to mention the cliffhangers from the last two episodes, the Densi baby question and Callen’s investigation still left to be resolved, there was just a lot more to do than give us an episode about something that was nothing.
It could have been worse, of course. I could have been left without my weekly dose of these characters. But it could have also been so much better — kinda like it always is.
Things I think I think:
- I want to be on your side, Deeks, but I would have shot at you with the toy gun too.
- This show is typically pretty good about continuity, at least with everyone not named Anna.
- Killbride’s general’s annoyance at Deek’s existence will never not be funny.
- It’s good to have Roundtree back.
- “Just be yourself. Worked on me.”
- Deeks is me re: the outdoors.
- What is it with Densi and kids?
- DOES IT FEEL FAMILIAR, CALLEN? DOES IT?
- This episode was a bit of a snooze, wasn’t it?
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of NCIS: Los Angeles 13×12 “Murmuration”? Share with us in the comments below!
NCIS: Los Angeles airs Sundays on CBS.
Was this episode a major snooze? Yes, yes it was. Most forgettable episode ever IMO. I would’ve settled for hearing one of Hetty’s long stories about her past then whatever this was!